A Painting Secret Many DIYers Don't Know...

Our lips may not be sealed on this little painting secret, but your furniture will be! If you are someone who loves a DIY project and painting your own furniture this topic is for you! 

No matter how durable and high-quality your paint, sealing your furniture is always a good idea to ensure the long lasting beauty of the piece. Although there are dozens of different types of products on the market there are two that have captured our hearts and we wanted to share about them today! 

Tough Coat 

A clear water-based sealer meant to protect the high traffic surfaces such as kitchen cupboards, tabletops and desk tops.

This scratch-resistant topcoat has a very low odor and it will not discolor the paint. Be aware that oil-base sealers such as polyurethane will amber over time and may discolor if it is applied over a white or light colored paint. Thankfully, Country Chic's Tough Coat won't do this. Once applied it will harden crystal clear, creating a scratch resistant shell around your surface. It is also resistant to household chemicals, alcohol and water. It dries quickly (without staying tacky), and is environmentally friendly, with easy soap and water clean-up.

Fiddes & Sons Wax Polish

This product helps protect the paint against scratches and scuffs and is best used on furniture that will receive light to medium wear such as: dressers, table legs and end tables. 

Fiddes and Sons Wax Polish is AMAZING! It is butter in a can, smooth and not crumbly, it is low aromatic and defiantly not as strong smelling as other waxes we've worked with in the past. Additionally, it is toluene free, dries in 3 minutes, and can be used on both raw and painted wood. It comes in different colors too--if you wish to use your wax to add a distressed look to your piece. 

You can use a lint-free cloth to apply this, but we prefer to use a wax brushes.

Both Fiddes and Sons and Country Chic Tough Coat are available at Ramshackled Treasures. If you are local or planning on coming to see us, think about signing up for one of our painting classes, call the shop for more information!


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Have you ever tried to seal your furniture? If yes, what products have you liked? Comment below, we'd love to hear from you!

Happily Better After: Episode 1

Once upon a time there was a table. She had once been lovingly made by the village carpenter, but over the span of her life she had become marred with watermarks and scratches. Little children had etched messages in her oak top and thus, she was no longer beautiful. The family who owned her decided to sell her for a song to a traveling tinker. The tinker saw that underneath her many scars, a beautiful table still remained. He got to work, sanding and cleaning, staining and sealing. Until the table was a beautiful once again.

The story is made up, but it illustrates the journey that our pieces at Ramshackled Treasures travel before they make their way into new and loving homes. In commemoration of this fact, every month we will showcase some of our "Before and After" makeovers on the blog. You will be stunned at how we (metaphorically speaking) turn frogs into handsome princes...

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And as the stories go, they lived happily better after.

Decorating French Country at Ramshackled Treasures

French Country has been around before Marie Antoinette was a stuffing her face with her first birthday cake. From the palatial grandeur of Versailles to the rustic country cottages of peasants,  this beautiful style has been preserved over the centuries and still inspires us today.

But what is French Country and how does one decorate? We are glad you asked. It's actually very simple. Let's break this down and start with the basics. 

Color Pallet

The wonderful thing about French Country style is there is much play room here. The most popular grounding colors for French Country are: whites and buttery creams and china blues. But really, anything goes!

Fabrics

Fabric is one of our favorite ways to add texture and interest to a room. There are thousands of French country textile choices out there--and you get to choose your very favorites! 

Rooster Toile

Flower Motif

French Script

Gingham Check

 French Toile

Ticking Stripe

Furnishings

In the the French Country style you'll often see a mixture of both painted and wood furniture. French Country is all about the little details. Here, you want to find furnishings that have texture, this can be found in the form of: embossing, stenciling, distressing and old looking hardware. 

As it so happens, French Country is our specialty and here are a few pieces in the store now that we wanted to spotlight. 

This hutch with the chicken wire door is a perfect example of French Country. (It would look very French provincial if you used it to display your baskets of vegetables or dishware.) Standard blue and white colors and stencil detail. Oh, and did we mention it's on sale for just $199?

This table is another superb example of a key piece in a French Country home. Creams and blues, floral pattern upholstery. On sale for $299. 

Here come your pastels! This dresser, secretary and a matching bedroom set is at the store now.

 

This photo is texture galore! In French Country decorating, dress forms are coveted. This lace dress form was hand designed by one of our talented artist. 

Hello, gorgeous! One-of-a-kind accent chair embodies all that we've been talking about. Simple, elegant, charmant! $99

And did we forget to mention you can have fun with French country? Our artist, Michelle, chose to crown this distressed dresser. 

Have you decorated your home in French Country? Are you considering it? If you need design advice, feel free to stop by the shop and ask!