Why Shabby Chic Isn’t Shabby

The great thing about shabby chic is that it is an easy style to get into, can be personalised to suit your own tastes and is anything but shabby.  Shabby chic is defined as a style of interior design and furniture that has signs of wear and tear and where a distressed look is used to make items appear antique.  It is soft and opulent combining a cottage-style décor with a sense of period décor to make a uniquely personal look.

Budget friendly

One of the reasons that shabby chic is so popular is that it can be very budget friendly.  It is easy to go to charity shops or second hand sales and pick up pieces of furniture that are either in keeping with the style or can be easily adapted to it.  Vintage textiles are another great way to take a plain piece of furniture and turn it into a shabby chic piece without spending a great deal of money.  Plus it’s fun – who knows what amazing thing you will find during your search!

In the bedroom, white bedding is both cost effective and totally shabby chic.  White on white patterns are very popular for the look and can be quite budget friendly as well as easy to wash.  You can use accessories to add colour to the room or even use coloured paint on the furniture.

Furniture ideas

Taking an old dining room set and stripping it back before whitewashing it is a great way to bring the look to the dining room or kitchen.  Covering the chairs with some vintage fabric adds a touch of softness to the look, especially if the chairs are all straight lines and angles.  Add a faded rug under the table to finish the area.

Nearly any piece of furniture from a sideboard to a chest of drawers can be reborn to coordinate with a shabby chic look in the same way as the table and chairs – sand them down and whitewash them or paint them in a distressed fashion.  Anything that looks weathered and aged will work perfectly in the theme and saves the cost of buying brand new items.

Accessories

Mirrors, picture frames and wall art are all prominent features of the shabby chic style.  Grouping them together as a feature on a fireplace wall, for example, is a great way to combine a random selection of items that you can repaint to look the part.  Or buy the odd new piece to sit amongst the upcycled gear – anything with flowers and birds are popular motifs.  Hanging a similar style metal wreath in front of a window is another way to accessorize the look.

Second hand shops always have plenty of small, dainty fine china tea sets to be bought, often missing a piece here and there.  These delicate little items make a beautiful addition to a living room, dining room or kitchen, bringing a little floral colour to the room.  You can even use them as a basis for the colours in the rest of the room, following their colour theme to paint up and distress the other furniture you have found.