Time to be a bit SHABBY I think..

Hi All
Hope you all had a fantastic weekend.

I thought I would take a look at the shabby chic element this week.

Shabby Chic... The name seems to resonate quite a bit nowadays but what exactly is it.

Shabby chic is a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their appearance of age and signs of wear and tear or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique. At the same time, a soft, opulent, yet cottage-style decor, often with a feminine feel is emphasised to differentiate it from genuine period decor

The early forms of shabby chic were rather grand but the style has evolved taking inspiration from many forms of design. These range from the French Chateau to the American Shakers where simplicity and plainness was essential.

Shabby chic items are often heavily painted through the years, with many layers showing through obviously time-worn areas. The style is imitated in faux painting using glaze or by painting then rubbing and sanding away the top coat to show the wood or base coats. Fabrics tend to be cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular, inspired by old French linens. Whites, worn or bleached out pastels are favorite colours. Fabric is often stained with tea to give it the look of old fabric. It is not meant for old chipped furniture.

The essence of today's shabby chic style is vintage, antique furniture with the original aged paint, or painted white (or another soft pastel color) and distressed at the corners by sanding.

The style started in Great Britain and evokes the type of decoration found in large country houses where there are worn and faded old chintz sofas and curtains, old paintwork and unassuming 'good' taste. The end result of shabby chic is to achieve an elegant overall effect.Recycling old furniture and fabrics is an important aspect of the look.

 

Shabby chic can be a great style to imitate in home décor for those on a limited budget, or for families who have small children or animals that might not be too kind to furniture. Pieces don’t have to match, and flea market items or estate sale items are just as chic, perhaps even more so, than brand new distressed furniture. Further, any damages to furniture by exuberant kids or animals may actually augment your shabby chic design scheme instead of marring it.

So overall you can unsderstand why shabby chic is so popular in todays home.

Until next time..... stay creative. :)

-Z