INTERIOR · RESIDENTIAL
Period interior decoration
Tenement flats, Georgian townhouses, mews conversions. Specified palettes, hand-cut lines, restored cornicing.
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EDINBURGH · LEITH
Award-Winning Painters and Decorators in Leith
Period townhouses on Bernard Street, tenement conversions off The Shore, restaurant fit-outs along Constitution Street. Borthwick has worked across Leith for decades — finish, no fuss.
4.9 / 5average rating
175+verified reviews
1959est. — 65 years of craft
£10 millionpublic liability cover
Welcome to Borthwick Decorators Leith
Borthwick Decorators has been painting period townhouses, tenement flats and restaurant interiors in Leith, Edinburgh since 1959. We typically handle full interior repaints to specified palettes, sash-and-case window work, common-stair redecoration with the factor, and listed-building restoration across the EH6 postcode.
A working port, a Georgian core, a new waterfront.
Leith has more architectural personalities than most cities — bonded warehouses on the Shore, Georgian merchant houses on Bernard Street, modern apartments along the waterfront, and Victorian tenements running back up Easter Road. Each asks a different question of the decorator.
We’ve worked across all of them. From scaffolded exterior repaints on listed Shore properties to interior schemes in the new-build blocks, the Leith brief is rarely the same twice.
AWARD WINNING
2025 Cultural Renovation Project of the Year
2025 Residential Category
2024 Private Domestic (Pre-1919) Project of the Year — Contract Manager 2024
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WHAT WE DO IN LEITH
Our painting and decorating services in Leith
EXTERIOR · STONE
Sandstone and masonry coatings
Limewash, mineral paints and breathable systems for Edinburgh's sandstone.
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KITCHENS
Hand-painted kitchens
In-situ cabinetry painting using F&B Estate Eggshell or Little Greene Intelligent Eggshell.
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COMMERCIAL
Restaurant and retail fit-out
Hospitality refurbs on Constitution Street, The Shore and Ocean Terminal. Out-of-hours where required.
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COMMUNAL
Common stair painting
Tenement common-stair redecoration across Leith. Coordinated with stair committees and factors.
Learn moreRECENT WORK NEARBY
Recent work in and around Leith
ABOUT LEITH
The port that ran ahead of its city.
Leith sits at the mouth of the Water of Leith, on the north side of Edinburgh. Until amalgamation with the city in 1920, it was a separate burgh — its own councillors, its own customs house, its own identity. That identity outlasted the merger.
For decorators, Leith means a particular set of buildings: 18th-century merchants’ houses, Georgian and Victorian tenements with their original lath-and-plaster, mid-century waterfront flats, and a small but growing set of new builds at Ocean Terminal and Western Harbour. The stone weathers differently to West End or New Town — saltier air, more rain off the Forth. We specify accordingly.
EDINBURGH CLIENT FEEDBACK
A small sample from our Edinburgh portfolio.
It has been an excellent restoration following a burst pipe causing extensive damage. The two tradesmen worked meticulously without interruption throughout the process. I would have no hesitation in recommending Borthwicks Edinburgh to provide the service which is required.
Borthwick Decorators were a pleasure to deal with. From the initial contact, right through to the completed job - they really went above and beyond. We are very happy with our decoration and would recommend them every time.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Working with us in Leith.
Do you take on listed-building work in Leith?
Yes. Much of central Leith sits in the Leith Conservation Area with a high proportion of Category B and C listings. We have the heritage finishes specialism and the documentation discipline conservation officers expect.
How quickly can you start?
Standard lead time is 4-6 weeks. For commercial out-of-hours work we can usually accommodate tighter windows once the brief is firm.
Do you specify the paint or work to our specification?
Both. We have a default house specification (Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Tikkurila depending on substrate) and a heritage specification for pre-1919 work. We also work to architect or interior designer briefs without issue.
Do you work with stair committees and factors?
Regularly. We have a separate process for common-stair work that handles consultation, scheduling around residents and invoicing through the factor.
What is your insurance position?
Public liability to £10 million. Foremen CHAS / SMAS / SafeContractor accredited. IPAF and PAL licensed for cherry pickers and scissor lifts.
NEARBY AREAS
Areas near Leith we work in.
Accreditations & memberships
Public liability insurance to £10 million.
PDA
Painting & Decorating Association
SDF
Scottish Decorators Federation
SSIP
Safety Schemes in Procurement
Trusted Trader
Edinburgh — Trading Standards Vetted
SafeContractor
Independent H&S Verification
CHAS
Contractors Health & Safety
SMAS
Safety Management Advisory
PASMA
Mobile Access Towers
IPAF
Powered Access (PAL)
CONTACT — EDINBURGH
Speak to our Edinburgh team.
Borthwick Decorators Ltd93 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 3ES