Paint varies hugely; finding the perfect paint for upcycling and furniture restoration jobs isn't always easy, but has Frenchic changed all that?
Frenchic paint has only been around since 2014 but has quickly established a global reputation. This UK-based company offers a spectacular range of eco-friendly and cruelty-free paints for upcycling, outdoor and indoor furniture painting, hobby projects and general-purpose use.
Frenchic paints are renowned for their smooth, velvety texture, self-levelling nature and long-lasting finish with no flaking or peeling. The paints are mineral and chalk-based and free from latex and acrylic. They’re also naturally low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and comply with UKCA and EN71-3 for use with children’s toys.
What’s great about Frenchic paint?
Frenchic paint has made quite a name for itself, growing from a small business operated out of a garage in Surrey into an award-winning paint brand with global stockists.
First and foremost, let’s talk about quality. Frenchic paints are water-based chalk and mineral furniture paints with high-quality, eco-friendly ingredients.
Mineral paint dries with a flat, high-end finish that distinguishes it from cheaper synthetic paints. It’s also self-priming and requires minimum preparation to achieve a high-quality finish.
In terms of aesthetics, most Frenchic paint ranges provide high-quality matte finishes, except for the Trim range, which is more of a subtle satin. Frenchic paint doesn't just look great; it's also highly durable and doesn't peel easily.
Unlike many other top-brand paints, Frenchic is straightforward to use and doesn’t require primer. It glides onto surfaces, self-levels, and dries to a high-quality finish free from brush strokes.
In terms of price, Frenchic paint is similarly priced to most other top-brand chalk paints. Of course, good paint isn't cheap – but you generally get what you pay for. Thousands of excellent reviews and multiple awards say that Frenchic is worth it!
Advantages of using Frenchic paint
So, why would you choose Frenchic paint over other brands?
- Durability: Frenchic paint is highly durable and long-lasting, making it an excellent choice for furniture and decor subjected to frequent use or wear and tear.
- Easy to use: Frenchic paint is easy to apply, dries quickly, and doesn't require primer coats. It can be applied with a brush or roller and looks excellent combined with Frenchic's top coats and wax sealers.
- Eco-friendly: Frenchic paint is made from natural ingredients and is naturally low in solvents and VOCs, making it environmentally friendly compared to solvent-heavy paints.
- Wide range of colours: Frenchic paint is available in neutral colours, pastels and more extroverted or unique hues.
- Versatile: Frenchic paint can be used on various surfaces, including wood, metal, ceramics, glass and even fabric. It’s ideal for decorative DIY projects, hobbies and crafts.
- High-end finish: Frenchic paint dries to a smooth, high-quality finish that oozes class and sophistication.
- Low odour: With its low solvent profile, Frenchic paint isn’t particularly smelly and lacks the strong solvent smell of many paints, which is excellent for interior use or use in confined spaces.
- Child-friendly: Natural ingredients and low-to-no VOCs ensure Frenchic’s safety for use on child toys and furniture. It’s become the go-to for decorating child nurseries, bedrooms and play areas.
Convinced? Let’s move on to discuss Frenchic’s paint range.
The Frenchic paint range
Put simply, Frenchic paint is high-end all-purpose paint for furniture, DIY, walls, or any other project requiring a good lick of paint.
As the Frenchic brand has grown and evolved, they've released several types of paints for different projects. Here's a brief rundown of each.
The Original Artisan Range
Frenchic's most well-known and best-loved paint, the Original Artisan Range comes in 16 colours and is designed for indoor furniture renovation and wooden craft projects. It dries with a high-end, artisan finish and comes in relatively small sizes of 250ml and 750ml.
The colours available are subtle – check the Al Fresco range if you want something a little louder.
Chalk Wall Paint
For larger surfaces, Frenchic offers high-quality chalk wall paint available in 2.5L pots. There are many funky and creative colours to choose from here, including slick greys like Cool Beans, pastel blues like Duckling, warm creams like Cream Dream and rich greens like Apple of my Eye.
The Chalk Wall Paint range is considerably more cost-effective than others, with its larger 2.5L pots. Ideal for inside and outside doors, walls, garage doors and large furniture projects.
Lazy Range
The Lazy Range is designed to work with very little to no preparation. It levels well, meaning brush marks tend to fade, and you won’t need to apply primer coats. In addition to being eco-friendly and low in VOCs, it’s also water-resistant, which makes it suitable for kitchen units.
There are 18 colours in the range, including high-end whites like Wedding Cake, pinks like Love Letter and blues like Hornblower. They’re available in 250ml and 750ml pots.
Al Fresco
The famous Al Fresco range is designed for exterior and interior furniture. It’s weatherproof, durable and UV-resistant, but it also looks superb with a sumptuous finish that suits upcycled garden furniture down to a tee. Like other Frenchic paints, it’s water-based, low in VOCs and self-levelling.
There are loads of colours here, such as cool whites like Swankypants, bold hues like Kiss Me Sloely, blues like Steel Teal, familiar colours like Parma Violet, bold blacks like Blackjack, greys like Smudge, Greyhound and City Slicker and pastels like Dusky Blush. Also, keep an eye out for seasonal, limited-edition hues.
Trim Paint
Frenchic Trim Paint has a subtle satin sheen and comes in 500ml pots, perfect for smaller projects. It's ideally suited to skirts, doors, trims and radiators.
There's a vast range of colours here, including shades from other ranges. It's durable and scuff-resistant, making it ideal for heavily used furniture.
Effects paints and other products
Frenchic has developed many other innovative paint and craft products, such as Frensheen metallic powders, sugar soap for prepping surfaces, self-sealing finishing coats for added protection and durability and crackle paint for creating shabby chic effects.
Frenchic paint uses and inspiration
You can use Frenchic paint on various surfaces, from wood to metal. The Al Fresco range is probably the most flexible, as it's designed for indoor and outdoor furniture and requires little to no preparation or primer.
For larger surfaces, the chalk wall paint offers considerably better value. For small projects, consider the Artisan and Trim range. Ultimately, all Frenchic paints offer the same fundamental quality, so you can’t go far wrong.
Here’s a handful of ideas for using Frenchic paint:
Furniture upcycling
Frenchic paint was created to fill a void in paint offerings suitable for furniture upcycling and renovation. With sumptuous matte finishes, creative colours and hassle-free application, Frenchic paint is unbeatable when it comes to painting and renovating furniture.
The Original Artisan Range, Lazy Range and Al Fresco Inside/Outside Range are all suitable for upcycling projects. Choose the Al Fresco range for exterior or garden furniture. Add top coats to seal furniture from scratches and surface marks.
Decorative accents
You can use Frenchic paint to glam up walls, trimmings, fittings or practically anything else. Use it to add pops of colour and highlight architectural details such as mouldings and cornices.
The Trim Range and Artisan Range are best suited for smaller-scale projects and accenting.
Painting walls
Chalk paint gives walls a high-end, smooth and creamy finish. The Chalk Wall range is designed specifically for walls and comes in a wide range of neutral and more extroverted colours. The 2.5L pots are cost-effective for larger projects.
Use Frenchic paint for internal and external walls, feature walls, interior, exterior and garage doors, fences and practically any other large surface that would benefit from a high-end coat of paint.
Children’s furniture and toys
Frenchic paint is virtually free from VOCs and complies with UKCA and EN71-3 for use with children’s toys and other hard surfaces in contact with children.
The paint is peel-resistant, non-toxic and free from latex and acrylic. It’s widely used in children’s rooms and nurseries as an alternative to high-VOC paint.
Hobbies and craft projects
Frenchic is ideal for art, crafts and hobby projects that require high-quality finishes without the hassle of prep and priming.
Frenchic paint for your next project
There are good reasons why this small brand has grown to compete with household names like Dulux and Farrow and Ball.
If you’re looking for a great-looking, straightforward paint for DIY, hobbies, upcycling or other projects, Frenchic ticks all the boxes. If you’re interested in Frenchic paint but aren’t 100% convinced, or you’re unsure of what colours to select, they offer samples for all of their paints through their website.
