​Shabby Chic: Is It over? True or False?

False. The essence of Shabby Chic is the feeling that the items that you use to furnish your home have had a life previous to this one. This décor presents a flea market atmosphere. Designs appear to be unstructured and lacking in any thought, although this is rarely the case. People often spend a great deal of time searching for a piece that is ‘just right’ and desperately need to finish their design. Many people are under the misconception that to create a Shabby Chic design you need only wood, although wooden furniture is a key element in any Shabby Chic design, there are many other elements that contribute to the overall design. A complete Shabby Chic designed space is about decoration, texture and textiles, such as handicrafts, vintage textiles and even lamps. This living room is a fine example, featuring a Shabby Chic sofa, stunning textiles and even the wonderful lamps.

False. In the height of the Shabby Chic popularity many people believed that it was only white painted furniture that allowed the distressed elements of the furniture to show through. As a result, white furniture dominated the Shabby Chic décor. This has since changed and there is a variety of colours and shades that are being used to create a new wave of Shabby Chic furniture. The move away from dominant white began with neutral shades such as beige, light grey and cream, this has since broadened to bolder colours such as blues, yellows, purples and even green. This bold and beautiful green kitchen cabinet illustrates this well. The piece gives the impression of age, whilst also presenting a refreshing shade of green. This stunning piece was made by Miulas Mobles.

False. There have been many descriptions of what exactly constitutes the Shabby Chic style over the past decades. Shabby Chic is essentially the imperfection and beauty of time-worn objects with the functionality of a simple design. The term ‘Shabby Chic’ essentially illustrates this meaning; something that is shabby; worn or aged, with something that is stylish and beautiful. This may be represented by an older table, once painted, now aged which has beauty in its design and worn presentation. Shabby Chic textiles are sometimes referred to as country chic are dominated by delicate florals and neutral or pastel shades. This style is not always easy to understand or to replicate. For people who are finding this challenging, it may be a good idea to obtain the assistance of an interior designer who can advise you on the best way to achieve this style.

True. The Shabby Chic style is not for everyone. It can sometimes take a trained eye to create a successful Shabby Chic design. If you prefer new, streamlined and clean designs, then a Shabby Chic style may not be for you. If you look at old pieces of furniture and can see the potential in the piece and the beauty in the design, then Shabby Chic may be for you. The secret to creating a successful Shabby Chic design is in finding the right pieces. These can be sourced from flea markets and second hand stalls. It is then a matter of putting the different items together to create a comfortable lived in design. This bathroom design is a great example of second hand Shabby Chic pieces combined to create a successful design. The simple table has been converted to a stunning basin, and the stunning chair has been revived to create the stunning chair design.

True and False. Many wonderful Shabby Chic objects have originated from old pieces of furniture, although not all old furniture will be appropriate. Consider styles of furniture that are based on a simple style. These are the best to paint and distress, or just to distress. Style that are too ornate can sometimes distract from the beauty of the aged effect. Consider also the original colours of the pieces. Bright colours are an advantage, the scratches and dents will reveal these colours through an overcoat of white, cream or whatever colour you choose to paint with. When choosing the piece consider the end colour you want to have and whether the under colours will compliment this shade. These bedside tables are a wonderful example of old furniture you may wish to use. They are a wonderful colour in their original state. Alternatively, paint them white and distress them with sandpaper to reveal the gorgeous blue paint underneath. These pieces are made by Nataliab75.

False. In terms of interior design styles, Shabby Chic is relatively new, originating in the 1980s. Although it was in the 1990s that it reached the height of its popularity. Some people say this it was inspired by the end of the extravagant 1980s, when people had less money to spend, and so were saving money by shopping at markets and renovating found objects. Although over time this style has moved away from being based on pure necessity and has become a popular style all of its own.  New items are now being produced in the Shabby Chic style, this must demonstrate how this style has developed over the years and is continuing to gain popularity even now.

Shabby Chic is a relatively new interior design style, it is characterized by old age and distinct wear. Although the well known distressed painted furniture is a popular theme of this style, there are other elements that are just as important to create a wonderful Shabby Chic design. The best Shabby Chic designs combine these painted timber furniture pieces with textiles, sofas and even lamps. When designing your Shabby Chic space consider using not only white, but colour to brighten the space. Shabby Chic may not be to everyones tastes, but if you have an appreciation of simple styles and aged furniture, this style may be for you. Shabby Chic is certainly not a style that is over, but one will always be a popular choice. For more inspiration see The Neo-Boho Home.