DIY: How to Get the Weathered Wood Look on New Wood

I'm excited to share this post today. About a week ago, we delivered a custom farmhouse table that Jeff handcrafted from an old door. The new owners, Stephan and Samantha, stopped by our shop back in February and just happened to be looking for a dining room table. Jeff talked with them at-length during their first visit and we were so happy when they emailed us soon after saying they wanted a table.

Picking the perfect door was easy...the hardest part was getting the color just right. We knew generally the finish they were looking for: the weathered Restoration Hardware look. I'm loving this look right now. Here's the inspiration:

To start off, we mocked up 6 different examples for S&S to choose from. We used a variety of techniques on a cast-off piece of their door. From milk paint stain to white wax to just orange wax.

Once they picked the finish, we then had to replicate it on the rest of the wood that was used on their table (Douglas Fir and Pine). Getting it all to match wasn't easy! We tested and/or used 6 different stains before we found the right mix. Here's what we did: 

Custom Farmhouse Table

For the door, we used Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Curio as a stain (we mixed the milk paint and water at a 3:1 ratio). It gave us the look we needed on the door, but didn't have the same effect on the newer wood. (you can see below what we were going for and what the trim around the table looked like).

For the base of the table, I needed a stain to knock down the yellow tone of the wood. Rust-Oleum makes some great weathered stains and we settled on the Weathered Gray (they also have a Driftwood that we tested out).

Next up, I put on a coat of Minwax's Provincial.

As you can see below, it was a pretty good match. However, it had just a very light purple tinge.

I went over all of it again with a coat of Minwax's Special Walnut and that did it...a nearly perfect match!

Here's a grainy iPhone shot before the glass was on:

And, here it is delivered!

It looks gorgeous in their new home and I can't wait to see the chairs S&S pair with it! (My photos don't do it justice!)

St. Louis Vintage Market Days: If I Was Shopping...

In my past life, I was an event planner. One of my favorite events we did was an annual food and wine tasting. Food was presented by STL's top chefs. Amazing wine was served. The auction was always packed with goodies. Unfortunately, I was always too busy being bossy to truly enjoy it. I always said, "Someday, I'm going to be an attendee and not be so bossy." (Who am I kidding, I didn't say the bossy part.)

That's how I'm feeling about next weekend's St. Louis Vintage Market Days. We've been busy creating and collecting to stock our booth with handcrafted, restyled and found items. But, I wanna shop!

So, I thought I would put together a little list of things I would be looking for next weekend, if I was shopping. I've been stalking other vendor's Facebook pages and I know some of the stuff below will be there. Heck, we might even have some of it in our own booth.


Factory Cart Table

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I've loved this for a couple of years now. We are in desperate need of a coffee table in our loft. This would look awesome!

Vintage Books

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 A little stack of old, worn books looks so sweet on a side table or bookshelf.

Vintage Bottles

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These make cute vases...it's easy to build up a collection of these quickly. (Trust me, I know). I'm loving the old apothecary jars I've been seeing lately.

Large Letters/Numbers

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And small letters

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We have a couple of letterpress trays, but I would love some of the small letterpress letters. I've got the perfect spot on my mantle for a collection of them.

Gallery Wall Objects

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We're still working on collecting things for our gallery wall. We have a ton of great personal photos and objects from trips or other memories. I would love to toss in a couple of really off the wall items to spice it up a bit.

Editor's Note: We currently have a small bar cart like the one pictured in our house. Jeff hates it...I might end up bringing it to sell, if I can find something like this....

Large Trunk

LOVE this look. We do have a trunk similar to the one above that we will be bringing to sell. If someone doesn't snatch it up, it's going home with me for this exact use.

Vintage Grain Sack Pillows

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I"m always a sucker for vintage grain sacks. Pillows. Totes. Chair covers. It doesn't matter. Love it!

Boxwood Wreath

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My current one is looking a bit worn...it's time for a new one!

Vintage Camera

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Jeff and I both love photography...an old camera would be a great find to put on our bookshelf.

I think I better stop here...if I found all of this stuff, it would be quite a haul! If you will be attending, stop by our booth if you happen to spot anything on my shopping list (I'll be the bossy blonde by the red door).

Miss Mustard Seed's Color of the Month: French Enamel

I've had this large buffet since before we opened our doors. It was one of the first pieces I purchased, but in the rush of getting the shop ready, I didn't have time to give it a facelift. I also wasn't quite ready to commit to a color and look. We put it out anyway, with a "pick your color" tag.

Before

I knew it would be the perfect piece to host our milk & cookies bar for our grand opening...but, I wanted it to shine for our special day. Two days before the big day, I decided to just go for it. I chose French Enamel. I didn't do any prep work. No sanding. No dusting. Here she is after the first coat.

And here she is in all of her milk & cookies bar glory. It chipped up beautifully -- I was so happy. I finished it with a coat of MMS Furniture Wax. It's my go-to to finish a painted piece. The wax is like butter and makes even the chippiest of pieces so smooth.

Miss Mustard Seed's French Enamel

Milk & Cookie Bar

For the grand opening, I covered the top with burlap to protect the finish. I did strip the top. It had a weird finish/varnish on it. I used a soy gel stripper on the top. I know you can't tell in this photo, but it is absolutely gorgeous! I finished with a coat of MMS Hemp Oil (my fave to use on wood surfaces).

If you love this color as much as I do, stop in our shop at 1105 N. Second Street in St. Charles. We're offering 10% off French Enamel during the month of March.

Much thanks to Meldt Vintage Love for the cookies. They were a huge hit!

Grand + opening Details

I can't believe how fast this month has flown by. One month ago, this is what we were working on:

And here we are today:

It's been an exciting month. We've met alot of great people. Neighboring shops in Frenchtown have been so supportive. We can't wait to team up with everyone to come up with great ideas and events to bring even more people to our little area.

But first, we must have our grand opening! It's just a week or so away -- if you are in the STL area, we would love to have you stop by!

Details
When: Saturday, March 8th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: 1105 N. Second Street in St. Charles

Highlights

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Milk & Cookie Bar
We are teaming up with MeldT Sweets to offer a complimentary milk and cookies bar. It's going to be awesome. They were kind enough to drop off some treats last weekend at the shop. They lasted about an hour. And I was by myself.

MeldT Sweets

  
1 p.m.
Free Milk Paint Demo
Learn how to mix milk paint and what you can expect on your next project. We love this stuff and can't wait to show you all the ways you can use it.

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Milk Paint Happy Hour
Play around with the paint and practice making your own custom colors. We'll have all 18 out and ready for you to test. Make your own swatch to bring home!

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Noonday Collection Trunk Show
This stuff is awesome...and it's an amazing company!  Here's a peek at what you can expect and the good work your purchase supports:

Giveaways
We have a ton of giveaways planned. Everyone in attendance will be entered to win two tickets to
St. Louis Vintage Market Days (it's right around the corner).

 And, every purchase gets you even more chances to win. We'll be giving away a Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Starter Kit ($75 value), a pass to one of our Milk Paint & Mimosas workshops ($65 value) and a custom made sign ($40 value).

We'll also be giving away mini versions of our delicious goats milk handmade soaps. (While supplies last!)

Finally, we have some surprise discounts planned -- only good that day. So, you won't want to miss out! To RSVP, click here to head on over to our Facebook page. See you on the 8th!

What to Expect When You Visit RDFCo.

We try to stick to two rules when stocking our shop: offer handcrafted, restyled or found items. And, it must be something we would put in our own home. If we don't truly love it, how can we be passionate about it and sell it to our customers? These might sound like easy rules to follow, but they are hard to stick to as we build a curated selection. 

So, what the heck does all that mean? Here's what you can expect to find when you visit our Frenchtown shop:

handcrafted

From rustic wooden coasters to unique pillows to dining room tables, we offer a variety of home furnishings for every budget. Our tables are handcrafted from old doors we source and find around the St. Louis area. Each one is completely one-of-kind -- no two have ever been alike and each one holds it's own story!

If you are interested in a custom table, we also carry a selection of doors in the shop. We will work with you to select the right door for your table, whether you want a sofa or entry table, a buffet or bar, coffee table or dining room table. You get to choose the door, and be a part of the story.

We are adding other handcrafted items daily, including bread/cheese boards, candle holders, unique signs, soap bars, and more. 

restyled

We are not against painting furniture to bring new life (and love) to it. Some of my favorite pieces in our home have been passed down to us and given a new life with a coat of paint. They are no longer hanging out in someone's garage or basement, but are used and appreciated every day.

So of the items we carry have had many years of love, but they still have many more in them! They've been restyled into a unique piece you won't find anywhere else.

 

Red Cross Dresser

Our favorite line of paint is Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. It's what most of our furniture is restyled with. We offer the entire line of milk paint in our shop, including 18 colors, waxes, brushes, hemp oil and more. Our inspiration boards are on display to help you choose the perfect color for your next project. We also offer monthly hands-on Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint workshops where you can work with the paint and learn all the techniques you need to create your own one-of-a-kind piece.

found

From vintage trunks and typewriters to antique metal boxes and shoe forms, we have a unique stock of found items. They add an interesting touch to that empty bookshelf or coffee table you might have.

So, in a nutshell, that's a little taste of what you can expect when you visit. We are now open at 1105 N. Second Street in St. Charles, MO (Wed-Fri from noon-5 p.m. and Sat & Sun from 11-4 p.m.) Our selection will constantly be changing...to stay on top of what we have on-hand, follow us on Facebook. We hope to see you soon!