Prep is the work
The finish people compliment is mostly the work nobody sees. Sanding, filling, priming, drying time. We don't shortcut it, and we'll happily explain why a quote that looks slow probably isn't.
— 01 The studio
A brush, a steady hand, and a slightly obsessive eye for finish.
Anna's Decorating is a small painting and decorating studio based in North London. We're sisters, with over 20 years of professional decorating experience in family homes and period flats, learning the parts of this trade that don't appear in the photo at handover.
— 02 A short story
Careful decorating, for homes where the details matter.
We started Anna's Decorating because careful decorating is harder to find than it should be. A lot of work looks fine on the day it is finished. The difference shows later: edges lifting, filler flashing through, woodwork chipping, or walls that were never properly prepared.
We built the studio around the slower parts of the trade: preparation, protection, drying time, clean edges, honest advice and a tidy house at the end of each day. We work as a pair across painting, wallpaper, woodwork, Venetian and polished plaster and limewash, so the same two people stay close to the job from preparation to handover. Those details are not extras. They are the difference between a room that looks newly painted and a room that feels properly finished.
— 03 What we believe
Four ideas we keep going back to.
These steer everything from how we estimate a job to how we leave the room at the end of the day.
A home is a home, not a site
Shoes off, dust sheets down, music low, tidy at the end of every day. We aim to be the kind of crew you can leave the keys with and forget about until the room is finished.
Sample first, then decide
Colour on a chart is not colour on your wall. We paint a proper sample patch and watch it through morning and evening light with you before we commit. The hour here saves a week of repainting later.
We tell you what's possible
If a job needs more days, we say so. If a paint won't behave on a particular surface, we say so. If we're not the right studio for the project, we say so. The quote should match the finish.
— 04 In your home
The way we work, while we're there.
A small set of habits that don't change between jobs. Most are agreed before we start so there are no surprises mid-week.
- — 01
Dust sheets and masking, every morning
Floors, fixtures, light switches, anything that doesn't move. Then again the next day. The rest of the house should feel the same as it did before we arrived.
- — 02
One named point of contact
Anna or Maria runs the job from quote to handover. You won't be passed around mid-week, and you won't have to repeat yourself to someone new.
- — 03
Working hours agreed before we start
Typically 8.30 to 5.30, Monday to Friday. We confirm at quote and stick to them. If we need an early, a late, or a Saturday, we ask first.
- — 04
Tidy at the end of every day
Floors hoovered, tools away, sheets folded. The room stays livable while we work. You shouldn't have to step over anything.
- — 05
A labelled touch-up kit on the last day
Leftover paint, sample pots and a thin brush, labelled by room. For the chip behind the sofa in two years, or the kid with a felt-tip.
— 05 How we get hired
Four ways the work tends to come in.
Most of our work is still private homes. The other enquiries we take are close to that world: careful interiors, clear access, and clients who care about the finish.
Homeowners
Most of our work is directly with the people who live in the house, from quotes to samples to the final colour. The bulk of what we do.
Interior designers
We work alongside London interior designers on schemes we believe in. We work to the designer's spec without improvising on it, and keep colours and substrates consistent across the project.
Higher-end rentals, between tenancies
For owners of prime central rentals, we deliver clean, accelerated redecorations between tenants, on handover dates that hold.
Small commercial interiors
Studios, consulting rooms, boutiques and small offices where the space needs to look considered without turning the job into a large-site contract.
— 06 The practical bit
A few things worth knowing.
The kind of detail you'd otherwise have to ask in the first email.
- Languages
- We communicate in English, Romanian and Russian.
- Based in
- North London. Most of our work is N, NW and W postcodes within the M25. We do travel for the right project.
- Insurance
- £5m public liability insurance. Certificates available on request, ahead of a job.
- Materials
- Most often Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Paint & Paper Library, Sanderson, Mylands, Edward Bulmer, Dulux Trade, Bauwerk, and specialist plaster brands. Happy to use what you prefer.
- References
- Available on request. We'd rather you spoke to a recent client than read a wall of testimonials.
- Studio size
- Two of us on most jobs. For larger projects we bring in a small, trusted team that we've worked with for years.
— 07 Brands and accreditations
The paints we keep coming back to.
We're not tied to any one of them. These are the brands we trust to behave on a wall, in real light, over real years. If you've already chosen a paint or material that suits the project, we're equally happy to use it.
Trade accreditations
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They truly respect your property. Having them in the house is a real pleasure.Teresa Due · Google
— 08 Get in touch
Let's talk about your space.
Tell us about the room (or the whole house). We'll come and have a look, talk it through, and send you a written quote within a few days. No pressure, no hard sell.
Emailhello@annaspaintingdecorating.co.uk
Phone07464 863334
Service areaN · NW · W · within the M25