Today I want to share with you the Shabby Chic Style that inspires me a lot for its romantic and creative aspect.
Shabby Chic has Anglo-Saxon origins, it is typical of the English countryside, of the houses with sofas and curtains in neutral shades with flowers and painted paints.
Many attribute this style to the French Provençal where it is widely used, but actually retains its authentic roots in England.
It is one of the best known styles in interior design and very trendy in the field of furniture thanks to that touch of romantic elegance that releases in the rooms and for the versatility in use on existing furniture, which you have bought over time, that your grandparents gave you or that you dusted off from old cellars.
Let’s see what exactly means with Shabby Chic…the literal translation is “chic unkempt”, that is a bit left to itself, but in reality…it is the exact opposite!
It is well cared for in details and its refined effect in home furnishing is given by the details such as colors, small objects or finishes of lace and lace.
It is much loved by those who have a good dexterity, by those who want to give a new energy to objects and furniture now in disuse to see them again at the center of the scene.
The distinctive elements are the white or pastel shades together with the technique used for the revisiting and refurbishment of old furniture, the decapé or pickled, a feature that allows it to be one of the most loved trends ever.
For pickled we mean stripped. It is a technique that is also used by “do-it-yourself” to give the furniture or any other wooden object a worn, aged look. The secret is transparent bleached wax mixed with white pigment for a vintage chic effect.
And the choice of colors has considerable importance, along with white we find the protagonist beige, combined with light gray and ivory.
These are the basic colors that can be combined with pink, light blue, mint green or pastel yellow.
You can adapt to this Style different furnishing elements, my favorite are the country-style cushions with flowers and polka dots, always in pastel tones, the porcelain teacups decorated with little flowers and linen, perfect for sheets, tablecloths and fabrics such as curtains and towels, which make everything very stylish and cared for.
Tin cans are another detail of Shabby Style that I love and that I have also chosen for my home, I have a white one in which I put beautiful summer flowers on the terrace table.
Alternatively there are the tin cans, to be decorated with personalized writing to preserve cookies, spices etc…go ahead to the imagination! A few bunches of lavender are very themed, the flowers are essential, better if with delicate tones, such as roses, camellias or hydrangeas.
Among the various materials, wood for furniture reigns supreme…go-ahead then to creativity, better if dyed white faded by imperfect painting, which ensures the vintage effect of the grandma’s attic.
In the kitchen you can embellish the shelves with old porcelain and different dishes, but always with a retro Style.
The candles frame your Shabby chic home ad hoc: think of it as a decoration for the fireplace in the summer, in a traditional candelabra, in simple glass jars or in a metal lantern.
I recommend Shabby Style mainly in seaside and country homes, but in the city it is well proportioned and limited that part that could lead to more ‘country’, thus remaining in the basic neutral colors.
If you are creative and you like a timeless home this could be your Style…
Viviana Grunert
