Milking it

If you take a look on Facebook at the many pages dedicated to furniture painting, you’ll see lots of people using chalky paints like Annie Sloan or Autentico or traditional paints by brands such as Little Greene and Farrow & Ball, but one thing we don’t see much of, on this side of the Atlantic at least, is milk paint.

Milk paint is a traditional decorating tool that has been used for thousands of years (you can even make your own), but, what with it being made out of milk and all, it has a short shelf life, so was overtaken by more commercial water-based and oil-based paints.

In the States, Miss Mustard Seed is probably the most well-known brand and there are now three stockists in the UK (one of which we hope to visit very soon).

We’ve been an admirer of MMS for a few years now and love the chippy look the paint gives. So we were interested to hear about Pinebrush Colourman – a Devon-based family business that has been producing buttermilk paints since the 1970s.

Laura gave it a try and was pleased with the results. I caught up with her (who am I kidding, she’s sitting right next to me) to find out what she thought.

J: So, how did you get on with the Pinebrush paint?

L: On the whole, I liked the paint a lot. Besides the fact that it smelt of delicious yogurt, the paint, perhaps unsurprisingly, had a 'creamy', velvety texture to it. One thing I did notice, though, was that it took an extra coat (four, rather than our usual three) to ensure that all the brushstrokes had gone completely, so that's something to consider when calculating how much paint you'll need, or how long something will take you to do. A great thing about the paint, was the texture created during the distressing phase. The paint seemed to be slightly more 'chippy' than regular eggshell paints, which helped to create a really natural looking, well-worn finish.

The finished piece

J: Would you use it again?

L: I would definitely use it again, if only to sample the delicious smell once more! Looking at their shade card, they have some really exciting colours, and I'd love to try out some of the brighter ones. 

J: The best thing about it?

L: The smell, indubitably.

J: And the worst thing?

L: Coverage. The drying time seemed to be slightly longer than usual too, so we had to make sure we allowed a good few hours before recoating.

Laura applies the first coat (and suddenly fancies a yogurt)

So there you have it. A pretty good endorsement I’d say.

Let us know how you get on if you try it.

Getting It Right - #3 White Stuff

So far in this series we’ve focused on smaller businesses, but we can’t ignore our admiration for White Stuff.

Of course, like most mega-successful brands, White Stuff was once, itself, a small, two-man operation – more on that later.

White Stuff is, for us, the perfect example of how to grow your brand into a High Street name without compromising your values or your individuality.

 

Great. Like Laura needs more incentive to buy shoes...

Every branch (and there are now 85) has its own personality – the York, Nottingham and Belfast stores even have their own cinema and some stores have their own sweetshop – with tasty treats available in return for a charity donation.

Charity’s a big part of White Stuff’s philosophy. It has a charitable foundation to help disadvantaged children, to which 1% of the company’s profits are donated (and when you know that shirts cost about £40 each, it doesn’t take long to work out that that is a lot of money…) and the individual stores all have mini campaigns and fund-raising schemes to raise extra cash.

They pre-date Chris Moyles. Which can only be a good thing

But perhaps what we like most about White Stuff is the little things – you can take dogs (or any other pets) into the shop, there are free cold drinks in the summer and hot drinks in winter, there’s always somewhere for me to sit down while Laura’s trying on armfuls of clothes (I think it’s too expensive, but then, I am a tightwad) and the stores are decorated with the kind of top quality vintage accessories that make us go a bit funny. The buying teams must spend days and days sourcing the suitcases, radios, cameras and signs. It’s not the sort of stuff you can uncover on a regular basis at your local car boot.

On top of all this, they produce classic but cool clothes, always seem to be bang on trend and their promotional literature and photography is probably the best around. 

 

More shoes. I spend a lot of time waiting in shoe shops

White Stuff should be an inspiration to all small businesses (and big businesses, too – why can’t they all put out free tea and coffee?). It started in 1985, when friends Sean Thomas and George Treves set up a small business selling ‘Boys from the White Stuff’ sweatshirts in the bars of swanky French ski resort Val d’Isere. It grew from there, with a few shops and an expansion of the range, until, in 2004, the chaps took the canny step of hiring ex-Miss Selfridge brand director Sally Bailey, who helped transform White Stuff from a small skiwear operation into the fashion brand we know today.

What’s not to Like?

Are Likes for the sake of Likes really worthwhile on Facebook?

Facebook’s a funny old thing. It has undeniably been a huge benefit to establishing Reloved Vintage and through it we’ve met some wonderful people and picked up a lot of work.

The downside is that the well-publicised changes to how timelines work and the move to monetize the site have meant that a smaller percentage of our Likers now see our posts than they would have done under the previous system.

Still, a Facebook Page is a commodity that every small business needs to have and we enjoy updating ours and seeing everyone else’s updates.

One thing we don’t go in for, though, is the whole ‘Like for a Like’ business.

We don’t mean we won’t Like other businesses Pages – as Reloved Vintage we Like literally hundreds of small business Pages from around the world.

What we’re not keen to be a part of are the Pages that are set up to help boost your number of Likes. You know the ones – they ask all their Likers to comment on a post and then follow everyone else who comments in order to give everyone else’s Like count an assisted lift. We’ve visited these pages in the past and tried them out, but it just feels a bit strange – a bit sort of, well, cultish. Like there might be a large crossover with those most rabid of mumsnet posters who probably need to back away from the computer for an hour or six…

Before anyone gets upset – we don’t think these little Like-sharing communities are wrong, or immoral – we just don’t think they’re right for us, so you can put your pitchforks down…

 

That's Reloved Vintage, folks...

We often get Likes from other people who run a Facebook Page, who then Like our Page with their personal account and tell us they’ve done so ‘so it counts’.

(For those not too Facebook savvy, you can like another Page as your Page, but your Like will not ‘count’ – their number of likers will not go up. Only Likes from personal accounts ‘count’ as Likes).

That’s great and we appreciate it – it all helps, but here’s where I stand on it all.

I use my personal Facebook account to keep up with what my friends, former colleagues and people I secretly can’t stand are getting up to. I don’t want my newsfeed to get clogged up with updates from business Pages that I, in all honesty, will never buy anything from.

Instead, I use our Facebook Page to Like other small business like ours. This means that when I’m logged in as RelovedVintage, I can check the timeline and see lots of updates from the Pages we like. Then, if I see something I think Reloved Vintage’s Likers will also enjoy, I share it.

Just this week, we shared a post from the lovely Sugden and Daughters. As a result, Sugden and Daughters had a mini influx of new Likes.

For me, this system works much better than the ‘Like for a Like’ set-up. As it happens, Sugden and Daughters is one of a few Pages I actually Like with my personal account too, but my one personal Like is probably not worth as much to them as the several likes they got as a direct response to Reloved Vintage sharing their photo. These will be likes from people who like what they do and are all potential customers.

As a Page owner, I’d rather Reloved Vintage had lots of Likes from people who had found us through another Page sharing our updates, than double that amount, but largely made up of people who are only Liking us because we Like them.

We’d love to hear what you think about our approach to sharing rather than adding a personal Like – are we right, or do you think we’re wrong?

You can comment below, or on our wall (and if we like what you say, we might even share it…)

Managing Steptoe’s Yard

“You know normal people don’t live like this, right?”

This is not the first time these words have left my mouth. On this occasion, I have just moved a chest of drawers from in front of the fridge, in order to get some milk out, having side-stepped a writing bureau en-route.

Sometimes, the workshop space in our house gets full up and the kitchen is the fall guy.

It’s tough balancing a full-time job with a second job, but Laura does it incredibly well, so it’s hard to get annoyed (long-term, at least. I have my moments) about living in a glorified warehouse.

 

Me and Laura, yesterday

At the moment, our house is not only home to our own furniture, but also four other people’s. One of these commissions was finished last night, another should be done by Saturday, a third by Sunday and then the last piece some time next week (lots of delivery driving for me, then).

After that, apart from two commissions that aren’t pressing and a long-term search for a perfect piece for Strattons, Laura is going to focus on preparing a showcase of her work for the Stamford GeorgianFestival, which should be a well-attended event in the centre of Stamford.

On top of all this, Laura will be keeping on top of her stall at Lollyrocket and trying to add new items to her online shop.

All this while juggling a 9-5.30, Monday to Friday, ‘regular’ job (though, fingers crossed, that situation may soon change).  I don’t know how she does it, and she’ll be embarrassed by this blog entry, but she deserves a huge amount of credit for turning Reloved Vintage into such a success in such a short space of time.

Just imagine how successful she’ll be when she’s doing it full-time. And how many coffee tables I’ll have to sleep under…

Laura's idol, Mr Trebus

Getting It Right - #2 Strattons

There aren’t many hotels we’ve been back to more than once. In fact, I’m pretty certain there’s only one – Strattons.

Based in the heart of Swaffham (did you just read that as Swaaaaaaafham? Thought so), in Norfolk’s Brecks, Strattons is a boutique hotel, with restaurant café and deli all thrown into the mix, too.

Unlike many boutique hotels, you get the feeling that while Strattons takes its work very seriously, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s no snobbishness or air of superiority, the website and social media output is fun and friendly and the staff are down to earth and as helpful as can be.

Strattons, Swaffham

We like Norfolk. It’s probably fair to say we love Norfolk. From the charm of Norwich, one of Britain’s most pleasant cities, to the wide open beaches of Wells, Brancaster and Holkham, and charming towns such as Holt and Burnham Market. The downside to this, is that lots of other people like Norfolk. So, on a sunny day, the roads to and from Hunstanton, Sheringham and Cromer are a nightmare and the more upmarket establishments can be flooded with flash cars and loud mouths. That’s where Strattons comes in. Swaffham sits just outside of the main throng, yet is only 45 minutes from Norwich or the north Norfolk coast. It’s a real secret gem and we’re not sure we should be sharing it…

Opium - we're a sucker for a bath in a bedroom

The 14 rooms each have their own sense of style and character and are as comfortable and relaxing as they are opulent and charming. Though the hotel is set just off the main market square, via a narrow drive, you could easily be forgiven for thinking you’re in the middle of the Norfolk countryside, or perhaps even in rural France, such is the sense of seclusion.

A selection of deliciousness from The Rustic

As well as being a terrific place to stay, Strattons is a fine place to eat. We’ve had some of our favourite ever meals in the on-site restaurant, The Rustic. Using local, seasonal ingredients, The Rustic offers contemporary English cuisine, which is as well presented and innovative as it is delicious – and what’s more it’s the first place we ever tasted Bacon Jam. Oh, and the breakfasts… I’d happily drive the hour and half from RVHQ just to eat a Strattons kedgeree.

We forgot to mention the resident cats...

Take a look for yourself, there are always special offers and great deals to be had – you won’t regret it and you’ll definitely be back for more. And, if you stay in Edie, you’ll see they also have great taste in furniture, as you’ll see from the chest of drawers, supplied by a little Rutland-based outfit called Reloved Vintage…

Edie, complete with chest of drawers by Reloved Vintage

What to look for when buying painted furniture

How to buy vintage furniture and tell bad painting from good painting

We recently wrote a small article for one of our local magazines, Stamford Living, aimed at trying help customers know what to expect when buying painted furniture.

So often we've seen shoddily painted pieces for sale at events and in shops - that we wanted customers to know that there is a difference in quality and that not all hand-painted furniture will have drips and scruffy edges. We've even seen furniture painters claiming that all upcycled painted furniture will have drips, blemishes and discolouration due to the nature of the business. We firmly believe this is not true - and that a poor finish is only unavoidable if you rush the job.

Here's the article as it appeared in Stamford Living.

Painted furniture for the home has never been more popular. Laura Harvey, founder of Rutland-based painted furniture specialists Reloved Vintage tells us what to look for.

From TV adverts to high street shop windows, painted furniture is everywhere.

More and more people are growing tired of the flat-pack, throwaway culture and opting for more solid, traditional pieces with a contemporary twist.

Some high street chains sell new, mass-produced furniture, designed to look old (despite being made in a factory in the far east), but if you want a genuinely vintage piece of furniture that has been reloved, there are a growing number of independent sellers to choose from.

So how do you know that the item you’re buying is of good quality? What telltale signs of shoddiness should you know about and how can you tell if your ebay ‘bargain’ is going to be more trouble that it’s worth?

Here are three key things to remember when you’re buying painted furniture, to ensure you buy a top-quality piece that will last you for years to come.

• Has the paint been protected? This is vital. If the paint has a chalky or rough feel, it has not been protected with a varnish or wax – this means your new chest of drawers will soon be chipped, stained and basically ruined. The finish should feel smooth and spilt water should simply bead off. If buying online, always ask what wax or varnish was used.
• What’s it like inside? Are there scruffy paint marks where the interior has not been masked off during painting? Have the drawers been lined? Is there dust on the shelves? Do the drawers stick? All these point to a careless attitude.
• Are there drips or brush marks? The paint should have been applied carefully, so as not to drip and leave ugly blobs. If the paint has been slapped on in one thick coat, you’ll see nasty streaks and bare wood showing through. 

Below are a few photos showing a badly painted chest we rescued for a lady who had bought it from someone selling painted furniture on ebay.

Someone actually sold it like this

They thought: "Yep, that'll do"

We stripped it back and repainted

Drips are "unavoidable" eh?

Horrible greasy staining coming through the paint

Strip, sugar soap, repaint, wax. Sorted.

“What paint do you use?”

Farrow & Ball, Annie Sloan, Little Greene, Autentico? Which paint is best for furniture?

That’s a question Laura gets asked all the time. The only real answer, unless we’re talking about a specific piece, is “any paint I like the look of”.

Unlike a lot of furniture painters, we don’t really have any brand loyalty. Sure, there are some paints we like to use more than others, but each has its own merits, depending on the desired finish.

Over the years, we’ve used Farrow &Ball, Little Greene, Annie Sloan, Dulux, Crown, Habitat, Pinebrush Colourman, Sanctuary, Craig & Rose and others we’ve probably forgotten.

And, by and large, we still use all of them to this day.

Chest of drawers in Farrow & Ball

Lots of people like to use Annie Sloan (and lots are contractually obliged to do so…) and we understand why: there’s very little preparation of the surface required – as the paint will stick to pretty much anything. You can also lay it on quite thick, wax, distress, wax, and you’re done. That’s great. It’s good for certain pieces that require a certain look. We’ve used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the past and been pleased with the results, but we’ve never attained the smooth finish we prefer on our higher-end pieces.

In fact, often, we find that ASCP ‘bobbles’ when we use it. It can be very awkward to use, but that may be down to Laura’s painting style. She taught herself to paint using eggshell, and always likes to use at least three thin coats to achieve a smooth, drip-free finish. That style doesn’t seem to be compatible with Annie Sloan’s paint. I guess that’s why people pay to go on special courses.

One furniture painter told us she uses Annie Sloan Chalk Paint as an undercoat before applying Farrow & Ball – clever.

Chest of drawers in Annie Sloan

(I’m deliberately glossing over – groan – the whole ‘chalk paint’ copyright debate, but it’s safe to say that Annie’s not really done herself many favours with the way it was handled and I feel sympathy for those people whose Facebook Pages were deleted as a result.)

Among some ardent Annie Sloan or Farrow & Ball users, there seems to be a mindset that only one brand could possibly be used, but that seems awfully restrictive.

Why limit yourself to a narrow range of colours because of brand loyalty? We much prefer to find a colour we like and use it, regardless of brand.

Some of our most popular items have been painted using non-glamorous paint brands, and many of them are much easier to apply than the expensive designer names, so we’re happy not to be tied to one brand (although, if you’re reading this in the future and we’ve since become a retailer for a particular paint brand, you can ignore everything I’ve just written).

Now, what paint do you use?

Side table in, whisper it, Dulux