Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow

It's the most wonderfaux time of the year!

Happy December everyone. Hope you are getting your projects wrapped up for the year and filling the calendar for 2018. Since this is the season of sparkly lights, pretty papers, and decorations galore, Faux Effects wanted to join in the festivities this month with our most cheerful product....

Metal Glow

Just look at this color selection!

So what is Metal Glow?  Metal Glow is an iridescent paint. It is more sheer and sparkly than metallic Setcoat. But the consistency is thicker then metallic colorants. Plus it comes in 67 colors giving you the largest range of color options. It comes in quarts that cover approximately 75 square feet.

How may Metal Glow be applied? You may spray it-just thin with some water. I like to keep it the consistency of melted ice cream because getting it too thin may cause the metallic to separate and run on a vertical application. At this consistency and using an HVLP the Metal Glow may appear slightly "hammered" when sprayed. That's OK, It will lay out.

Need to roll it? Use a cloth roller verses a foam one. The foam rollers will slide in the metallic. As you roll the Metal Glow, pounce it with a Neon Leon or Stippler Brush. This will minimize lap lines. You may also apply it by brush.

Where do you use it? Glad you asked. How about almost anywhere! Let me show you a few ideas:

Metal Glow may be used as a base coat for cabinetry, either alone or mixed with Setcoat for custom tinting.  The kitchen above was sprayed with a mix of Faux Effects Designer Metallic and Wheat Metal Glow.  The Antique Apricot Finish below uses Sunburst Gold Metal Glow in the base.

And Urban Fern is made with an equal mix of Setcoat Sage and Sea Spray Metal Glow

Metal Glow gives a soft shimmer to ceiling finishes like this one that starts with Leo Gold Metal Glow:

Because of the sheerness, Metal Glow is a great tint for waxes....

The sample above is a variation on a finish by Prismatic Painting's Gary Lord. Eldorado Gold Metal Glow and Urban Steele are mixed with Faux Effects RS Water Wax. The sample below is Silver Lining Metal Glow and Elephant Hide Metal Glow mixed with Faux Effects Aquawax:

Metal Glow is a favorite for tinting RS Plaster because when you buff the plaster you get a pretty  sparkle like the sample below using Luna White Metal Glow and Rich Silver Metal Glow:

Of course one of the most effective uses for Metal Glow is to mix it with a Faux Effects Glaze Medium.  Our Moon glow Travertino is glazed with Faux Crème Clear mixed with Citrus Gold Metal Glow and Wheat Metal Glow:

A sheer glaze mix of Aquacreme and Toasted Coconut Metal Glow highlight the raised plaster pattern in this Faux Effects RS Sandstone Finish:

Alice Blue Metal Glow + Teal Stain & Seal creates this pretty over-stain for an end table:

I'm going to stop here because we all know that it's better to get your presents spread out over several days (or is that just me?).

Check back this week and next for some step by step DIY projects using Metal Glow including one from The Faux Finish School in Louisville, KY!

Warmest Wishes,
Rebecca

Anything but Scary-Halloween Inspired Design with Year Round Appeal

Happy Halloween! It's that time of year when you try not to eat all the candy before the kids trick or treat.

After Christmas, Halloween is the second most favorite time for decorating our homes.  Check out Pinterest and you will easily see how much we love pumpkins, witch's hats, ghosts, black cats, ravens and skulls. 

For a month, it's fun to embrace the macabre but could you live with this year round? For example this  might work if you make a lot of pies or keep a goat in your bedroom.

The traditional palette of  bright orange and black may be difficult for most people to embrace on a daily basis-unless you are an Oklahoma State fan....or my Dad (the unofficial Earl of Orange).

Go Pokes....This is for you Pops

When we tease out a literal interpretation of Halloween, there are several elements of the holiday left to create inspired interiors.  Let's take a peek at a few:

Bold Black  The classic color of Halloween, black is a sophisticated and timeless favorite in interior design.

Above is Black Crackle from Faux Effects used on cabinetry.  What makes this crackle look more refined?  As the black crackle medium is drying, I rub off areas with a damp cloth to reveal the warm wood tone underneath. When the crackle medium is dry,  I brush on Old World Finishing Paint in Coal. This will back fill and soften the crackle.  When the Finishing Paint is dry, I sand the surface to see the wood and to create a really smooth finish. By doing this step I may control how the crackle looks and feels!

This door also uses crackle but the medium is Faux Effects' Clear Crackle mixed with Setcoat Metallic Gun Metal.  Don't want to use crackle but get the rich look of Metallic Black?

Metallic Black Setcoat is a great choice for color and coverage.  The door above has small dabs of Black Onyx Venetian Plaster to add interest and a bot of texture.

Black is also a classic for wall finishing.  This close-up of a feature wall is RS Plaster painted with Metallic Black Setcoat: RS Water Wax is mixed with Faux Effects Silver Mica Powder and troweled over the plaster. I use a buffer brush on a drill to polish.  A glaze of FX Thinner + Van Dyke Brown  Stain & Seal + Ebony Stain & Seal is brushed over the surface to highlight the texture. 

Gothic Pattern.  A mix of dark and romantic, this style is a way to add drama (both small and large) to your home. 

My Dorian Finish below uses Black Onyx Venetian Gem Plaster as a base (heads-up, Venetian Plaster is the Faux Effects November Sale Product).  The Venetian Gem is shaped with a specialty roller.  Then I apply Foil size. After this sets, but is not dry, I place a romantic scroll stencil from Cutting Edge on top. The size holds the pattern. I mix Clear crackle with glitter (I used Silver here) and trowel it over the pattern,  When the crackle dries, I used pewter foil around the pattern.  The same glaze mix of Van Dyke and Ebony Stain & Seal is used over the surface.

This beautiful and romantic kitchen is by talented Kansas City Artist Suzanne Lynch, owner of Finishes Unique.  Black Setcoat is the base. Suzanne used Black Palette Deco over the Damask Pattern from Royal Design Studio. Stove Pipe Nu'Villa or Black Onyx Venetian Gem are also choices.  She used Sandstone to bury the pattern and lighten the finish. A warm glaze softens the wall.  Love the crystal chandelier as well! 

Black is not the only choice for a Gothic inspired finish. Deep blue and grey are also choices.
One of my favorite colors is Ancient Grey Lusterstone. Ancient Grey Lusterstone is used as the base and for the pattern from Cutting Edge in this simple and elegant sample.

My McQueen finish starts with Weathered Bronze Lusterstone.  What makes this finish is the combination of patterns ( the larger one is the same as Suzanne's choice, Fabric Damask from Royal Design Studio). I used Turquoise Stain & Seal for the smaller pattern and Weathered Bronze and Mica Powders for the larger pattern. 

Burnt Orange. Halloween orange is a bit bright-best saved for hunting vests and traffic cones...and my dad.   But when shaded in warm copper, red or dark brown, orange may be a lovely addition to your interiors.

Not all little girls want pink.  This children's table and chairs combine Gothic Style with Burnt Orange. The finish is Black Setcoat and Fire Red Setcoat. The pattern is from Royal Design Studios.

One of my most popular finishes is the Vintage Apricot for cabinets.  For this bathroom it pairs nicely with the Copper Foil behind the RS Sandstone Walls. 

Faux Effects Metallic Copper Fresco over a base of Royal Taupe Fresco.  The finish is glazed with Van Dyke Brown Stain & Seal for a simple cabinet finish with a lot of depth-that still feels smooth! 

Burnt Orange is not just for wood. It creates a dramatic and rich finish for walls as well.

Kansas City is home to some of the best finishers in the country. This copper wall treatment for a Butler's Kitchen is by local finisher, Sue Hon.

And this lush bath finish by Heather McDonald of  thestudiochick.com which was featured in Faux Effects World Magazine.

These are just a few ideas for using Halloween inspired elements for finishes. The next time you're considering something different, treat your clients to a bit of Gothic Romance, Black Drama or Rich Burnt Orange.  

And just a reminder-today is the last day for the 20% off sale of Faux Effects Stain & Seal.  Think of it as stocking your own goody bag.

Have a Safe & Happy Halloween! 

Rebecca

Fall in Love with Faux Effects' Stain & Seal

It's in the air: cooler weather, the leaves are changing and the holiday season is just around the corner. Fall is my favorite time of the year so it's perfect that the October Product of the Month is also a personal favorite: Stain & Seal!

Faux Effects Pickling White Stain & Seal. You need this for rustic modern cabinets!

Anyone that has ever seen my hands in public (even at some formal events) knows that I use Stain & Seal a lot. It also shows how well it grips! Stain & Seal is not only my go-to for cabinets and furniture but it's my preferred colorant for glazing walls, even big ones. But more on that later.

Is Stain & Seal a Gel Stain?  That is probably the number one question I get about it.  When you think about gel stain it's in the name-the material is full-bodied like a gelatin.  Imagine spreading cream cheese on a bagel-it covers the bagel well (and cleanly) but doesn't sink in.  Traditional oil stains are more like heated butter. They soak into the bagel and spread out but you will see the doughy surface.  Does that make sense? I hope so because now I'm hungry....

Stain & Seal is thick bodied like the gel stain but has stronger bonding properties and it seals-remember it's in the name. This means you can layer more color on top of it without lifting the under-stain. This comes in handy when you 're creating a finish with depth and need to get the project done. You still need to topcoat (the 2nd most asked question) to hold up to cleaning and to enhance the color work.

Here I'm using Faux Effects Stain & Seal to refresh antique Pecan wood for a table top. I removed water rings and the Stain & Seal blended in the sanded areas and worn finish beautifully!

Stain & Seal contains high quality well-grounded pigments in a unique water-based formula.  It is non-hazardous, non-flammable, and soap & water clean up.  It is rated for interior use only because the highly reflective color has limited UV resistance in direct sunlight. For exterior use  Faux Effects has Transoxide colors and Faux Crème Color Concentrates for outside surface projects.

It comes in gallons & quarts.  The most popular colors are American Walnut, Van Dyke Brown and Rich Brown but there is a shade for every project. Just look at these colors:

See, this is why I wear it like nail polish!

Let's take a closer look at the colors.  These are the blacks to the rich browns....

moving into the pines and red based tones....

and a golden yellow brown followed by the most versatile colors you didn't know you needed. Trust me on this! But if you don't, check my next blog post because I'm going to show how much you will use Colonial Green, Williamsburg Blue and Pickling White.

And something unique in the market, a range of metallic stains....

You know when a client says at the end of a glazed cream cabinet job, "I think the glaze looks a little dark?" Guess what? You can thin Pearl Stain & Seal, brush it over your FE topcoat and wipe it off. The bit of metallic works like a highlighter-imagine putting Vaseline on a lens to make you look younger (don't ask how I know about that one). The finish looks brighter which makes it look lighter. This trick works like a charm.

Cream Cabinet with Faux Effects Pearl Stain & Seal

And there is a Tint Base so you can get all creative and make your own stain colors using Faux Effects Faux Crème Colors or Faux Color.

And guess what? You can make that thick cream cheese into a thinner butter because Stain & Seal mixes with a several glaze mediums.  My preference is FX Thinner which is a water based resin medium for staining.  FX Thinner is used to thin the color concentration of Stain & Seal and it dries to a very hard low sheen finish.  It's the "dries hard" part that I really like because I want to get my layers on as quickly and safely as possibly. I don't want to lift previous layers.

FX Thinner will also prepare raw wood and then you may mix it with Stain & Seal for color (I like a 3 parts FX Thinner to 1 part Stain & Seal mix).

Custom stained island in warm browns by Surfaces Fine Paint using Faux Effects Stain & Seal

Want to freshen up faded stains or cabinets that have turned orange? You may mix FX Thinner and Stain & Sealer for color correction.

Iced Latte finish by Surfaces Fine Paint over old oak using Faux Effects Stain & Seal

When I want to wood grain, I like something a little thicker to hold the shapes created by the specialty brushes and tools. But I  also need to have open time to work large wood doors or panels. This is when I use Aquacreme with my Stain & Seal! I start with the same 3:1 ratio.

Faux Zebra Wood using Faux Effects Aquacreme and Faux Effects Stain & Seal

Faux Burl Wood using Faux Effects Aquacreme and Faux Effects Stain & Seal

And just when you thought you were really getting your money's worth, you may use Stain & Seal to tint Duraseal which is the Faux Effects Sanding Sealer. I use this mix when I need to create a more opaque base on old stained wood or raw wood that needs to be conditioned and color corrected. And I still want to see some grain.

Look at this poor sweet dresser.....

 And after with Duraseal mixed with American Walnut and Pickling White (see, I told you that you need it)

Pale grey pickled dresser with Faux Effects Duraseal and Faux Effects Stain & Seal

Pale grey pickled dresser with Faux Effects Duraseal and Faux Effects Stain & Seal

Have you been getting lots of requests for Restoration type finishes? Me too! These finishes highlight the grain and are most often found on White Oak.  If you've seen the pieces in person, you will notice that the surface feels waxy.  The best way I've found to re-create these looks is with Faux Effects Finishing Paste 

Car siding used for a ceiling colored with Faux Effects Finishing Paste and Faux Effects Stain & Seal. Project done by Surfaces Fine Paint.

White Oak custom finished by Surfaces Fine Paint with Faux Effects Finishing Paint and Faux Effects Stain & Seal

And don't forget-IT'S WATER-BASED! Water is your friend.  You can wet the surface first to create a slick area for movement. Or you may spritz with water to remove stain. I always keep a damp cloth handy to wipe off stain on purpose or to remove boo-boos.  Big walls? No problem.  I just spray the surface with water and brush in my FX Thinner and Stain & Seal Mix. Then I remove with a damp cloth.

Faux Effects Stain & Seal over plaster. Brushed on and removed with a damp cloth.

Why Stain & Seal for walls?  The colors are rich-it would take me 3 colorants to get the tone of American Walnut Stain & Seal if I needed to make it from scratch.  The bite and thickness allows it to settle in textured finishes. Don't worry about it moving...just use water.

Faux Effects Palette Deco Pearl, Faux Effects RS Sandstone, Faux Effects Sandstone with flake glazed with Faux Effects American Walnut Stain & Seal.  Modern light plaster finish with sparkle! 

Stain & Seal has always been an good deal. Non metallic colors are $18.93 quart and $60.77 a gallon. Metallic stains are $28.63 a quart and $79.54 a gallon. It goes a loooong way.

Want to try some colors or create samples? You can purchase Stain & Seal in sample sizes of 2oz or 16oz pots!  This size is great for Crafters or Canvas Artists. 

Want to try them all? You can get a Stain & Seal kit with all the colors and metallics for $134.

Now that your mind is spinning about all the uses for Stain & Seal (and I haven't even shared recipes, yet) October is your lucky month:

That's right! 20% off the month of October. For more information you may visit your favorite local Faux Effects Distributor! And check back here for a weekly post on more ways you may use Stain & Seal. With so many uses there is a lot to share....and ways to Fall in Love.

Rebecca