Shabby Chic

Shabby chic is a style 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 an affected feel is emphasized to differentiate it from genuine period decor. The term “shabby chic” originated in the 1980s. In design, this was a time when opulence and decadence were taking center stage. From elegant penthouses to corporate lobbies filled with gleaming marble and brass, sleek style was easy to find. It makes sense that an alternative look would emerge, filled with history-rich pieces that showcased chipping paint, as well as vintage finds boasting feminine style.

Shabby Chic originated in the English countryside, where the houses were furnished with old and faded furniture, without too many pretensions. Typical elements, such as worn out chintz sofas, old paintings, wallpapers, white curtains, large chandeliers, were present in every stately home. It is no coincidence that shabby chic has much in common with period furnishings, especially those in Victorian style, even if it is the glamorous and eccentric element that makes the shabby chic “different” than all the other interior design styles.

In Italy we saw its appearance in the late 80s thanks to its creator and designer Rachel Ashwell who gave life to this style with the recovery of old furniture for the creation of familiar and welcoming environments, distinguished by the attention to detail that transforms it into a poor, but luxurious at the same time. The term ‘shabby chic’ was coined, for the first time, by the magazine “The World of Interiors” in 1980, spreading all over the world since then and featuring itself according to variations and nuances dictated by one’s taste. Nowadays, in fact, shabby chic has seen its fame increase thanks to upcycling that is, the possibility of transforming an old object, piece of furniture, accessory into something new without recycling it, which also allows us to talk about shabby chic cheap.

Bedroom

The recipe for a perfect shabby chic bedroom uses careful ingredients that range from the recovery of ancient flavors to a good dose of romance. Just the latter represents one of the pillars of the shabby style, which is revealed in interior design in the form of affected accessories, rich in inlays, perforations and deco profiles, but also of themed accessories in which a dreamy vein and floral prints pulsate, on wallpapers, curtains or linens, inspired by the Provencal style.

Another undisputed must to introduce in the shabby chic bedroom is vintage or vintage-inspired furniture. From the real antique furniture recovered to the new generation furniture with a retro look, in the ideal Shabby-style room is in fact the charm of the past to be the master, accompanied by the love for imperfections that make an old-style furniture unique.

Living Room

The furnishing elements of the living room, we refer in particular to tables, sideboards and shelves, should preferably be in recycled wood. Vintage furniture is therefore perfect regardless of its coloring, natural wood is fine but variations on white or with a worn effect are obviously appreciated. If, on the other hand, you are wondering which is the right sofa to insert in a shabby chic living room, the answer is naturally indecidedly classic lines and preferably in white coatings or if necessary flowered. In short, just those textiles that remind us a little those employed by our grandmothers. Instead, as for the colors to choose for the perfect realization of a shabby chic living room, white is obviously the primary color. Then follow pastel shades that fade between ivory, beige, pink, gray.
At this starting point you can then choose to combine different color variations, the important thing is to choose natural, soft and relaxing colors. So, in a nutshell, we can say that the furniture to be chosen must be essentially white or light wood, such as bleached oak. In principle, it is appropriate to focus on essentiality, therefore few pieces of furniture with a great visual impact

Kitchen

Furnishing the kitchen with Shabby Chic furniture means giving it a romantic and naturally rural and rustic taste. A style that immediately makes “family” and evokes a relaxed and “ancient” atmosphere. Shabby Chic furniture, even in the kitchen, prefers the white color, in its many variations, combined with the most pastel shades, from gray to beige, from light blue to lavender.
The Shabby kitchen prefers the furniture on which the passage of time is clearly visible, lived and glamorous at the same time. Furthermore, it does not disdain a touch of country style, of which the Shabby is called the natural evolution

Bathroom

One of the first requirements of a shabby chic bathroom is the air of romance and relaxation typical of this stylistic approach. It also has elements in common with vintage. To obtain a textbook result, however, it is necessary balance each ingredient and maintain consistency both within the room that between the shabby chic bathroom and the rest of the house.
Which surfaces to adopt and which materials to prefer for a pleasant and adequate environment?
At the top of the ranking we undoubtedly find the wood, to be chosen rigorously in its most raw and natural variant, and in essence with light and elegant tones such as durmast, birch and oak, or whitened.
In combination with wood you can add elements in white ceramic but also in metal and wrought iron, with a used flavor and perfect for completing wooden and ceramic materials.
In addition, it is also possible to use plaster, glass and natural fibers to enrich the environment by adding decorative details, accessories or simply small details of the complements present

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