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Our ‘Double Drenching’ guide to painting window frames

Our ‘Double Drenching’ guide to painting window frames

October 30th, 2024

Little Greene

Our new ‘Double Drenching’ approach to decorating sees colour embraced in every aspect of your scheme.

This means that elements that are often neglected – such as your ceiling, window frames or skirting boards – now become a fantastic host for an energising pop of colour.

Read our guide to incorporating window frames into your new ‘Double Drenching’ scheme. Discover practical painting tips and explore schemes that showcase the window frames as an interesting design feature.

Ceiling: Middle Buff, Walls: Yellow-Pink, Window & Woodwork: Affogato, Cabinetry: Bassoon, Chair: Atomic Red

Double Drench your window frames

For Double Drenching schemes, select two or more related shades with varying undertones and immerse your entire space in colour. By combining colours that might not typically be used together on your walls, ceiling and woodwork, you can create a scheme with high impact and wow-factor.

To create your double-drenched space, choose one bold colour for your walls. Then explore the Little Greene colour card to find similar hues that you can incorporate in other parts of your scheme – including your window frames.

‘Double Drenching’ schemes work best when they feature a palette of strong, impactful shades, but with contrasting hues. If you have chosen a dark inky blue like Dock Blue for your walls, consider using your window frames to introduce a vibrant colour highlight. The punchy bright blue, Smalt, works well. Or if your walls are painted in the rich, warm Yellow-Pink, choose a dark caramel like Affogato for your window frames to create an interesting contrast.

Royal Navy Bedroom

Ceiling & Above Dado:

Dock Blue™

Walls:

Royal Navy™

Window:

Smalt™

Headboard:

Dock Blue™

Add all 4 Sample Pots to Basket

Hopper Living Room

Ceiling & Cornice:

Dark Brunswick Green™

Walls & Skirting:

Hopper™

Window Surround:

Citrine™

Add all 3 Sample Pots to Basket

Ceiling: Arras, Walls: Bronze Red, Skirting, Bookcase & Chair: Arras, Shutters: Mushroom

Pair bold walls with a coordinating neutral

Instead of making your window frames the focus of your ‘Double Drenching’ scheme, consider painting them in a coordinating neutral. This approach means you will benefit from an uplift in tone, as well as being able to create impact in other parts of the space – for example, the walls and ceiling.

For a harmonious look, opt for a neutral with undertones that complement the surrounding colours. In this luxurious dark red dining room, the window frames are painted in Mushroom – a gentle neutral with a hint of red oxide. It therefore coordinates beautifully with Bronze Red and Arras, offering both contrast and cohesion.

Ceiling: Blush, Walls & Picture Rail: Masquerade, Skirting: Masquerade, Window: Light Gold, Floor: Invisible Green

Introduce an unexpected colour highlight

There’s also an opportunity to bring an additional element of surprise to your double-drenched interior. Consider introducing a completely new colour on one part of your space to create an unexpected colour highlight that will really draw the eye.

As a surface that is often painted white, your window frame is a fabulous host for this vibrant pop of colour. This approach works especially well in ‘Double Drenching’ schemes that utilise a softer, more muted palette. Light Gold brings a boost of energy to this elegant living space, painted in earthy pinks, Masquerade and Blush.

How to paint window frames

Painting your window frames might seem like a daunting task, but it has the potential to give your scheme a truly sophisticated, elevated finish. Discover our expert tips and advice to help you complete this project with ease.

1. Prepare the surface

Remove any catches, hinges and handles, and tape the edges of the window frame with decorator’s tape. Clean all surfaces to remove any dirt or dust.

Our self-priming Intelligent Paints require minimal preparation and sanding. But if you are painting onto aged gloss, we would recommend giving the surface a light sand to create a key for painting.

Walls: Hopper, Skirting: Hopper, Window Surround: Citrine

2. Prime if needed

For knotted wood, we always recommend applying a coat of Aluminium Wood Primer first. Then, if you are using one of our self-priming Intelligent Paints, you can usually go straight ahead without a primer or undercoat. But for dramatic colour changes, you might prefer to apply a coat of Intelligent A.S.P. tinted to the shade of your topcoat.

3. Paint your window frames

Once the surface has been properly prepared, you can go ahead and paint your window frames with your chosen colour and paint finish. Remember to leave any tape in place until the surface is fully dry before removing. We recommend applying 2-3 coats of paint to achieve full depth of colour, allowing to dry thoroughly in between coats.

For a complete step-by-step guide, learn how to paint interior wooden window frames.

Walls: Yellow-Pink, Window & Woodwork: Affogato, Chair: Atomic Red

The best finish for painting window frames

Our upgraded Intelligent Paints provide the best paint finishes for painting window frames. Their groundbreaking, self-priming Intelligent Grip technology makes painting window frames simpler than ever. Choose from Intelligent Eggshell, Satin or Gloss, available in all Little Greene colours.

These washable, hardworking finishes have 15 times more durability than many ordinary household paints. With their water-based, quick-drying formulations, you can achieve a high-quality, hardwearing finish using just one tin of paint, with no separate primer required.

Thanks to Intelligent Grip technology, our Intelligent Paints are now suitable for painting almost all household surfaces. This means you can bring fabulous Little Greene colour to all interior window frames, whether they are traditional wooden frames or even uPVC.

Learn about Intelligent Grip technology.

Find out more about Double Drenching, or browse our inspiration gallery to explore interior design ideas.