With outdoor flea market and estate sale season just around the corner, we've received an uptick in customer queries on how we clean, care for, and restore vintage pieces here at the shop. From a holy grail soap to brass cleaner, these tools, tips, and tricks will help your treasures withstand the test of time.
Even with a little love and elbow grease, it's important to keep in mind that the wear on vintage pieces tells the story of their history. It's precisely that combination of mystery, discovery, and aesthetic that attracts us to vintage in the first place, so we love to teach our customers how to clean these items so they retain both function and historic charm.
Shop our current vintage selection here and keep reading below for care recommendations.
What do we use to remove fabric stains?
Marseille soap. One of our best sellers in the shop, this versatile French soap is made out of 100% natural ingredients! It's a miracle stain remover that comes in multiple forms depending on your need and purpose: soap block, flakes, or liquid detergent. We use marseille soap as a spot treatment, laundry detergent, and make-up brush cleaner. It's especially great when paired with our favorite laundry brush to gently but efficiently lift deep set, old stains from vintage clothing, furniture, and linens!
What do we use to clean brass?
Brasso. Personally we like the patina on brass candlesticks but if you want to shine them up or maintain your brass, Brasso is the way to go! Our key tip with Brasso is to start with a very light hand so as to not over-buff your brassware; if necessary, you can always go in twice to get the desired effect.
What do we use to shine and clean silver?
Silver polishes. This category requires a little investigation to determine the best care solution. If your item is sterling silver and heavily tarnished, we recommend Tarn-X to remove really stubborn buildup. Although Tarn-X also could be used on silver plate, it is highly abrasive so we prefer to use MAAS metal polish on the more thinly formulated silver plated pieces. MAAS is pricey but in our opinion is worth the expense because the polish lasts a long time in comparison to other options. For both polishes, we use a standard sunshine polishing cloth that also works well for jewelry!
How do we clean old canvases of oil paintings?
Dust & dampen. The first step is to ensure that the canvas surface is totally free of any dust. If the dust is thick enough that a feather duster doesn't fully work, use a small handheld vacuum with a low setting in order to limit the suction force. Then go in with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth—absolutely no chemicals on it, water is key here!
How do we clean gilding (on frames, mirrors, etc.)?
Damp cloth. Similar to canvases and oil painting, our first approach is always a damp microfiber cloth. For stubborn tarnishes or deep set grooves, use a tiny bit (read: not saturated) of rubbing alcohol on either a Q-tip or cotton ball to gently spot treat.
What do we use to clean leather?
Saddle Soap. This stuff works wonders—trust us, Andrea used to use this soap on her saddles in Arizona. Simply lather up the soap with a stiff brush or cloth, rub into the leather, and rinse. Optionally you may follow up with a cream to make the leather extra supple, but the saddle soap provides enough protection to the material as well.
What do we use to clean wooden furniture?
Marius Fabre olive oil black soap. Our round-up post wouldn't be complete if we didn't end on another tried and true Marseille soap favorite, the olive oil liquid black soap spray. This spray is our favorite all-purpose cleaner for wooden surfaces: vintage furniture, shelves, even the insides of cabinets and dresser drawers.
Happy Holidays from the Painted Swan team! Each of us care deeply about our mission and love helping our customers find the perfect piece to take home, whether for themselves or to gift. Rounding out our gift guide are Ally's recommendations and favorite pieces.
What is your favorite Painted Swan gift to give?
Anything By Bria Deserio honestly. She paints the famed oil paintings for the shop. Bria mostly paints small stills of different fruits or cheese. My mother & I gifted my sister a gouda painting last year! She absolutely loved it. It’s such a great gift. The art itself and the framing that Andrea does is one of kind. Any food connoisseur would absolutely adore it.
What Painted Swan gift would you like to receive?
We just received new jewelry inventory in the shop and this beautiful Diez Milagritos Charm Bracelet caught my eye. It’s Sterling Silver from Mexico. Every charm is so detailed and unique. I don’t even wear bracelets but I’m obsessed with it.
What’s caught your eye that you’ll gift to yourself?
Our crystal ornaments for sure. They’re only around during the holidays season in the shop but I like to hang them in my window. They give off little rainbows and a beautiful glow when the sun hits them. It’s perfect for the dark winter months.
What’s the most useful gift?
The Marseille Soap! I use it every week for laundry and cleaning. It works wonders and I’ve gotten everyone in my life hooked on it too.
What about for the hard to shop for crowd? (We all know one person...)
You really can’t go wrong with our signature candle. I know fragrance Is personal but the scent is light and versatile, that’s why its everyone loves it. I also think the orange garland is a great gift for someone picky. It’s something they wouldn’t expect and it looks great in any home.
Tell us about your favorite way to decorate or celebrate the holiday season.
I love the dried orange and quince garland. I usually put one in my kitchen and one in my room. I’m not really into Christmas decor so the garland adds a rustic touch that can stay up all winter.
This year, in the spirit of giving back, we are also offering suggested donation gift wrapping services in support of three special animal charities. Check out our special cause partners here.
Happy Holidays from the Painted Swan team! Each of us care deeply about our mission and love helping our customers find the perfect piece to take home, whether for themselves or to gift. Keep reading for Sumati's gift recs and favorite pieces.
What is your favorite Painted Swan gift to give?
I’ll admit it, I’m a gift repeater. I’m guilty of giving the same item to multiple people and that’s because I truly love our Signature Scented Candle so much. I always make sure to pair it with something more personalized, like a fun matchbook or vintage candle stand, that reflects the intended recipient’s vibe.
What Painted Swan gift would you like to receive?
A cashmere hat is precisely the type of little luxury people gift others but never themselves. As someone who’s perpetually cold, this would be a well received and loved gift for years to come.
What’s caught your eye that you’ll gift to yourself?
I’ve had my eye on this miniature pair of gold candlesticks as soon as they came into the shop a few weeks ago. Those plus a pair of taper candles in a new-to-us pinky taupe color-way would be a great start to the new year.
What’s the most useful gift?
Any kitchen item that manages to be both functional and elegant is a win for me. I’d recommend either a solid cutting board or a steel olive oil dispenser to jazz up someone’s kitchen counters! These pieces would look so good both on display and in use.
What about for the hard to shop for crowd? (We all know one person...)
I love the collection of vintage treasures we have at Painted Swan. I’d pick something slightly whimsical but beautiful that I know they’d never choose for themselves, like a silver plate letter rack or wine bottle holder.
Tell us about your favorite way to decorate or celebrate the holiday season.
My family doesn't celebrate the religious aspects of Christmas but we've always loved the season as a time for spending time with family and gratitude. Growing up, we'd get one of the mini pine trees from our local corner vendor and would dedicate an entire evening to watching holiday films and stringing popcorn, cranberry, and orange garlands. I still prefer these rustic, homemade ornaments to commercial baubles and love that I found a kindred spirit in Andrea at the shop!
This year, in the spirit of giving back, we are also offering suggested donation gift wrapping services in support of three special animal charities. Check out our special cause partners here.
Happy Holidays from the Painted Swan team! Each of us care deeply about our mission and love helping our customers find the perfect piece to take home, whether for themselves or to gift. Kicking off our team gift guide is founder and owner, Andrea!
What is your favorite Painted Swan gift to give?
It would have to be our Signature Scented Candle because people think of you long after they receive it whenever they burn it. Since we make the candle ourselves, I love that I know all the ingredients are natural and non-synthetic.
What Painted Swan gift would you like to receive?
Anything vintage! I love our silver plate trays, linens, and oil paintings. Shopping vintage means each piece is unique and has a history and a soul.
What’s caught your eye that you’ll gift to yourself?
These early 1900s Italian milagros. This is the first time I’ve ever seen this art form and it was just a pleasure to research!
What’s the most useful gift?
Studio Carta scissors! Without a doubt. These are gorgeously crafted and will last you a lifetime.
Image via Studio Carta
What about for the hard to shop for crowd? (We all know one person...)
A beautiful coffee table book never fails. One that just came out is White & Faded and my all time favorite is Remodelista: The Organized Home.
Tell us about your favorite way to decorate or celebrate the holiday season.
I love natural elements like our cinnamon stick bundles, dehydrated orange slice ornaments, and white candy canes mixed with a little bit of bling, whether it’s an everyday object like silver candlesticks or a mercury glass vase. You can transform the ordinary into a little celebration.
This year, in the spirit of giving back, we are also offering suggested donation gift wrapping services in support of three special animal charities. Check out our special cause partners here.
A long time stalwart of European dining sets and tea rooms, the silver tray has a luxe vintage charm that is surprisingly versatile in every part of your home. Here at Painted Swan, we love using silver trays in delightfully unexpected ways.
Since their inception in eighteenth-century London, window displays have grown into a true art form, capturing the imaginations of consumers and passersby alike. Window display design reached new creative heights throughout the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries at luxury department stores such as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as the high-end boutiques one finds along New York City’s Madison Avenue. Truly great window displays don’t just serve as an exhibition space for a store’s inventory: they tell a story. The window displays at Painted Swan are meant to inspire the local community of Carroll Gardens, and they often serve as a thoughtful commentary on the present season as well as on current events.
While shopping online continues to dominate the retail landscape, it can be so refreshing to stroll down one’s local main street and enjoy a carefully crafted window display. “I love creating windows for my little shop in Brooklyn.” Says Painted Swan owner Andrea Romeo, “When I first opened the shop, I thought the objective was to sell your products. I truly did not understand the impact a store window can have on the community. I start planning the window a month or so before. I love planning for holidays and seasons because you have license to go over the top. No restraints, no editing, just celebration.”
Indeed, the changing of the seasons and the unpredictable news cycle offer priceless inspiration for Painted Swan’s window displays. During the December holidays, the shop’s window is transformed into a winter wonderland, with white hand-crocheted snowflakes and linen and lace stockings. After restocking with an array of antique silver flatware and serving pieces, local artist Bria Deserio created a display of “dancing” silverware inspired by Beauty and the Beast. In the summertime, hanging lamps, seashells, and driftwood make the perfect background for furniture repurposed with Annie Sloan chalk paint.
“I think Halloween is my favorite.” Says Romeo, “The shop is in a neighborhood where Halloween is celebrated in a major way. Almost every brownstone is layered with skeletons and pumpkins. The local funeral home, Scotto’s, puts on a yearly event that draws crowds from all over Brooklyn.” Painted Swan joined in the festivities by featuring a skeleton bride and groom juxtaposed with a vintage candelabra. During the early weeks of the Coronavirus pandemic, while the store was closed, the window was graced by a statue of the Blessed Mother surrounded by candles, offering much-needed hope to locals during a dark time. Conversely, at the end of 2020, when much of the world was seeking a return to normalcy, the shop window humorously featured a “2020” banner falling into a trash can, a reflection on the collective desire to put such a terrible year behind us.
Walking along Court Street in Carroll Gardens, one will find many shops with windows thoughtfully showcasing everything from expertly tailored clothing to vintage books to works of art. Creating such displays galvanizes a sense of magic and whimsy among the community. Painted Swan is so pleased to be taking part in this tradition and looks forward to showing future displays, always with its trademark vintage bicycle included.
Please enjoy some images of our past window displays and Andrea's reflections on them.
"For Halloween, Painted Swan has a tradition of small white ghost pumpkins, and they appear every year to kick off our fall season. Our Halloween windows started off tasteful and restrained, and have become more and more over the top as the years have gone by. A local funeral home uses our corner every year to host a Halloween extravaganza, with coffins filled with candy, witches and ghosts. People come from other neighborhoods each year to experience it. My all-time favorite was the Swan Lake Halloween display, which Bria Deserio orchestrated."
"As we were putting this Halloween window together, a young ballerina from the neighborhood helped by directing us as to the proper poses for our Swan Lake display."
"This window was also created by Bria Deserio from conception to completion, inspired by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed listening to comments, especially from a young child who thought a princess lived here."
"Summer displays are always just fun and carefree. We include symbols of the summer like seashells, baskets and light and airy lamps of our own design, to mimic mosquito netting in a tropical atmosphere."
"One of the scariest times in our neighborhood was the earliest stage of the pandemic, when ambulances and sirens were going off every five minutes and the streets were deserted. It was an eerie feeling. Right before we were forced to close, I thought of a statue that was gifted from one of our neighbor’s brownstones that was sold and needed to be removed. Years before, I was walking in the neighborhood and found her so enchanting, not knowing that years later she would be gifted to me. As Mary protected the neighborhood for years in front of the brownstone, it was only fitting that she continued to do so during Covid. I was so thrilled to provide her with a window to do that. It was incredibly touching, having people stop and pray in front of the shop. Even non-religious people said thank you for acknowledging the suffering of New York City."
"New Year’s is a time to put the past behind us and 2020 needed to be in the trash heap! While the previous year’s display showcased a grandfather clock to celebrate the passage of time, 2020 was a year we wanted to put behind us."
"World events often come into play when designing our windows and this display’s purpose was to showcase the amazing chalk paint by Annie Sloan and how easy it is to transform a piece of furniture from ugly to chic and beautiful. Right after completing this display, the Bernie Sanders meme went viral online, and we couldn’t help but showcase Bernie in our window."
CLICK HERE TO SHOP MORE HOME AND KITCHEN ESSENTIALS
I’m not quite sure where it came from or when it began, but I have had a lifelong love of white interiors.
For many years, I was in the art business. Before hanging a show, I loved taking in the moment of pristine, freshly-painted white walls. The entire room was like a big, blank canvas. As I moved the paintings around, I would think about how the order and placement would affect the viewer. I was always humbled and honored to be able to contribute to the artist’s story.
When I started doing design work, I found that the same white pallet could also help me tell the story of a home, its history, and its inhabitants. A space’s four white walls never failed to excite me. A room is nothing but bones and light, and that is everything.
I often hear from our clients and customers that they “hate white paint.” When I first opened my little shop in Brooklyn, it was Spring, and I often left the doors open. I could hear every conversation of people leaving the shop. I often heard exclamations like, “That poor little thing is never going to make it unless she gets some color in there.” I even had some well-meaning neighbors attempt a color intervention.
Thankfully most visitors lingered, feeling embraced by the sense of peace that the space offered, and wanting to replicate that same tranquility in their own homes. I’m not going to lie, the latter feedback felt much better.
I think the most important part of any project is authenticity. If I am going to fall on my face, I want it to be my face, no one else’s.
White is not just one color. If you are looking at white paint swatches, I find it helps to lay the swatch on a sheet of white printer paper. The yellows, the browns and the blues will reveal themselves. After you narrow down your swatches, I recommend painting large swatches on the wall. Take a couple of days and experience the color in the morning, in the evening, with artificial light and without.
White is soothing, calming, simple, and pure. Everything you bring into a white room takes on a stronger role, leading your eye to the pieces you cherish and love. Its quiet strength supports the pieces that reflect who you are.
Have you ever wondered how to go about using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint? The creator of the paint herself, Annie Sloan, has filmed various videos with a "HOW TO" theme. These are absolutely perfect for those of you who are thinking about or are about to start painting your first piece. These videos can also serve as inspiration for other projects that mix techniques, stencils, and much more!
Below we have compiled a list of our favorite videos:
1. HOW TO: PAINT WITH CHALK PAINT® – THE BASICS
2. HOW TO: USE CHALK PAINT® WAX – THE BASICS
3. HOW TO: USE CHALK PAINT® ON KITCHEN CABINETS
4. HOW TO: CREATE A DISTRESSED PAINT EFFECT USING CHALK PAINT®
Is it really that time of year again? This year has been quite the whirlwind for many of us, and because of this, we decided to start releasing our holiday merchandise earlier than usual. We've also made it a mission to hand make ornaments at the shop. All our orange garlands and orange ornaments are handmade from start to finish at our Brooklyn, NY location. We purchase the oranges locally, slice them, dry them, and hand make the garland at our studio. It's a team effort!
We're so lucky to have some amazing customers and friends that have contributed their talent to our handmade collection. Local Brooklyn artist Bria Deserio handmade and painted wonderful Pawnaments.
Our friend Francesca handmade various styles of crochet snowflakes and icicles. We will be donating a portion of the sales to our local church.
Another Painted Swan team effort is sourcing locally and making cinnamon stick bundles in various sizes. A simple yet elegant decor item that gives off a deliciously warm scent. 
These days we've been cooking from home a little more than usual. This means we've been heading to the grocery store a lot more frequently, and now as our cities and towns start to re-open it only means one thing: farmer's markets! Our string market bags are perfect for fruits, vegetables, baguettes, and so much more.
When I was around eighteen I resided in Paris for college and these stretchy 100% knitted cotton bags were the way to go. We carry Le Filet Filt, a net market bag company based in Normandy, France that has been making these since 1860. Arguably the first ever market bag makers.
Why you need one? Here in New York reusable bags are it- plastic bags have been banned, and these are great to throw in the washer (or hand wash of course). They're extremely flexible, easy to store inside your coat pocket, etcetera. You can even hand dye them, or use them as storage bags inside the home. The possibilities are endless!
Find these awesome market bags on our website and choose from the three colors available (natural, black, and grey).
We love ourselves some tips and tricks! So much so that we are dedicating a section of the blog to these bits of wisdom passed down to us, or simply our own light bulb moments that have changed our decor game.
Summer and brunch go hand in hand. Lovely weekends while staying at a beach house with family and friends. There really isn't anything better than to set up a table quickly while the kids are running around, Aunt Letty is cooking up a storm, and the rest of us are helping out. During this Covid-19 pandemic, we are still social distancing, but even so, we still have a desire to spruce things up. To do so effortlessly and to enjoy spending time with family even if its via a zoom call brunch with the gramps.
We adore snapping photos by the table and this little hack is one of our favorites. Seashells as napkin rings! Minimalist, elegant, super cute, and so so easy! Don't get us wrong, we love a good napkin ring, blown glass or handmade creations from our favorite makers. Yet, we have a special place in our hearts for found seashells. During our summer beach outings we tend to grab these lovely shells, take them home, and use them as decor. We've been sprucing up our summer brunch table with these wonderful shells all summer long. Look through your own collection and find those that have two openings. Then slip a napkin right in and voila!
If you are in the Brooklyn area come and visit us at 407 Court Street in Carroll Gardens with every purchase of a linen napkin set you get to grab two shells from our collection.
Let us know what are some of your fav summer decor hacks in the comments.
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If you have been stopping by our shop since we opened three years ago you would know: we are obsessed with vintage mirrors. Our clients take trips to our shop just to see what new pieces we've gotten our hands on. More often than not, we play around with our favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paints to give an extra pizazz to some of our favorite finds.
The requisite before photo of our latest finds.
We keep our paint in these wonderful easy to carry and store squeeze bottles. Here's that delicious Old Ochre we're about to use and the clear wax on the right.
Andrea went ahead with a total of two coats of paint and then a coat of Clear Wax. After the paint dried she used Annie Sloan's wax brush for the first application of the wax. This is an important step as it seals the paint and promotes longevity. After using the brush she switched over to a clean rag to smooth it out. We were going for an imperfect antiquey look.
It isn't necessary to tape the inside of the mirror when applying Chalk Paint. In the clip below, Andrea uses a window cleaning spray and a blade to swiftly remove the excess paint from the glass.
How great are these? You can really see that creamy Old Ochre color standing out and taking us back to Parisian streets and strolls along Le Marais. Croissant au chocolat anyone?
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Can you remember the last time you were 100% satisfied with how a room turned out? Like, that moment when you knew your creation did not need anything more and certainly nothing less.
Our founder, Andrea Romeo, decided to share with us her favorite room in her Brooklyn home: her bathroom. She considers this timeless sanctuary her most complete room. She wouldn't change a thing.
Andrea's bathroom is a mix of old and new. Painted vintage mirrors and a trash-to treasure chandelier highlight a sleek marble countertop underneath. The black and white subway tiles are a subtle nod to Brooklyn- a huge inspiration for Andrea's interior design.
Above: A spacious vanity mirror that opens to reveal all the essentials- including electrical plugs to charge electric brushes and more.
No room is complete without a few strangely delightful pieces. We are particularly obsessed with this corner piece. A playful side table featuring animal legs: hoof details included.
You can find accents like these at our shop. The branches, pitcher, and vintage stoneware are all available for purchase. We hope we can help you create your own perfect room.
Find some of these bathroom essentials here.
Feel free to message us here with any questions about our available pieces or leave a comment below.
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