Shabby Chic!
The beauty of imperfections, the love of worn objects, as well as the appeal of comfort and practical living; these are what has come to be known as shabby chic style. It is a style that is simple and quiet, practical and peaceful.
The home furnishings label, founded by Rachel Ashwell in 1989 is now recognized as a style of decoration. It represents an appreciation for what is useful, well loved and comfortable. Some have referred to this look as “The merging of a romantic, old-fashioned, aesthetic appeal with modern functions” Its a style full of contrasts between modern and traditional and elegant and casual, and has often been referred to as second hand style, which either way is perfect if you are wanting to achieve this look on a budget. With a relaxed feel, the shabby chic look is marked by a comfortable, worn and often tattered style. This style attracts the appeal of irregularities, revealing the true charm of its history, from chips to dents. It rebels against perfection, as after all the idea that something which is ‘Shabby’, can also be considered ‘Chic’, is unusual.
Don’t let the word Shabby’ scare you away from this style, yes it is unstructured, but it is easy to achieve effortless elegance. You can create a warm and inviting living space through combining gently aged fabrics and colours in a warm palette. Colours used in this scheme tend to be soft, palatable tones, taken from nature, much like ivories, creams and greys that appear to be muted by age. If subtle, pastel tones can also make an appearance, with the likes of dusty rose, place blues and mint, and darker colours can be introduced, if combined with white or light colours that appear faded.
Shabby chic is versatile, allowing the mixture of different tastes. Fabrics and textures, ideally in white, can be mixed and matched with vintage pieces, and look beautiful combined. Where everything is often painted the same colour, texture is used to create a contrast. A variety of wood, either natural or painted brings comfort to the room, wicker and rattan are popular to add warmth and texture, and compliment them with aged and antique looking pieces to add depth. There is no end to patterns and textures which you can use within this scheme. Texture really lifts a shabby chic interior, using patchwork materials, for example, on pillows and throws to add visual interest. Soften contemporary furniture with pillows and quilts and attach fabric to panes of glass to give a romantic charm. Combine stripes and florals in complementary shades to the room, and consider using lace to add a delicate, yet comfortable style.
Try this bed linen set with a floral Garden rose design, it has a true English charm.
An absolutely gorgeous Shabby chic distressed wooden photo frame with metal flower detail – perfect!
Theres nothing more homely then the shabby chic style, and this woven, floral fabric is brilliant for cushions, to add texture and colour to your home.
This vintage style wall clock would look fabulous in a shabby chic interior. Its wooden base it adorned with pink roses on a pale beige background, complete with a distressed look.
For a sumptuous style, this bed linen offers a gorgeous take on shabby chis. Featuring off white linen, pleating ruffles and lace trimming this would look stunning in a shabby chic inspired bedroom.
Referred to as “a marriage between the laid-back, breezy ease of Los Angeles beach life and romantic prettiness of English country life at its most casual”, this style can look just as natural in a contemporary home as they would in a traditional setting, perhaps thats why this style has been a major influence in our modern homes today. So celebrate the charm of an old battered table, and why not scour through flea markets and charity shops to find that perfect piece to finish the shabby chic style. Hope your enjoyed my post, more coming soon!
so gorgeous! Great selections… X Cat
Thankyou, I love Shabby Chic style! X