Our List of Trusted Trades People

One of the biggest stresses of being part of a renovation is trying to pick skilled workers. We're repeatedly asked in Relics who we recommend for various jobs. Our houses, rightly, mean so much and the thought of all our hard-earned cash being wasted on a rip-off merchant is painful.

Yes, there's the Yellow Pages, and various other directories that list local trades people but wouldn't it be great if there was a list that you could know was full of tried and trusted sources?

In Relics of Witney, we have years and years of experience of working with the very best of the best. Here is the pick of our favourites. These are people and companies that we have worked with over a long time, who we have found to be tirelessly hard-working, skilled and trustworthy.

Painters and Decorators

 

  

Steve Webb 07739 047012

Harris and Thompson 01608 811484

Cotswold Decorating Company 01993 832365

Neil Grey 01993 878524

Philip Hitchcox 01993 771532

Carpentry

George Fisher 07779 086534

Decorative Painting

Georgina Barrow 01451 861301

Handyman

N Randell 01993 868725

Garden Design

Hendy Curzon Gardens Ltd 01993 771522

We'll be adding this list to the tabs at the top of the Relics blog so you can find it easily.

With the clocks due to go back this weekend, we feel it's time to focus on creating a cosy and stylish home. Come back next week for our top tips for a warm winter....

Images via: Unknown, Relics, Unknown, House to Home, Unknown, Hendy Curzon

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Farrow and Ball Exterior Eggshell

We discussed last week that Farrow and Ball's Exterior Eggshell has at times been given some bad press but we feel unreasonably so.

As long as their products are used as designed, that is to say as a system paint, then they perform extremely well. Farrow and Ball Exterior Primer and Undercoat grips the untreated wood, or keyed paint surface, and the Exterior Eggshell sticks superbly to the Primer. 

And not only in the short term. These two products are designed to allow the other to move fluidly alongside the surface onto which they are painted. Wood, in particular, will shift and contract with changes in temperature, when left exposed to the weather, so these qualities are essential in any outside paint. 

Farrow and Ball Exterior Eggshell is water-based and is probably runnier than other Satin paints you may have used. Watch out for drips!

When painting on subsequent coats, be vigilant in covering every last inch of primer, particularly in cases like this where the undercoat is almost identical in colour to the top coat.

Take a closer look at the photo above. The peg on the right has been painted with Down Pipe, and the peg on the left has only been primed. It's extremely hard to tell the difference between the two, so work methodically from left to right and top to bottom to ensure that your boot rack is thoroughly protected from the elements.

We're confident that the combination of Farrow and Ball's Primer and Undercoat, coupled with their Exterior Eggshell is a duo that will stand the test of time. However, if you'd like more advice, or to chat over other options, then we're here to help.

Now, speaking of painting, wouldn't it be great to have a one-stop trusted source of local trades people? We think so.....come back next week to see what we're setting up....

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Farrow and Ball Exterior Primer and Undercoat

We're going to use a Farrow and Ball Exterior Primer and Undercoat as the first stage of protecting our oak wellington-boot rack from the elements. This, as the name implies, functions as both a primer AND an undercoat, saving you the cost of buying both separately.

Farrow and Ball often get bad press for their exterior finishes but we feel this is due to mistaken application, rather than the products themselves.

The Farrow and Ball Primer and Undercoat, and the Farrow and Ball Exterior Eggshell work together as a system paint.

Wood is often not kiln-dried as thoroughly as it used to be and so is regularly sold with some moisture left in. Farrow and Ball Paints are microporous. They allow that moisture OUT but don't allow outside moisture IN. The Primer and Undercoats AND the exterior eggshell are both microporous, so the two work together extremely effectively.

Problems will arise, however, if a non-microporous primer is used, and then Farrow and Ball Exterior Eggshell applied on top. The Farrow and Ball paint is extremely flexible and grips well, which usually creates a superb finish. However, if a non-microporous primer is used, these very qualities will work against it. The ability of the Farrow and Ball to shift with movement will cause any rigid primer to pull away from the wood.

If your exterior paint is peeling, we have a good test to see whether it is your primer that has failed, or your paint. All you need to do is to check the underside of any paint chips. If the underside is the colour of the primer then the primer has failed, but the paint has done its job and clung well to the primer. If there is no primer visible on the paint chip, then it is usually the paint that has failed, and the primer has clung to the surface as intended.

Farrow and Ball Undercoat and Primer sits beautifully on untreated wood, and will also sit well on old paint, as long as the paint has been sanded back to the point where it's not peeling.

However, it WON'T work well on any kind of exterior woodstain, such as Sadolin. If you have wood that has been treated in this way, then it would be better to use a primer such as Zinsser, and use a complementary paint like Little Greene, which are also available from Relics. 

Next week, we'll be looking at Farrow and Ball Exterior Eggshells.

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Gorgeous Wellington Boot Storage

What else would you need on your feet in wet weather but wellington boots?

The problem is where to store them once they are removed?

 It's all too easy to have them strewn messily around the back door,

particularly when children are involved.

If boots aren't stored well, rain can easily get into the opening and damage the boot from the inside.

Plus, putting on wet boots is never good.

At Relics, we have the perfect solution.

Our oak boot racks.

Easily fixed against a wall, these racks will make a beautiful feature of your welly-storage, which is no mean feat. Too often, storage solutions tend towards either the stylish or the practical. We were thrilled to find these superb quality boot racks, which manage to be both.

The boots are slotted upside-down, between the rails, to keep them completely dry, and off the floor.

As oak is a hardwood, it is extremely durable. The oak won't rot if left outside, but the glue in the joints, where the pegs attach to the rail, will deteriorate with time, if not well protected.

The first option is to oil the wood. However, it is extremely important to seek advice before choosing an oil, as only some oils are suitable for use with oak. Our Liberon Tung Oil is an excellent choice.

Used in a similar way to Liberon Superior Danish Oil, which we discussed here:

ensure the surface is dry and free of dust. Apply the oil using a clean brush or lint-free cloth. We recommend a minimum of four coats, allowing at least five hours of drying time between each one.

Once oak is oiled, it is extremely difficult to reverse the process. The oil sinks into the wood so cannot be sanded away. If you intend to apply colour to your rack at some point in the future, then do think carefully before pursuing this route.

A second option is to use paint.....

....but more on that next week.

First image via The Guardian

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Autumn Entertaining Outside: Lighting

Welcome back to the next part of
Autumn Entertaining Outside,
helping you to make the very most of the long, mellow evenings.



Spending the evening in the garden at this time of year needs some forward planning. Last week, we looked at finding and maintaining seating that is comfortable, durable and beautiful.



This week, we want to talk about the importance of choosing
the right outside lighting.



We think the lighting that best extends the time for al fresco dining is candlelight.
It provides soft, golden warmth, which perfectly echoes the fading autumn sun.



We enjoy seeking out the very best lanterns to stock in Relics. We look for products that are excellent quality, and that will bring a cosily stylish feel to your table. 



Lanterns need to be able to withstand both heat,
when containing candles, and cold, when left outside,
as well as the sudden temperature change between the two.
When it comes to outside lighting,
it is not enough to simply look good on the shelf. 

Relics is renowned for sourcing products that last. 
These fir cone lanterns, for example, are made from durable cast iron.
They are pleasingly heavy and have been given a lovely finish that mimics
the aging rusty look of old lanterns left out in all weather.



The textured casing throws the candlelight
to create beautifully intricate patterns around the garden.

The sturdy hoops mean that they can also be hung if preferred
but we rather like them perched simply on the table surface.  

 

With the right seating, the perfect lighting and some warm blankets,
we hope you're able to relish these mild autumnal nights.

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Autumn Entertaining Outside: Seating

Now that the weather has started to turn,

we still want to make the very most of the light evenings.

Let's take a closer look at how you can extend the long days in the garden,

by making the whole environment stylishly cosy,

so that you can continue relishing the golden autumnal light.

Your first step is finding the perfect seating.

It should be beautiful, durable and comfortable.

We love the casual elegance of the French bistro look.

One of our favourites is this table and chair set
(available from Relics).

It has a metal base painted in a soft apple green, 
which has been shaped to create a stylish, curvy look.

The solid wood slats have been given a painted wash,

allowing the natural grain to shine through.

We always recommend oiling wood that will be left outside,

ideally at the beginning and at the end of the season. 

This will ensure that you get many more years of
pleasure from your outdoor furniture,
as the oil helps to protect the wood from the elements.

For this particular table, Liberon Superior Danish Oil would work beautifully. This is a blend of Pure Tung Oil and natural oils with a UV filter. It's penetrative qualities bring out the natural colour of the wood while providing a water-resistant seal. It's suitable for all interior and exterior timber, except for oak, where Tung Oil needs to be used.
{More on this in a couple of weeks.} 

Ensure the surface is clean, dry and free of dust, including surface-greying or mould as this can cause timber blackening. Apply the oil using a clean brush or lint-free cloth. We recommend a minimum of four coats, allowing at least five hours between each one - more will be needed in especially exposed areas.

Many bistro chairs can be very uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time.

However, these chairs have had the last slat of the seat angled to fit your legs,
so that the edge of the chair doesn't dig into the backs of your knees.

Next week, we'll be continuing this theme
 by sharing our ideas for the perfect garden lighting.

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Interview With Relics' Director Kate

One of the areas that we most pride

ourselves in at Relics is our customer service.

We hope, through this blog, that those of you who live further away will be able to get to know the faces behind the Relics' shop and website. With that in mind, we thought we'd share this interview with our director, Kate.

Can you tell us a little about the background that led you to Relics?

I've always been interested in colour and paints. I was an art teacher for many years and then, after I had my children, I switched to supply teaching at a primary school in Oxfordshire. It was here that I met Annie Sloan.

I hit on the idea that I wanted to paint things - furniture and walls - not just canvasses. Annie wanted more information about art-teaching and I lacked knowledge in her area of expertise, decorative painting, so we were a great team. I helped Annie on her books and ran paint courses with her. It was a great apprenticeship

It was in the mid 1990s, that we first became involved with Relics, when we started running paint courses in the back part of the shop, teaching all those effects that were terribly popular then: ragging, marbling, trompe l'oeil and, my favourite, furniture painting.

The courses stopped in the late 90's as demand dropped and I continued to build up my decorative painting business from my workshop in Witney, travelling to paint in clients' homes and spending Saturdays working for Relics in the shop.

That gradually increased to full time work for Relics as I enjoyed the feeling of new life it gave me, and, in 2004, I became a director.

What is your taste in decor?

Well, I've recently moved to my first owned property and I'm having great fun making it mine. Let me say first that I'm not a fan of limited colour schemes. I like comfortable rooms that look as though they've evolved but that have a thread replaying in connecting rooms. I love neutrals such as Earthborn's White and Just White Claypaints and Farrow and Ball's Lamp Room Gray, and then adding some splashes of colour. Little Greene's Heat is a great paint for that. I love it when colours bounce off each other, causing a fizz.



Earthborn Just White

What do you love most about working in Relics?

I think it's that the customers are so interesting and interested. They come in with a particular set of questions, and I love trying to solve them: for example, "How will this handle look with oak?" or "Which off-white do I need to go with this?" It's being able to listen to each customer and solve their particular needs that I love. Being there for people to bounce their ideas off me. Hopefully it helps my customers - and as a bonus inspires me with new ideas too!

I love the variety of products we have - eccentric and fascinating. I love watching people's pleasure in the shop.

What is your role in Relics?

I help make sure the shop is running smoothly, ordering from stockists, thinking about the layout and window displays, and, of course, chatting with customers and serving behind the counter.

What is your favourite product in Relics?

I'd have to choose the paint. People are looking for ways to bring new design ideas into their homes and paint provides the simplest way yo transform a room. Looking at magazines helps to gather ideas and to find out what colours you like to see together and the style of rooms which appeal to you but the only real way to learn about paint and colour is to experiment with sample pots and see the effects of different types of light and how it looks with your furnishings.

To share more of Kate's vast experience, simply come in to Relics, or contact us directly (details here).

Inspired by the gorgeous weather we had yesterday, next week, we'll be looking at how to enjoy cosying up your outdoor entertaining for autumn.



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