Malmaison Hotel

A decorating contractor who used the quality and reliability of Johnstone’s paint to turn a former prison into a luxury hotel, has succeeded in creating a dream destination that no-one is in a hurry to escape from.

Mackie Decorators, based in Glasgow, worked continuously for three months to ensure that Oxford Castle, in Oxford, was successfully painted and transformed into the latest exclusive Malmaison Hotel.

Director of Malmaison Interior Design, Stephanie Briggs, said that Mackie Decorators specified Johnstone’s for the project and added that she was very pleased with the end result.

Stephanie said: “It was crucial to get the colour scheme and the paint finish just right and we were extremely pleased with the quality of Johnstone’s paints and the way Mackie Decorators used them to create the different effects..”

The project was such a success that it won the Special Interest Category of the Johnstone’s Painter of the Year 2006 competition.

Over 1,200 litres of Johnstone’s Covaplus Vinyl Matt Emulsion and Johnstone’s Vinyl Silk Emulsion were carefully applied to the restored walls and ceilings to complement the period features and decadent interior design. 

Johnstone’s Eggshell was used internally to paint the woodwork and metalwork and Johnstone’s Professional Undercoat and Gloss were used externally on the metal bars and windows.

The history of Oxford Castle dates back to the 10th Century and the project to convert the grand building into a prestigious hotel was funded by a National Lottery grant.

Proprietor, Stephen Mackie, said: “I have used Johnstone’s products for some time and I knew I could rely on its quality of finish to help create the desired effect in this unusual location.

“I have always preferred using Johnstone’s so this was my first choice when I was given this project to complete.

“The products, teamed with the expertise and professionalism of my 10 tradesmen, ensured the project was a phenomenal success,” he added.

Mackie Decorators had to work around a variety of other tradesmen as the former prison was being converted and restored.

Traditional paint effects such as rag rolling were used, along with the creation of a unique sandstone effect in the main entrance which gave the appearance of a grand castle and perfectly complemented the building’s vaulted ceilings.

Clare Winter, Specification Marketing Manager at Johnstone’s, said: ”The tradesmen at Mackie Decorators used a number of traditional decorating techniques on this project. These skills are slowly becoming a thing of the past, so it’s great to see them alive and well and being used to such high standards.

“Johnstone’s is the preferred choice for a growing number of contractors and specifiers as they know they can rely on the product to produce quality results even on the most prestigious or unusual of jobs,” she added.

The Oxford Castle prison has now successfully been converted into a distinguished hotel which takes pride of place in Malmaison’s extensive portfolio.