Homes in Southlake and what they ask of paint
Southlake is mostly custom and semi-custom homes from the late 1980s onward, many on large lots with mature oaks. Facades mix tumbled brick, Austin stone and stucco accents, with cedar or painted wood shutters and garage doors. Inside, you'll see two-story family rooms, curved staircases, extensive crown and wainscot, and builder-grade cabinets that were often stained cherry or honey maple. Those big rooms and detailed millwork are where most of the labor goes. Older stained cabinets need degreasing and a bonding primer before any color will hold, and tall walls need scaffold or extension planks rather than a simple stepladder.
Turning a stained Southlake kitchen into a painted one
We label and remove every door and drawer front, then take them to a ventilated spray area so the finish dries without household dust. Boxes stay in place and get masked, cleaned with a degreaser, scuffed with 220-grit pads and primed with a bonding or shellac-based primer that blocks oak and cherry tannin bleed. Topcoats are a waterborne alkyd or urethane-modified acrylic in satin or semi-gloss, sprayed in thin passes.
Typical Southlake cabinet painting runs $4,350 to $9,800, depending on the number of doors, glass inserts, island size, color changes and whether you want old hardware holes filled for new pulls. That range isn't a quote. We'll count doors on site, open a few to check for water damage under the sink, and quote the job in writing. Hardware gets bagged and labeled by location so every pull goes back where it came from.
- Doors sprayed off site, boxes finished in place
- Tannin-blocking primer on oak and cherry
- Hinge holes filled if you're changing hardware
- Kitchen usable most evenings during the job
Should you limewash or paint Southlake brick?
Limewash soaks into porous brick and weathers gradually, so it suits homeowners who want an older, softer look and are comfortable with some variation from wall to wall. Mineral silicate or breathable masonry paint gives a solid, even color and lasts longer between touch-ups. Tumbled brick common in Southlake takes limewash well; slick, dense brick sometimes doesn't. Either way, avoid ordinary acrylic house paint on brick that needs to breathe, since trapped moisture can push it off in sheets.
We test a hidden patch first, often near the side garage, and let it cure for a few days so you can see how it reads in morning and evening light. We'll also flag stone accents, which usually stay natural for contrast. Before any limewash goes on, the brick gets a gentle wash and a full day to dry, and mortar joints with hairline cracks from soil movement are patched so the finish doesn't highlight them.
Working around tall rooms and finished floors
Two-story family rooms and entry halls need staging that won't scuff hardwood or travertine. We lay rosin paper and drop cloths, pad ladder feet, and set up adjustable planks on stair runs so the brushwork on high walls and crown is as careful as it is at eye level. A low-VOC, washable matte or eggshell keeps the walls easy to clean, and we cut crisp lines where the wall meets a stained beam or a stone fireplace surround.
We vacuum and wipe down each day, keep furniture grouped under plastic, and leave pathways open so kids, pets and housekeepers can move around while we work. Rooms are finished one zone at a time, so the kitchen, primary suite or home office is never out of commission longer than needed. If you work from home, tell us which hours need quiet and we'll plan sanding and spraying around them.
Streets and places we know in Southlake
- Southlake Town Square
- Bob Jones Park
- Southlake Boulevard (FM 1709)
- SH-114 corridor
