The Shabby Chic design style became popularised in the 1980s when designer Rachel Ashwell founded a furniture chain named Shabby Chic and continued to gain popularity, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s.
This style is characterised by a blend of vintage, rustic, and romantic elements, often creating an aged or worn appearance. Shabby Chic interiors are known to exude a soothing and nostalgic ambience with soft lighting, delicate fabrics, and mismatched decorative accents.
SHOP THE COLLECTION
Here are some key characteristics of the Shabby Chic design style:
Styling Tip #1
What is the Shabby Chic Colour Palette?
The Shabby Chic colour palette typically consists of soft, muted pastel tones such as whites, creams, pale pinks, light blues, and soft greens. These colours contribute to the light and airy feel of the style.
Pastels are often described as delicate, soothing, and feminine, though they can be used in various design styles to infuse a room with softness while adding a hint of colour. For ideas for decorating with pastel colours, we recommend watching our video below.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Other colours include:
- Soft neutrals of light grey, off-white, and taupe.
- Mint green
- Peach
- Pale Pink
- Lavender
- Buttery Yellow
- Wedgewood Blue
Styling Tip #2
Architectural Features
To strike the balance between beauty, ornamentation, and character, consider architectural wall treatments such as wall mouldings, recessed wall niches, textural plaster finishes such as polished Venetian, limewash, Roman clay, or matte grooved, and faded floral wallpapers such as those by Colefax and Fowler.
These architectural details will add texture and dimension to any room and is one of the ways to infuse history, charm, and an old-world appeal into your home.
Other wall panelling ideas include:
- Bat and Board
- Wainscotting
- Shiplap
- Beadboard
- & tongue and groove vertical or horizontal panels.
These can be painted in a chalky white or pastel hue to add a distressed and lived-in appeal.
Photo Source: Rikki Snyder
Styling Tip #3
What is Shabby Chic Style Flooring?
Next, popular Shabby Chic style flooring choices include painted white and reclaimed or recycled timber wide plank floorboards.
Alternatively, for a chic appeal, consider waxed parquet or old herringbone flooring. These can be in lighter hardwood floors such as birch, maple, or white oak.
Other flooring ideas include:
- Oversize sheepskin floor rugs
- Simple neutral-coloured shags
- Vintage woollen rugs such as Persian, Aubusson, and Turkish designs in faded pastels.
- Large area rugs made from organic materials such as jute and sisal.
- High-quality luxury vinyl panels that mimic traditional encaustic designs.
- & Vintage-inspired decorative tiles.
Photo Source: Distinctive Domain
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Styling Tip #4
Glamorous and Elegant Lighting
The 'Chic' component of the Shabby Chic style can be introduced through glamorous and elegant light fixtures such as a French crystal chandelier, delicate candelabras, and wall sconces with crystal drops and beautiful fabric shades.
Other lighting ideas include:
- Italian Tole chandelier
- French baluster table lamps
- A Victorian-style Tiffany lamp base
- Slender-carved wooden or metal lamps with vintage floral or pastel shades.
- & Decorative task lighting made from ceramic, glass, or faux wicker.
You can discover our collection of ambient, accent, and task lighting here.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Photo Source: Rachel Ashwell and Leanne Ford
Styling Tip #5
Soft & Flowy Window Treatments
Adorn your windows with sheer gauzy fabric, soft natural or white linen curtains, fabric Roman blinds in faded florals, and delicate lace curtains in soft, muted tones.
Other ideas include:
1. Sheer, lightweight drapes in pastel colours and soft neutrals.
2. Ruffled valances or swags.
3. Burlap window treatments for a cosy cottage feel.
4. Vintage Fortuny drapery panels and curtains.
5. & Old wooden shutters painted in soft, chalky hues.
Styling Tip #6
Distressed & Mismatched Furniture
Shabby Chic often features furniture with a distressed or weathered look, as well as vintage, handmade, or antique furniture pieces. This can also be achieved through techniques like sanding, painting, and intentionally ageing the wood or metal to give the pieces an old-world appearance.
When selecting your Shabby Chic style furniture, we recommend pieces with:
1. Whitewashed or light-coloured painted finishes.
2. Gustavian or French Provencal styles.
3. Furniture in natural materials, such as reclaimed, wood, wicker and metal.
4. Painted wrought iron furniture such as bed frames, outdoor furniture sets, and bistro tables.
5. & Mirrored, marble, or glass top items for a touch of glam.
Photo Source: Dusty Lu
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Classic Shabby Chic style furniture pieces include:
- French bergère chairs
- Victoria upholstered slipper chairs
- Custom relaxed slipcovered armchairs
- An old refectory dining table
- Rush dining chairs
- A painted wrought iron headboard
- A wicker armchair with mismatched cushions.
- An antique vanity table with a distressed mirror frame.
- A whitewashed cabinet with glass doors to display vintage china.
If you love this style we recommend watching our Faded Beauty series on YouTube.
Styling Tip #7
Texture and Materials
Next, introduce a mix of textures and materials to create visual interest throughout the home.
For soft furnishings, introduce fabrics such as lace, flax linen, soft cotton, chenille, calico, and velvet. In addition to soft neutrals and pastels, introduce designs such as florals, birds, trees, and botanicals in upholstery, curtains, throw pillows, table linen, and bedding for a touch of elegance.
In Shabby Chic interiors, the beauty is in the detail. Look for opportunities to introduce small decorative accents such as ruffles, fringing, tassels, and needlework.
Lastly, balance these soothing, delicate, and feminine touches with organic materials such as distressed wood, natural stone, marble, rattan, and wrought iron.
Photo Source: Frederic Magazine
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Styling Tip #8
What is Shabby Chic Style Artwork and Mirrors?
Emulate the delicate patterns and colours seen in your soft furnishings with your choice of artwork.
Adorn your walls with a fix of small and large-scale framed wall art.
Some ideas include:
- Old oil paintings depicting still life or landscapes.
- Pastel paintings in gilt frames.
- Canvas acrylic floral art
- Vintage botanical prints
- Multi-media art in soft pastels
French vintage wall mirrors with chippy gilt or patinated wooden frames are also perfect for a chic feel.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Photo Source: Distinctive Domain
Styling Tip #9
Accessories: Loved and Lustre
Shabby Chic embraces the idea of mixing and matching decor items to create an eclectic and playful atmosphere while maintaining a cohesive overall aesthetic.
We recommend exploring antique auctions, flea markets, online marketplaces and vintage stores for unique, one-of-a-kind items to add to your collection.
To prevent your vignettes from looking too busy or cluttered, we recommend utilising a decorative rattan or marble tray on a coffee table or console to allow smaller items to be corralled in a curated manner.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Photo Source: Le Grenier d'Alice
Some Shabby Chic style accessories include:
1. Decorative plates
2. Lace doilies
3. Vintage paperback books
4. Decorative corbels
5. Vanity hand mirror
6. Up-cycled old luggage and mini ladders
7. Chicken wire baskets
8. Whimsical paper sculptures
9. Up-cycled glassware, enamel jugs, and mason jars to double as vases.
10. Mercury glass candleholders and more!
Antique Italian Carved Wooden Crown | White Wash
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Le Grenier d'Alice
Styling Tip #10
Living Energy
Lastly, infuse your home with living energy for softness, freshness, and vitality.
For a whimsical quality, incorporate soft-coloured grasses, yarrows, lichen branches, Spanish moss, natural wreaths, and twigs to add drama, height, and sculptural interest.
As mentioned in our video on decorating with Pastels (here), you can introduce some pastel-coloured flower arrangements.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Pastel Flower Ideas include:
- Pink princess philodendron
- Pink Dalmatian
- Fittonia
- Tradescantia 'Pink Nanouk'
- Peperomia 'Watermelon'
- & flowers such as peonies, peach or pink garden roses, clematis blue light, astilbe, and more.
Overall, the Shabby Chic design style is characterised by its blend of vintage elegance, rustic charm, and casual comfort. It's a style that celebrates imperfections and the beauty of the aged, making it popular for those who appreciate a lived-in, feminine, and cosy aesthetic.
