Give wall tiles a new look

If you don't want to retile, but your kitchen or bathroom wall tiles have seen better days, painting them is the obvious answer. A bank-holiday weekend, such as those coming up next month, is the perfect time to do this job.

Start by scrubbing the tiles with a sugar-soap solution or spray, then wash down with clean water and allow to dry. It's important to prime the tiles so the topcoat has a better chance of bonding and staying bonded. Tile primers are available from DIY stores, as are special tile topcoats. You won't get the latter in a vast range of colours, but then painting tiles is a bit of a compromise and unlikely to look as good as retiling. It is easier, though.

Getting a smooth finish is vital if you want the tiles to look good. To achieve this, apply the paint with a paintbrush, then roller over it with a foam gloss roller for a brushstroke-free finish. You can apply the paint with the roller, but you'll get more on with the brush.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when applying the primer and topcoat, and leave enough time for more than one coat if required. Depending on where the tiles are, this could mean not washing, showering or cooking in the area for some time, so plan the job carefully because you don't want your paintwork to be ruined by water, steam or food splashes.

Unless you're using white tile paint, it's a good idea to go over the grout lines - once the paint is completely dry - with grout paint, otherwise the tiles will look obviously painted. You can apply this with a grout pen or a tiny paintbrush and bottle of grout paint. To get straight lines, you'll need a steady hand.

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Getting a new kitchen isn't cheap, but it doesn't have to cost the earth.

For environmentally-friendly worktops, check out the glamorous Metallico range, which is made of natural quartz and recycled metallic chips.

As well as being eco-friendly, the worktops are solid, durable and stand up well to wear and tear.

Metallico comes in four polished colours: white, black and two shades of grey, so there's a look to suit most schemes.

Prices start at 350 per sq m (20mm thickness) from Cargo Granite. See www.cargogranite.co.uk.