How to Mix & Apply FrenSheen to Furniture
Well-made furniture can last a lifetime. But trends come and go, and it’s not uncommon to become a bit bored of your furniture. You may find yourself wanting a change. Rather than going out and buying new, a simple, less wasteful, solution is to revamp what you already have and give it a new lease of life.
By using Frenchic’s Frensheen range, you can embellish and add interest to take your painted furniture makeovers to the next level! But how do you mix it properly, and how do you apply it? Our brand ambassador Craig Phillips has the answers. Carry on reading to learn more about how to give your painted furniture or craft projects a shimmery finish.
Why use the Frensheen range?
The Frensheen range has a wide array of uses that our customers love. Once mixed, it will work on many surfaces, including metal, plastic, laminate and wood.
As a result, not only can you revamp furniture, you can also redecorate common household items, from a coat stand to metal or plastic handles, picture frames and even a shovel if you wish.
Frensheen comes in five awesome metallic colours:
- Cool Copper
- Green Goddess
- Beautiful Bronze
- Gorgeous Gold
- Sexy Silver
Simply mix the metallic powder with your choice of Frenchic top coat or Clear Wax and you’re good to go. No-fuss, no hassle!
How to add a metallic sheen to your painted furniture
Step 1: Pick your furniture wisely
You can use the Frensheen range to restyle old furniture and give it a new look. The metallic sheen can really add pizzazz!
Often, the best way to revamp furniture with metallics is to highlight detailing and use contrast, so choosing furniture with carving, texture or any detailed elements works well. In the video, for example, Craig applies Gorgeous Gold to the rim and carved edge of an Ol' Blue Eyes painted demi-lune table using a small brush and two techniques – regular brushing and dry-brushing.
The combination of the painted gold rim and the blue paint looks stunning with the gold embellished areas catching the light in all the right places.
Other ways of adding pizzazz to any type of furniture include using Frensheen in a pattern or motif with a stencil, painting handles or even painting the feet of the piece! Perfect for craft projects too - let your creativity lead you!
Step 2: Don’t always opt for a brush
A brush is a great tool for applying Frensheen you have mixed with Finishing Coat or Tuff Top Coat. Use a detailing paintbrush, for edges, handles and fiddly bits or a larger one to apply over bigger areas .
However, a technique that also works well is mixing the mineral powders with a soft wax and applying with your finger as demonstrated by Craig on the demi-lune legs. Great for highlighting detail and for rustic or aged effects.
Step 3: Mix the colours
The five Frensheen colours are fantastic on their own. However, if you want something a little different, don’t be afraid to mix things up and get creative by combining them together.
Being playful with your colour scheme will add another dimension, whether indoors or outdoors. Add personality to your furniture by mixing the powders together to create a unique shade to suit you.
Craig thinks the Gorgeous Gold and Beautiful Bronze are great together, but the final decision is down to you! Try Gorgeous Gold with added Sexy Silver for a subtle, old-gold lustre.
How do you mix the Frensheens?
That’s easy! Start with a small amount of your chosen medium – if it’s Finishing Coat or Tuff Top Coat, you need to slowly stir in the Frensheen powder and mix to combine well. You are effectively mixing yourself a metallic paint. Add more powder for a stronger metallic effect but keep the texture smooth, a bit like cream. If you find the mixture is grainy or gritty then just add a little more of the liquid medium.
If you have chosen Clear Wax or Browning Wax as your medium, use a roughly 50:50 mix of Frensheen to wax.
More tips for painting furniture
Give it a go and experiment! There are lots of other videos to inspire you thanks to our brand ambassador Craig Phillips. So, if you haven’t already, please like and subscribe our videos on Frenchic TV and have a browse for more handy hacks.
