Only in English can we use two contradictory words and create a new style. Such is of shabby chic. Shabby which means showing conspicuous signs of wear or neglect, and chic attractive and fashionable; stylish. So we can say that the style was popular even before it was a style as many people have had to do with old furniture showing signs of wear. You may have been in style without knowing it, perhaps you need a little help to turn your old bedroom furniture into fashionable, even trendy, shabby chic bedroom furniture.
The principle behind shabby chic style is to create bright and airy rooms, set off by old furniture, or voluntarily aged furniture, to recreate the beautiful houses of yesteryear. You only have to look at the success of antique shops, and second hand stores to confirm the trend. Many people are hankering for a return to authentically warm, elegant, and bright interiors without having to spend a fortune in getting there. In the last 15 years or so this tendency for has grown at an incredible speed.
Birth of a style
At the origin of this style is Rachel Ashwell a British expatriate, living in California. Her first decoration store opened in Santa Monica and was such a success that it only took a few years for her to build an empire that became famous in the entire world. Today as the leader in shabby chic decor Rachel writes books on the topic to deliver the secrets of her style.
What is Rachel Ashwell’s secret? She uses ordinary old furniture and give it a new life with a little mix of artful antiquing, restoration and an eclecticism of styles and periods.
You too can create some in your home, if you have in your attic or basement some discarded furniture that are mismatched, they will do the affair very well and you can turn them into . You could with an old dresser create a shabby chic bedroom in very little time. Clean the piece, paint it then sand it and age it to your taste, in a shabby chic interior decor age, and wear and tear are Kings and Quenn. So do not hesitate for a second to mark it, or scratch it to age it a little more. Even new furniture can be made to look old when worked a little.
Once you have your properly aged furniture, you must decorate your shabby chic bedroom furniture appropriately. Choose light colors, ivory, beige and white are the preferred colors. One thing about shabby chic style furniture it is utterly girlish and romantic, even a little cheesy at time with a lot of pink and little flowers, without forgetting the lace.
But for all of this shabby chic style is the perfect solution for home decor on a low budget.
This affordability is what made it the success that it has become. A style that is elegant without being ostentatious, authentic but simple and within reach of any budget.
You can find today in many stores and online a vast variety of shabby chic decorative objects that will greatly simplify your life if you are less handy or if you lack the time to create your own . Since individual pieces of furniture in a shabby chic style are not supposed to match, old and new can be side by side without any problems. You can have antique right next to a Rachel Ashwell piece. Go ahead and take out the old stuff you have stowed away and turn it out simply . It is the scars and damage to the pieces, that you wanted to hide when you put it away that will give your new shabby chic environment its new charm. To complete the look add a few accessories and trinkets that you picked up here and there along the years, for a happy mix.
If I assume that you followed the advice and created your shabby chic bedroom, I can be assured that your style is relaxed and that you are comfortable with it. It might be time for you to start on your shabby chic living room. The living room gives you even more areas to explore and expend on the idea. You can bring an outdoor old bench and turn it into a great shabby chic living room table. Another idea would be to use a wheelbarrow and shabby chic it into an indoor planter. Do you need a bookshelf, any old cabinet can be transformed into an extra ordinary shabby chic painted furniture.
Children specially little girls will also love this style of decoration for their room, you might look into some French shabby chic to give them a chance to feel like they have their own heaven but still belong in your shabby chic home environment.
If however you are extending your love of shabby chic style to the outer areas of the house, the patio for example, it is recommended that you add a layer of varnish to protect the furniture from the elements. If possible store them in a dry place for the winter months.
Click on image if you would like to see a small gallery of shabby chic images for inspiration