Erin Lane Blog

I know this is at the tops of everyone's to do list, right? Well if you're like me and perhaps its not in the top 5 then I think you'll really like the following tips. As you know we are in the business of helping people find the most beautiful & rare pieces for their homes. Needless to say we see lots of antiques that need TLC and we have to give them makeovers before their big reveals.

These are a few basic hacks for the busy people who wear lots of hats and just simply want their stuff to look good. Perhaps I'll ask our woodworker for a more in depth post in the future.

Do you see the foot on this chair in the photo below? It looks dry, discolored, and chewed up.

The BEFORE:

Never Fear....Old English is here. Or shall I say the wizard, the miracle worker, the nectar of the Gods. Okay, the last one might be pushing it.

Old English scratch cover for dark woods. Fixes a multitude of sins in a speedy amount of time.

The AFTER:

Looks good doesn't it?

Here's me applying the oil: It works well on cane too.

A couple of other handy tools in my belt are Old English spray oil & Mr. Clean magic eraser. The eraser removes paint scuffs & the oil gives your furniture a tall glass of water. Furniture gets thirsty too. Your furniture works hard for you. Give it some love occasionally.

See the cane below? Its worn off after years of backs rubbing against it. I put a little dark oil and it soaks it right up.

The BEFORE:

The AFTER:

This also works great for drink marks on tables and sometimes it will fill scratches in. If it looks dry hit it with some oil and it will make a huge difference.

Hope these help.

If you'd like to view our whole collection of rare pieces please visit Erin Lane Estate or come see us at our showroom in West Oakland.

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I had to share this pair of French provincial settee sofas. Picture a garden party with glasses of Rose' and women in beautiful hats. I know these are in a vintage fabric but the fabric is timeless and near perfect. I wouldn't dream of reupholstering these. The description is as follows:

Pair of matching vintage French provincial style settee sofas made of carved walnut frames and finished in creamy white. Upholstered in a rich, foliate botanical pattern with bright, vibrant colors and contrasting pillows. Bordered all round with a double piping welt and features detailed carved accents on the curved frames. Sitting atop small cabriole legs and they are in excellent, vintage condition given age and use. Price is for the pair.

Dimensions: 61"w x 30"d x 35"h Seat Height: 18"h

Click here to purchase.

Over the last several years we have seen a real explosion in the Shabby Chic & French Farmhouse look. Rachel Ashwell is synonymous with the term Shabby Chic and opened her first shop in Santa Monica back in the eighties and really gets Shabby Chic right. Annie Sloan has introduced her line of fabulous chalk paints and its popularity is staggering. There is a lot of people doing it right and a lot of people doing it not so right.

The beauty of creating an authentic, French Country look is sourcing vintage items have aged beautifully and have a patina only time can provide. Here are some designers & home owners doing French right.

via: somuchbetterwithage.com

via:homebunch.com

via: french-grey.com

There is a common thread throughout good French design. Starting with a neutral color palette, textures galore, industrial objects, curiosities, & architectural pieces.

I devised a list of some of our favorite, unique French & Italian pieces:

French Provincial Armchair

Italian Earthenware Pottery Vases 

Louis XVI Trumeau Mirror

French Wrought Iron Garden Gates

French Grape Harvest Basket Hotte

French Chalkware Garden Statue Sheperd

19th Century French Farmhouse Benches

19th Century Italian Carved Cerused Wood Armoire

Set of 6 French Louis XV Carved Dining Chairs

French Louis XV Style Dining Table

Lastly, don't forget to add your fresh rosemary and lavender bushes & Hungarian grain sacks.