Mediocre old paintings, from the prolific Dutch Golden Age, were cheaply available, as grounds to paint on; but the overnight creation of a convincingly antique paint surface was a challenge.
The store's antique display surfaces and new shelving, which is fabricated by frequent collaborators PSS Design Cult, are stocked with an array of otherwise hard-to-find apothecary items, stationery, barware and edible goods.
"My eyes," one character says, have grown used to chance details in diligently tracing the trails of little beetles and the scratches on the surface of antique furniture, of peeling paint, the specks of dust on nameless canvases.
Painting wood surfaces (especially antique woodwork) will degrade their value permanently.
Much of the mottled, grainy surface has an antique character, making his dominant forms look like interventions in some earlier world.
Nearby is a tilting table that has part of an antique map projected on its surface; if you push down on a side of the table, the map slides in that direction, affording overviews of different parts of the street plan.
Pour a small amount of the paint thinner into a glass bowl, then with a superfine (0000) pad of steel wool, gently rub in slow circular motions across the surface of the antique, being careful not to rub so hard that you scratch the wood.
Although technically not an "antique" look, polishing the raised surfaces to a like-new shine can create a beautiful and striking contrast that looks very good on jewelry especially.
Cover the entire surface you wish to antique, but do not allow the paint to dry.
