C3: Care, Character, Conditions

Our Promise

At Aidan Gray Living, we strive to design unique, quality pieces to make your house a home. We pour our heart and soul into each piece, thoughtfully choosing the most authentic finishes, hardware, and fabrics. Then we add hand carved details and other accents such as distressed woods to make each piece truly special just for you. And because all of our products are made completely by hand, small variations in color and texture provide inimitable products you won’t find anywhere else. Each piece is truly designed to be one of a kind.

In addition to our unique product offerings, we strive to give each and every one of our customers outstanding service. There is no question or inquiry too small when it comes to serving you. With a knowledgeable customer service team to assist with your every need we stand behind all our products to ensure your complete satisfaction. The topics below will help you further understand our products and ensure that they remain a part of your home for generations to come.

CARECHARACTERCONDITIONS
Wire Luxury Lighting Wood
Lighting Seasonal Shade Program Cast Resin
Candles Mini Bulbs Metal
Finishes The Value of Handmade  
Décor    
Furniture    

CARE

Wire

Occasionally, some wire products may need to be bent back into shape after shipping. We aim to pack each and every product with care but if needed, a slight tug will restore it to its proper shape. Items made with chicken wire are meant to have slight indentations to the shape to echo the look of a well worn piece.

Lighting

Crystal finials should never be twisted by the crystal, but by the finger grabs just below the crystal. Twisting by the crystal may cause it to break.

Candles

Candles aren’t sitting straight? The French look is one of subtle disorder and Aidan Gray Products are designed to reflect that uniqueness. However, if you want perfection, try using “Stick Um Candle Adhesive”. Available at most craft stores.

Several Aidan Gray candlesticks are adorned with large spikes adding to their authenticity. To get the candle to sit properly, simply drill a hole in the bottom of the wax and slide it right into place.

One should use caution and a drip plate to protect other surfaces from dripping wax.

Finishes

Some of our gesso finishes are crafted to chip and flake with time, once you have achieved the desired look of your object, a sealant may be applied to preserve the piece to your liking.

For information regarding unfinished wood, please see below for some helpful tips.

Décor

Some of our crystal bases come detached and can be affixed, or not, as you see fit.

Some finials may need slight tweaking after shipping in order for them to stand straight. A small amount of force is all that is needed so as not to break the pieces.

Furniture

Slipcovers are dry clean only

Items with exposed nail heads lend to a more uneven edge appearance and bumps, unevenness and roughness should be expected.

Tips for Sealing Table Tops:

  • Wax sealers create a more natural seal and darken the wood slightly.
  • Liquid sealers create a darkened appearance, changing the color of the wood slightly.
  • Please note some tables are made with reclaimed wood. Some pieces will react differently with different types of sealers. Test a small area on the underside of the piece before you apply your sealer of choice, allow time to dry and verify that the finish is what you desire for your final look.

CHARACTER

Luxury Lighting

Our lamps are designed to reflect a timeless elegance and are appointed with refined features such as upgraded harps and finials, brass plated sockets, fabric covered cords and high quality shades. Our wood lamps are all 100% hand carved from engineered wood for stability and endurance. We only use cast resin when we cannot achieve an affordable detailed design. 95% of our lamps are finished with fabric covered cords, enhancing and refining an essential part of every lamp. For longevity and increased durability, we use whenever possible, brass plated sockets with metal turn knobs. These are complimented by heavy gauge harps to add additional stability to the shade.

And finally, every lamp is topped by a nicely appointed shade, usually lined inside and out and trimmed to perfection. Each shade is specifically designed to enhance the architectural features of the base it rests on. We believe that Aidan Gray lamps are a step above the average lamp and offer an outstanding value to each customer.

Aidan Gray has one distinct goal in creating our chandeliers. They cannot look too new, too shiny or too perfect. Each one must have an element of hand creation in order to deliver that one of a kind found feeling.

All chandeliers are accompanied by a 7’ chain and matching canopy. Chandelier poles shown in photography can be purchased separately.

Depending on the shade style, standard lamp shades are shipped with our recommended harp size. Should you desire to change the height of the shade, you may do so by simply replacing the harp. Euro shades cannot be adjusted.

All Aidan Gray lamps are designed and built to our strict standards. Each lamp comes with a recommended wattage noted on the fixture. Small lamps may require a small scale bulb such as a ceiling fan bulb due to the shallow shade size or limited harp space. It is never recommended that you exceed the max wattage for the lamp

Seasonal Shade Program

Aidan Gray Living has become known for their UL certified Seasonal Shade Program. The only one of its kind, the program offers a way for you to change your décor with barely more than a flick of the wrist. By purchasing a lamp in the program you will receive two shades for the price. Commonly one light colored shade and one dark colored shade to alternate seasonally or as the mood suits you!

Mini Bulbs

The following lamps require a small bulb due to the distance between the lamp socket and the side of the shade or the harp size. Smaller bulbs can be easily purchased at any mass retailer or home improvement store by looking for “Ceiling fan” bulbs.

  • 976L
  • L57
  • L92
  • L204 SET
  • 1740L
  • L83
  • L175
  • L207
  • L40
  • L84
  • L184
  • WL91
  • L54
  • L85
  • L190
  • WL251 SET
  • L55
  • L91
  • L202
 

The Value of Handmade

Our hand-crafted pieces are intended to be one of a kind designs providing for small variations in each individual piece. When creating the look of found objects, small irregularities in shapes, surfaces and finishes are the hallmarks of our distressing and aging techniques. We strive for these characteristics to add depth, beauty and texture to create the Aidan Gray look.

The subtle nuances in finish and styling reflect the handmade intentions of the design. Just as an object discovered at a flea market, our desire is to replicate the wear of time and uniqueness of vintage pieces.

Each finish is created by meticulously applying layers of color. Then, each layer is distressed by hand to give the appearance of a well loved piece. This gives our products a look like no other out of the box piece.

Aidan Gray features a charming array of quality handcrafted wire elements. Our rust finishes offer an ever changing show as they respond to the elements and change color with time. They are sure to provide years of enjoyment and can add character to indoor settings as well as outdoor areas.

CONDITIONS

Living Products/Weathering

Many of our finishes and products have the unique characteristic of a “living” product. This means that through wear and use they will change over time. Just as a timeless European Antique, finishes and wood pieces will change over time only adding to their elegance and character.

Wood

You may find that some wood items will crack and split over time. This is a natural and expected process in European inspired objects. This may be especially prevalent in pieces with a large amount of wood. We strive to keep these instances to a minimum and they should in no way ever compromise the integrity or structure of the piece.

European Oak and reclaimed wood are rustic in appearance due to the nature of the wood. The rustic character is something we aim to create. Therefore, a raised or slightly uneven texture can be expected. The wood tones may also vary slightly from piece to piece giving our products the unique look well sought after in the market today.

Cast Resin

Products marked as cast resin are hand painted and textured to replicate a weathered outdoor appearance. Cast resin is not recommended for outdoor use.

Metal

Many of our metal products are powder coated and are safe for outdoor use. However, each piece is hand painted over the top to create a more "out of the box" antique look. You should expect dramatic changes in coloration as the piece is exposed to the sunlight and various weather conditions.

Rust wire and iron is finished in a powder coated base. When used outdoors products will rust over time, further adding to their grandeur and elegance.

Metal table tops are created through a hand washing technique; therefore, no two are exactly alike. The treatment is meant to give it a weathered look with watermarks, lines and spots throughout.

Aidan Gray features a charming array of quality handcrafted wire elements. Our rust finishes offer an ever changing show as they respond to the elements and change color with time. They are sure to provide years of enjoyment and can add character to indoor settings as well as outdoor areas.