Shabby Chic Style
Shabby Chic is a decor style that uses aged furniture and other items to create a vintage look within the home. Worn around the edges or gently broken in, Shabby Chic is the perfect balance between luxury and lived-in. Frills and ruffles lend to a comfortable and soft space. Distressed furniture and vintage home decor bring intimacy to luxurious spaces, cozy up a large room, and utilize the nooks and crannies in your home.
Shabby Chic Colors
From taupe to mint green, a Shabby Chic color palette can include white, pastels, and creams. Start with a favorite neutral and work in rose quartz tones and muted greens to get a true Shabby Chic look. Add flair with pops of teal and turquoise or bold pinks and reds.
Shabby Chic Decorating Ideas in 3 Easy Steps
Shabby Chic Style Elements
Burlap
For all of Shabby Chic’s soft and billowing textiles, there is the organic and natural roughness of burlap to balance the look. This coarse textile is popular because it adds edge and texture to pretty places.
White Wash Wood
In place of perfectly polished furniture, Shabby Chic embraces whitewash and layered, chipped paint. Texture and age are celebrated as a sign of well-loved furniture.
Lace
Lace is dainty and delicate, making it a breezy companion to cottons and muslin cloth. From curtains to table runners, lace has always been a classic element of Shabby Chic.
Metal
Tin and aluminum work best in a Shabby Chic environment when there’s some wear and tear. Painted, sanded, and distressed metals create old-fashioned country charm.
Shabby Chic Patterns
Floral
Giving the feel of an English Cottage, peonies and tea roses bloom across faded backgrounds. Unmistakably prim and ladylike, these tiny blossoms can be incorporated into Shabby Chic interiors with a light hand to draw attention to the details.
Paisley
Even though this pattern has origins in Moroccan decor, pastel paisleys make a delicate and interesting addition to any Shabby Chic room. Paisley offers intricacy to an otherwise simple room.
Stripes
Simple stripes lead the eye through your space to give the illusion of tall ceilings or a bigger room. For a toned-down Shabby Chic design, stripes can be light and neutral.
Damask
Reminiscent of the Renaissance, damask is back in lavish patterns with leaves, flowers, and feathers. This detailed fabric is unique because it comes in a huge assortment of colors and styles to help you take the chic up a notch.
Shabby Chic Living Room Ideas
No decor is dismissed as too old or too new when creating a Shabby Chic space. Past and present marry to create an interior that is undeniably yours. Shabby Chic began in Britain, reflecting country cottages that were quaint and full of character. From the delicate chandelier to the vintage-inspired coffee table, a Shabby Chic living room has a lived-in look. Elegant and fragile-looking accessories cover flat surfaces, meanwhile heavy furniture with plenty of storage spaces balances the room. Incorporating slipcovers updates furniture and adds Shabby Chic ruffles and patterns easily. Think of Shabby Chic as a chance to embrace the imperfections of a well-loved — and therefore well-used — space.
Shabby Chic Living Room Essentials
Linen
Linen and muslin are a must in your Shabby Chic design. They create an inviting feel that will put you and your guests at ease. The light and airy qualities are perfect for layering and for filtering light in a dreamy way through curtains and lampshades.
Distressed Furniture
If there is a “must-have” element in Shabby Chic, it’s distressed furniture. Sanded, cracked, and peeling paint are a Shabby Chic staple. A weathered look dons chips, nicks, and scratches with grace.
Storage
Shabby Chic easily incorporates storage as a decorating element. Trunks as side tables, wicker baskets for shoes and blankets, and curio cabinets to display treasures all bring character to a Shabby Chic living room.
Treasures
Shabby Chicists have admiration and affection for the stories every item has to tell. Hand-me-down lace, vintage vases, and crumpled cotton tell stories and add depth and texture to a design. Take time to find your storytellers.
Shabby Chic Dining Room Ideas
They say the fastest way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, so share the love by feeding your dearest friends and family in a space that’s designed to make everyone feel at home. A pale, creamy palette draws the focus to pops of color in dinnerware and floral centerpieces. All white isn’t just for the clean edge of contemporary. This palette can easily be warmed up with cozy upholstery, a soft area rug, and inviting hardwood.
Shabby Chic Dining Room Essentials
Farmhouse Table
Typically built from repurposed barn wood, farmhouse tables are characterized by their rustic design and solid wood construction. A sturdy table will ensure that it will stand the test of many shared meals with friends and family.
Crystal Chandelier
A crystal chandelier is an upscale accent piece that adds sparkle and contrast to a well-worn dining room. A Shabby Chic chandelier offers a soft sense of luxury for those who just want a dash of elegance in their Shabby Chic dining room.
Mismatched Seating
A large farmhouse table calls for plenty of seating. After all, the more the merrier when you’re living the Shabby Chic lifestyle. Choose mix-and-match chairs or bench seating to create a cheerful dining room.
Flower Arrangements
Fresh or silk flowers in enchanting arrangements will bring a flower garden sentiment indoors. Shabby Chic flowers may include peonies, tea roses, wild flowers, and hydrangeas. Flower arrangements are also a great way to experiment with and change color accents when the mood strikes.
Shabby Chic Bedroom Ideas
Everything about Shabby Chic is meant to be comforting and personal, and the bedroom includes both of those characteristics and more. Welcome sweet accessories such as charming curtains, pretty Shabby Chic photo frames, and tranquil throws. Don’t shy away from soft, billowy, and downright fluffy items to fill your bedroom.
Shabby Chic Bedroom Essentials
Pastel
Petal pinks and powder blue are key when creating a soft sleeping space. Choose a shade that elicits a relaxing emotional response. For you, that may be white, but be sure to consider other colors in soft tones.
Ruffles
Ruffles can be classy and timeless without looking fussy or over-the-top. Pintucked duvet covers, comforters, and curtains with ruffles can add the perfect touch of Shabby Chic to your space.
Pretty Patterns
Shabby Chic embraces the use of sugar, spice, and everything nice. The options for pretty patterns in a Shabby Chic bedroom are endless. Toile, floral, quatrefoil, and stripes all belong in the little details that make this bedroom yours.
Keepsakes
Find joy in being the curator of your most cherished memories. Pull meaningful trinkets into a collection to display on shelves or dresser tops. Your favorite, pretty little things will bring positive energy and a calming demeanor, setting the tone for your day.
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