The shabby chic style is a popular interior decorating style that has been around since the late 1980s. It combines vintage and cottage-inspired elements in soft colors and textures to create an elegant yet welcoming look. If you’re currently decorating your home with vintage and cottage-inspired furniture and décor, chances are you’re embracing the shabby chic style.
While shabby chic remains popular, it has evolved over time and is now considered more classic than trendy. However, there are still ways to update the style to keep it fresh. To help with this, we consulted with interior designers who provided insights into the history of the style and offered several practical tips for creating your own shabby chic home. These tips include incorporating pastel colors, using good quality vintage pieces, avoiding over-layering furniture, embracing the “ruined but chic” effect, and incorporating antique mirrors and floral designs. Ultimately, it’s important to be creative and add your own unique touches to make your shabby chic home truly your own.
Origins
Shabby Chic style finds its origin in the English countryside, where houses were adorned with old and faded furniture that lacked excessive pretensions. Commonplace elements like worn-out chintz sofas, old paintings, wallpapers, white curtains, and large chandeliers were ubiquitous in stately homes. Shabby Chic style shares a lot with period furnishings, especially those that follow the Victorian style, though it’s the glamourous and eccentric element that sets it apart from other interior design styles.
In Italy, Shabby Chic made its appearance in the late 1980s, thanks to its founder and designer Rachel Ashwell, who breathed life into the style with the reclamation of old furniture to create cozy and inviting spaces. The focus on detail transformed it into something poor yet luxurious at the same time.
The term “shabby chic” was first coined by “The World of Interiors” magazine in 1980 and has since spread worldwide, taking on different variations and nuances based on individual tastes. Nowadays, Shabby Chic has seen its popularity soar due to the practice of upcycling, which involves transforming old objects, furniture, and accessories into something new without discarding them, making Shabby Chic an affordable option.
It is safe to say that Shabby Chic has gained a lot of popularity, and more and more people, including famous personalities, are now appreciating this style for decorating their homes. This romantic style has a lived-in feel that allows people to relive moments of the past.
Furnishing your apartment in this style is not difficult, and this article provides helpful tips on how to achieve the look yourself. However, if you’re unsure of your instincts or tastes, you can always consult with a design expert who will guide you step by step in creating Shabby Chic furniture.
To ensure that you don’t make common mistakes while creating your Shabby Chic look, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Use pastel colors but don’t go overboard
- Avoid over-layering the furniture
- Focus on few but high-quality pieces
- Achieve a chic and worn-out effect
- Use furniture pieces from the past
- Avoid using too much white
- Use an antique mirror as a centerpiece
- Don’t add too much of a country touch
- Incorporate floral designs to lighten up the space
- Finally, be original and creative in the details.
The pastel colors applied to this shabby chic kitchen will produce a beautiful and stylish look. This cabinet, curtain and dining table set will produce a charming decoration for you to try. Pastel Color Shaby Chic from @hulyali_hayat
Apply pastel colors to your shabby chic kitchen cabinets to give it a different design. mix it up with some vintage furniture for a stunning design in your shabby chic kitchen. Blue Pastel Cabinet from @trilliletty_countrychic_
Using this shabby pastel console table will give you a great shabby chic design for you to try. You can also display some antique ornaments on this console table to give it an attractive appearance and attractive design. Blue Console Table from @domesticprovisions
This light gray color scheme on the walls is capable of producing a nice shabby chic home decor for you to apply. Some antique furniture that has a white color will produce a nice and attractive room contrast. Gray Color Scheme from @mojdommojainspiracja
This antique console table completes the look of your home’s shabby chic living room. Complete with an antique mirror, antique ornaments and table lamp, this completes the perfect home decor. Antique Console Table from @lanashomedecor
An antique wooden dining table design without painting is a very appropriate shabby chic dining room decoration furniture idea. Let the surface of this dining table appear more natural without repainting. Decorate with some antique ornaments as a beautiful view while enjoying the food or drinks provided. Antique Dining Room from @antiguedadesalfaomega
In this shabby chic dining room, you can use a touch of antique furniture that will balance the look. Choosing this vintage white wrought iron dining table set will be a great home decoration. Vintage Dining Room from @niddefee
This shabby chic bedroom features an antique gray painted headboard. This 90s-style headboard design adds a shabby chic impression that will contrast throughout this bedroom. Shabby Chic Headboard from @__iberbi__
A touch of antique furniture in the form of a sideboard placed in the corner of this house will give your home a stylish look. This antique chair placed in the corner of the buffet will also balance your home decor. Vintage Buffet from @mojdommojainspiracja
You can add antique mirrors to your shabby chic home decor. You can choose a mirror with a shabby round frame and hang it on your home buffet for charming results. Antique Round Mirror from @kerstintenkleve
On this sahbby chic console table, you can add a shabby framed mirror accent. This mirror will also give the illusion of a large room because it reflects light throughout the room. Besides that, some of these antique ornaments will also complete the look on your console table. Antique Mirror Frame from @jagiellogrod
Don’t go overboard with the white color scheme as it will make the room look boring. Add a country touch to this shabby chic bedroom to produce an attractive space design for you to apply. Country Touch from @trilliletty_countrychic_
The floral motifs on the wallpaper, sofa and pillows in this shabby chic living room don’t look boring. The choice of pink and white color scheme succeeded in creating a feminine look. A weathered floor will also give the whole room a comfortable and warm impression. Add Floral Pattern from @shintailo03
In this shabby chic kitchen, you can add floral print accents to the cabinet skirt. The choice of this pastel blue color will also balance the appearance of your kitchen cabinets. Apart from that, this skirt will also be the perfect centerpiece in this shabby chic kitchen. Floral Skirt Cabinet from @desifa89
This tablecloth has a floral embroidery pattern. This adds an unobtrusive look and will give pattern to this dining table. This cup complete with a blooming flower motif will also balance the look of your dining table. Floral Pattern Tablecloth from @hulyali_hayat
A touch of country furniture in this shabby chic dining table set adds a sophisticated look to your dining room. An antique chair complete with plaid pillow accents will also give a perfect look. Country Furniture from @mapetitemaisonbucolique
By following these tips, you can create a Shabby Chic space that is unique, elegant, and inviting.
