What is Shabby chic? Here’s what it is and what you need to know

What is Shabby Chic?

Shabby chic is a type of interior design wherein the furniture and furnishings are used as decorative items due to their age and hint of wear and tear appearance. There are also new items that are customized so that they will look old or antique. Many homeowners love this type of interior design because of the freedom one has in choosing the decorative items to be used and displayed in their homes.

Why many homeowners love Shabby chic?

Shabby chic is an interior design style which make use of old furniture and furnishings or the use of new furniture however, distressed so that they will look like an antique. Fabrics usually are made up of cottons and linens, which have been popular and inspired by old French linens. Usually the color used is ecru and worn or bleached out pastel colors.

Shabby chic was first used in the 1980s by a British designer named Rachel Ashwell in an interview with the American magazine “The world of Interiors” magazine. When she came to the United States, she further popularized the term and used it as her business name and eventually trademarked it in 1989.

Shabby chic was inspired by the large country houses where there were old and worn furniture, curtains, paintings and other artworks. The trend is one of the answers in the current trend of recycling, upcycling and repurposing as the Shabby chic encompasses old, worn and nostalgic pieces. The style is also adaptable to most houses since it is considered to be comfortable, charming, relaxed and warm. The style gives you the freedom to use and display preloved items in a way that it will appear classic and elegant.

Nowadays, the incorporation of vintage in the homes, this style is becoming more popular. The freedom that you get with the style can make you have the interior design concept in your home even if your do not have that much experience in interior decoration.

Shabby chic ideas for your home

Actually there are no specific rules in having the Shabby chic style in your interior. Here are some of the key features of the style so that it may help you in designing your own home:

1. Furniture – any that show signs of time-worn, painted layers and distressed

2. Fabric – cotton and old French linens which are usually in white and pastels.

3. Decor – pillows made of vintage fabrics, vintage linens, chenille bedspreads, vintage chandeliers.

Shabby chic is easy to design as long as you have the materials needed. It is affordable since you may use the old items you have in your home. You can likewise check thrift and antique shops to see items that can be used for your home interiors. Here are some ideas on how you can transform your home into Shabby chic:

1. Use white – this is the key color of the Shabby chic design. The good thing about this color is that it can easily be matched with different colors and shades of white. It is recommended that the more white colors used, the more Shabby chic your home interior will appear.

2. Pastels – if you are not into white, then you may use pastel colors such as watery greens, lemon yellow and cool gray.

3. Flowers all around you – one of the key features of Shabby chic is its feminine and romantic theme. This means the use of floral cushions and curtains.

4. Distressed wood – use furniture in natural materials such as wood, wicker and metal. Wood furniture should be in distressed appearance.

5. Hand painted cabinets – hand paint your old cupboards instead of buying new ones. In that way you will be able to save money and appreciate your own work. You may use shades of white, gray, green or blue.

6. Freestanding dressers – dressers which are not installed on the walls and decorate them with vintage and decorative items such as mason jars, China.

7. Wrought-iron furniture – check antique stores for beds, chairs, lamps and others to have that Shabby chic look in your home.

8. Mirrors – mirrors could create an image of larger spaces. Use antique mirrors in bathroom and other unusual places in the house.

9. Artworks – choose the inexpensive ones which can be reframed and group them together on the walls.

10. Wire lighting – either DIY wire pendant lighting or those which can be found in the stores and arrange them in clusters so they would look awesome.

11. Vintage chandeliers

12. vintage bed linen

13. upcycle old items such as luggage and convert them into a nightstand

14. You can actually experiment on anything. Just be creative and resourceful and you will achieve that Shabby chic appearance in your home.

Happy decorating!