10 Recipes for Shabby Chic Style
Rustic furniture, floral fabrics, sparkling chandeliers. Here are 10 easy ways to bring the romantic cottage look into your home
Laura Gaskill
August 21, 2014
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Vintage and antique finds; distressed, cracked and imperfect finishes; antique linens; sparkling chandeliers; and lots of white. Though certainly not for everyone, for those who love the style, Shabby Chic is utter comfort and luxury. The spirit of the style is to work with what you have, enjoy the hunt for unique antique and vintage pieces, and celebrate imperfection. It’s not for everyone, but more than two decades after its rise, Shabby Chic appears among the top decorating search terms on Houzz. If you’re among those who would love to bring the look home, check out these 10 decorating combinations.
Related: Catching Up With the Queen of Shabby Chic
Related: Catching Up With the Queen of Shabby Chic
Leather chairs + grain-sack textile + faded floral + whitewash. Re-cover the seats of a pair of leather armchairs with rustic grain-sack material and plump up the backs with faded floral cushions. Keep the rest of the space simple with whitewashed floors, walls and furniture.
Claw-foot tub + farmhouse sink + Venetian glass chandelier. For the ultimate mix of rustic and luxurious, soak in a claw-foot tub beneath a Venetian glass chandelier, atop wide-plank wood floors. And why not try a small-scale version of the farmhouse-style sink in the bath? It’s unexpected, and the roominess could come in handy for washing delicates.
Barn light + rustic bench + vintage linens. Barn lights are not just for outdoors — hanging one pendant-style over the dining table is simple and fuss free. A farm table and a rustic bench are equally hardworking here, while the faded floral prints of vintage linens add a feminine touch.
White cabinets + rustic floors + crystal chandelier. A simple white kitchen gets a Shabby Chic–style treatment with the addition of rustic wood floors and a sparkling chandelier. Including some open or glass-front shelving in the kitchen is a good opportunity to show off a collection of mismatched vintage china.
White + mint green + floral print + raw wood. The faded floral pillow covers and mint green painted shelf add just enough femininity in this cottage bedroom. Rustic wood beds, simple sconces and fresh white paint keep the space from looking saccharine.
White floors + aqua walls + aqua chandelier. Want more color in your life? Emphasize uplifting aqua walls — either painted or, for more texture, papered — by pairing them with high-gloss white floors. In this hall the aqua is picked up in the aqua blue of a petite chandelier, a cluster of candlesticks on the floor and ombré curtains.
Wall and floor paint: Super White, Benjamin Moore; wallpaper: Orissa Silk in Seabrook; chandelier: Hidden Galleries; curtain fabric: Mazan Saraille, Designer’s Guild
Wall and floor paint: Super White, Benjamin Moore; wallpaper: Orissa Silk in Seabrook; chandelier: Hidden Galleries; curtain fabric: Mazan Saraille, Designer’s Guild
Ruffled shower curtain + white walls + topiary. “Simple, light and airy” describes the look of this bathroom, and it’s easy to achieve. Paint the walls and ceiling a crisp white, add a ruffled white shower curtain and place a few potted topiaries atop the toilet or on a windowsill.
Chandelier + iron bed + white quilt. A classic wrought iron bed frame looks softer with a coat of creamy paint. Layer the bed with antique white quilts and floral print pillows, and illuminate the space with a grand chandelier.
Subtle wallpaper + full-length mirror + white bed. You can get Shabby Chic style without overdosing on floral prints and ruffles! If you are looking for a subtler take (more chic, less shabby), try a quiet wallpaper with a soft beige pattern on a white background, a white upholstered (or even better, slipcovered) bed and airy white bedding.
Leaning mirror + rustic table + modern chairs + contemporary chandelier. A few traditional
Shabby Chic–style elements are present here (big leaning mirror, chandelier), but the overall effect is fresh and current, thanks to a few updates. The chandelier has a more modern look, and the table has modern legs with its worn top. Shell chairs add a crisp, modern edge.
More: 21st-Century Looks for Shabby Chic Fans
Photos: Browse homes done up in Shabby Chic style
Shabby Chic–style elements are present here (big leaning mirror, chandelier), but the overall effect is fresh and current, thanks to a few updates. The chandelier has a more modern look, and the table has modern legs with its worn top. Shell chairs add a crisp, modern edge.
More: 21st-Century Looks for Shabby Chic Fans
Photos: Browse homes done up in Shabby Chic style
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It took me a while to answer to this designing tip. But, I love the English/Cottage style. My place is a mixture ofEnglish/Country/Cottage; with a tad of modern components.
To the person (Scarbowcow) who says a man would not be comfortable in this setting; I beg to differ! So negative. "Get, real"!
I do not live in a fairy tale world, I live in the real, hardcore, realistic world, but, I like nice, classy, items around me and Shabby Chic is that: linens, et al. Only thing I found 'fairy tale' was your delusional comments about design.
Only a man with class could be happy with English style, and, who loves his woman no matter what.
annpossis I laughed and laughed and laughed. Clearly, shabby chic is not for everyone, but no style captures every ones tastes. However, I don't think I have ever read the comments section of an article where there has been so much controversy.
I am really drawn to the laid back coastal, cottage and French Country style that incorporate the shabby chic aesthetic. It's such a welcoming design style that allows you to live without fear of "nicking up" the furniture. I understand the mindset that favors elegant perfection, but to each his or her own.