Learn How to Decorate With a Shabby Chic Style!

The shabby chic style is extremely popular right now. Its shapes, colors, and fabrics are absolutely stunning. It’s also good for basically any part of the house. If you want to learn all the secrets of how to decorate with this style, keep on reading!

What is the shabby chic style?

The words shabby and chic might seem contradictory at first, but this style combines them perfectly into romantic, inviting spaces and decorations.

It has its roots in old English country houses.  Recently it has broadened out to all kinds of homes, although the basic principles and philosophy are the same.

Now that you know a bit about the shabby chic style, we’re going to tell you how to decorate with it. One of its main characteristics is that it blends modern elements with older, more sentimental pieces.

Shabby chic decorating: pastel colors

Pastel colors are absolutely essential to the shabby chic style. They’re a great way to create the warm, romantic feeling this style is all about. Try mixing various pastels and combining them with white, or even playing around with tones and textures.

There are two tones to remember within pastel colors. Which you choose will depend on the look you want to achieve. As long as you maintain a balance, combining the two can also make for an absolutely radiant room. Here they are:

• Warm pastel colors: these are more common with shabby chic decor, especially in bedrooms. Warm colors are romantic and inviting. They’re perfect for just about everything: walls, objects, fabrics, accessories…Some examples of them include pale pink, violet, cream, and peach.
• Cold pastel colors: these can make a room feel bigger and brighter. They also go amazingly with wood and the color white. You just have to be careful not to make the space too cold. Examples of these colors include light blue, grey, and green.

Flowers, flowers, and more flowers

Flowers are another big part of the shabby chic style. You’ll often see both fresh flowers and flower patterns as decoration. This is because of the countryside origins of the style: nature always has to have a place. Here are a couple ideas for making sure every room has flowers:

• Vases: a flower vase goes well just about anywhere: the entryway, the living room table, even the kitchen…Fill your house with flowers and take in all the freshness and joy they bring! Just remember to pick ones that belong indoors. If you don’t have the time to maintain them, choose dry flowers instead.
• Floral patterns: these are a classic part of shabby chic decor. We particularly love them because they break up the monotony of the pastel colors and plain fabrics. They work really well on cushions, curtains, and rugs.

Old furniture

Another key to shabby chic decor is using old, restored furniture. These pieces have the charm of times past, and also feel new thanks to the restoration process. We’ve noticed a recent trend that involves using chalk paint to give old furniture an antique, romantic look with pastel colors.

So, take a trip to an antique shop or a second-hand store. You’ll find some real bargains on things that you can restore for almost nothing. If you combine them with modern furniture, your decor scheme will be the talk of the town.

If there’s one material that really matters with shabby chic, it’s wood. It forms part of the furniture, the floors, and even the walls. Wood gives you a million options thanks to all the different finishes you can use. Combining natural, aged, painted, and restored wood is a great way to keep it fresh and interesting.

The shabby chic style is here to stay. Its colors, materials, and special touches make it perfect for decorating any room, and making your home feel warm, welcoming, and, relaxed.