Shabby Chic Color and Furnishing – Learn the Most Dynamic Tips

One of the hottest looks these days is called the shabby chic. This is a style in interior design where home ware and furnishings are given an aged or antique appearance. The look that is achieved is, of course, different than the genuine period pieces that can be bought at a much higher price. Also called cottage style interior design, this is grandeur subdued.

Shabby chic furniture style originated in Britain; it was all about designing a large country house using worn out or faded curtains, chintz settees, and other pieces of furniture. Each item has been beautifully preserved using white paint for uniformity. The shabby chic furniture pieces look more dazzling when they are placed in older homes especially inside Victorian houses.

Shabby chic painted furniture can be placed inside a living room, nursery, guest room, or practically any kind of room that you wish to furnish. You can try to rearrange furniture pieces that do not look alike by having them painted in white. With this, you have achieved harmony with just a simple painting task.

Shabby Chic in the ‘80s

During this time, furniture in the UK was chiefly wood that has been painted gray or black. Glass with chrome is also a popular option. Walls during this era had softer hues like pale pink or apricot white. It was a decade where extravagance was acceptable and homes were the best place to show off. Video players and Hi-fis were the must-own stuff.

Shabby chic in the ‘90s

Swags and tails in windows were seen during this time. DIY projects got more and more popular as more homeowners decided to paint their own walls and to create some of their furniture from scratch. The chintz was successfully revived during this era till the time that Ikea came into existence. 

Noughties Era

This was when home interiors were predominantly neutral-colored. Brown leather settees were the in thing as huge television sets with widescreen features were welcomed in many homes. Technology has definitely arrived and the furnishings in homes followed suit. Every piece became glossy and streamlined. Think of granite worktops, stylish accessories and wooden floors and you’re on the right track.

Paint It Shabby Chic

Shabby chic furniture gives a warm, elegant and comfortable look to a home’s interior. Not all homeowners can afford antique pieces and so, in the case of budget renovations, it is great to design with shabby chic style in mind.

Painting shabby chic means you get a stool or sofa then paint it. It really does not matter whether the pieces you choose are already worn out or have different colors. Painting shabby chic means you can uniformly splash light colors onto each piece. The most favored color used to be white but with modernization came improvements and so other light hues became acceptable.

Here are a few tips in painting shabby chic pieces –

• Find old and worn out pieces; thrift goods and vintage pieces are great for this cause.
• Select a color that you like. The spectrum of choice includes light colors and pastels such as light blue, light green, lavender, light yellow or good old white paint.
• Use sandpaper to clean up and sand the chipped parts prior to painting them. Use primer to coat the pieces.
• For uniformity, find same-colored curtains and upholstery. You may also use striped, floral or checked accessories. Add trinket boxes, picture frames, hanging hearts, tea lights, lanterns and other equally unique pieces and you are just about finished.

These days, shabby chic can either be extravagant or subtle. Whichever way you choose to go, you will always end up with a stylish warmth that is hard to equal.

Useful Reference Links

Shabby Chic: The Official Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture Site
Shabby Chic Furniture
Vintage Painted Shabby Chic Furniture
The Bella Cottage: Shabby Chic, French Country & Vintage Furniture