Fabrics, furniture and color all play an important role in Shabby Chic design. Here are some tips on how you can use these elements to make your home more “Shabby Chic”.
- Work on your color palette. The main colors you should use when painting your walls are white, cream, light pink, pale green, light blue – pretty much any pastel-based color.
- Large, fluffy overstuffed sofas and chairs covered with slipcovers are a staple of the Shabby Chic style. Ideally these pieces should be light in color but don’t have to match and can be accented with darker pillows and blankets.
- You don’t need to stick to wooden furniture. Wrought iron furniture is great for outdoors, but even indoors iron furniture that is a little chipped or rusted can be used in any room. Soft pillows of different colors go great with metal furniture.
- Expose your wooden floors, and cover some areas with pastel colored rugs. Light colored carpeting should be used if you do prefer carpeting.
- Incorporate various styles of lighting into your Shabby Chic rooms such as chandeliers, lamps and candles. Chandeliers are great if you need an adjustable light source for a particular room. Be sure of the type of mood you are trying to set when deciding on what kind of lighting to use – soft for relaxed and romantic moods and brighter for a more stimulating mood.
- Wall mirrors are great to use in any Shabby Chic room, especially ones that have a wooden or metal frame. You can slightly sand the frame to give it a distressed look.
- Use light, airy curtains made of linen, lace or chenille for your windows and sliding doors. Definitely stay away from heavy curtains that are dark in color.
- Solid light colors or embroidered bed sheets and quilts make for good Shabby Chic bedding. Sheets embroidered with floral designs are most common. Different components of the bedding can be mixed and matched.
- Intersperse floral arrangements throughout your house. Flowers are an important feature in Shabby Chic design, and don’t be afraid to use faux flowers made of fabric.
- Don’t spend all your time indoors – add plenty of furniture and pottery outside your home. Since we’re after the distressed look, it’s okay to let your outdoor items to be exposed to the elements. Wooden furniture with chipped paint is perfect for the outdoors.
These ten tips can be incorporated gradually and should have you well on your way to creating the perfect Shabby Chic home.
