Do you like a simple, bright kitchen with a beautiful candelabra, linen curtains and frilly tablecloth, flowers in vases, dainty items and vintage furniture?
Then welcome to the Shabby Chic kitchen!

The Shabby chic style (literally “shabby chic”) was invented in the early 90s by the British woman Rachel Ashville, who was fond of restoring old furniture that she found at flea markets in England. Over time, her hobby turned into her life’s work, and the style of her authorship gained popularity and a whole direction of interior design grew. Now Rachel is the author of 8 books about Shabby style, runs her own blog and creates collections of accessories and furniture for a branded network and online store. Below we will definitely give you a link to it!

Shabby chic kitchen renovation

So, you have decided on the style and decided to start renovating. Great! But first, we will tell you in which cases repairs need not be done, because Shabby chic is exactly the style when the slight dilapidation of the finish acquires its own special charm.

There is no need to renovate if your kitchen:

• slightly cracked plaster on the ceiling and paint on the walls;
• shabby old parquet;
• the headset is cracked in places or in the apron;
• wallpaper in delicate pastel or restrained tones, wallpaper with flowers or a classic floral pattern.

In this case, you can only change the baseboards and trim, and, if desired, decorate the ceiling with stucco, which is not too difficult or expensive.

If you decide that repairs need to be done or need to be done partially, then the following recommendations are for you.

Ceiling

• A self-whitewashed ceiling in a Shabby kitchen is not a way to save money, but a real design move!
• A more practical and easier option: suspended ceiling. This ceiling has many advantages: it is perfectly flat, durable, is not afraid of leaks, and when installing it, you can build in several lamps rather than just one. Choose matte or satin surfaces, but in no case glossy;
• The ceiling can be decorated with stucco and even gilded.

Walls: wallpaper, painting or panels?

Stores without delivery to Russia, but you can order using the shopfans.ru service:

Today, the interior can be very diverse; all kinds of style solutions are used for this.

Strict modern styles room decorations fade into the background. Shabby chic, vintage, country, etc. styles are coming forward.

If a decade ago preference was given to modern, strict or bold futuristic styles, today you can increasingly see interiors made in vintage, shabby chic, and country styles, which are more suitable for a residential building.

Shabby chic style

The shabby chic style emphasizes the antique surface.

The shabby chic style came from England, its founder was Rachel Ashwell, an English designer. The style itself was born thanks to her passion for antique furniture, which is sold in abundance at flea markets. Often such furniture could be purchased in excellent condition or no special effort was required to repair it, but it appearance as if he himself was talking about those decades and events that she witnessed. Ashwell noted that even the oldest piece of furniture, with little effort, can create a piece of furniture that will amaze with its style and sophisticated appearance. The designer began buying such items for her store, where they were sold after restoration.

A feature of the shabby chic style was the antique surface of such furniture, which was finished with a certain chic. Characteristic feature was and is a finish that is artificially aged. All items take on the appearance as if they were produced in the 50-60s of the last century. Paints and fabrics are used for decoration; pastel shades are used.

Return to contents

Main directions

Shabby chic style has the following characteristic features:

• lightness of lines, airiness;
• vintage, i.e. artificially aged surface;
• abrasion of surfaces;
• use of pastel colors;
• During restoration, ancient elements or their skillful imitations are used;
• the presence of a voluminous, convex ornament that amazes with its elegance;
• the presence of small decorative elements and trinkets in the design.

The shabby chic style is characterized by images of roses and angels.

The shabby chic style is often confused with the Provence style, which it is very similar to. But there are bright distinctive details here that do not allow these two directions to be mixed. Among these differences it is necessary to highlight:

1. Provence is closer to the country style, it is a little rough and simple. And shabby chic is more sophisticated and elegant, despite the presence of scuffs and other signs of time.
2. The decor is more expensive; the Provence style does not use so many expensive fabrics, stucco moldings, frescoes, and fine embroidery.
3. Shabby chic is characterized by numerous images of roses and angels. Provence is more close to nature; it is mostly rustic in style.
4. For shabby chic, decorative elements such as bunches of herbs, bunches of onions, etc. are not used.

Return to contents

Color solution

The color scheme is very characteristic; bright and intense colors are not allowed, only softness and pastel. The most common colors are:

• light green, turquoise;
• vanilla shade, cream color, ivory, cream shades;
• pale pink, fawn, the color of a withered rose;
• pale blue;
• white, but using other color notes to highlight individual elements.

But faded colors alone make the interior somewhat boring. To liven it up, you need to use a subtle floral pattern more bright shade. Gilding is used, but sparingly. It is best to make it duller, covered with traces of time.

Bronze elements, copper elements touched by patina are perfect.

To highlight the soft colors decoration and furniture, you need to use the right lighting. It should be dim, diffused; wall lamps, sconces, and candlesticks are perfect here. For them you can use bronze and bronze alloys, crystal.

A shabby chic ceiling should be plain, but not white.

The following interior rules are typical for the shabby chic style:

1. The ceiling should be plain, but not white. It is best to give it a noble shade of ivory, pinkish, the color of a withered rose. Wooden beams are often used, but only if the furniture in the room allows the use of such an element without creating a feeling of gross disharmony.
2. It is best to make the floors light; natural, artificially aged parquet is excellent. For the kitchen, you can use ceramic tiles, which are first broken into unequal parts and then laid on the floor.
3. Walls may have different finishes, but it is best to use stucco, aged plaster, and fabrics for this. Can also be used smooth paper wallpaper, but the drawing should be subtle and unobtrusive. When choosing a color for the walls, it is very important that they match the color scheme of the furniture.

Return to contents

Furniture in the shabby chic style has an artificially aged surface.

Shabby chic furniture is different from other styles. Objects with an artificially aged surface are used. The color scheme is selected very carefully; combinations with Baroque and Rococo styles can be used. The overall impression of the decor is luxury, but luxury touched by time. Wood that is painted with light colors is perfect for this. For this, it is best to choose white, pale pink, beige, light brown, blue, and light green shades. After painting, it is best to coat the furniture surface with wax to give it a slightly unusual appearance. When varnishing, matte varnish is used. There should be no glossy shine.

Natural fabrics with subtle patterns and floral patterns are used to decorate furniture. You can use the decoupage technique by changing the surface using thin paper napkins. You can make similar furniture with your own hands. It's best to start simple. For example, from an ordinary stool, which can be found in any home. One example is shown in the figure.

Return to contents

Decorating a stool

To make a shabby chic chair, use an old but durable stool as a base.

Making a shabby chic interior is not as difficult as it might seem. You can consider the manufacture of furniture in this style using the example of a small stool, which will find its place not only in the living room, but also in the bedroom and hallway. As a basis for work, you can take an old unnecessary stool of any shape, the main thing is that its legs are still durable.

As materials and tools for work, you need to prepare:

• stool;
• acrylic paints (white, brown, red);
• paint brushes;
• sandpaper and metal scraper;
• acrylic matte varnish;
• wax candle (you can also use paraffin if there is no wax);
• PVA glue;
• If desired, you can take decorative elements, for example, napkins with a delicate floral pattern.

To give the stool a distressed appearance, sand it with sandpaper.

First you need to prepare a stool for future work. It must be carefully examined to see if there is a need for repairs or strengthening of the legs. After this, using sandpaper and a metal scraper, you must completely remove all old paint. The surface should be flat, smooth, and free from any defects in the form of remnants of the old coating. After this, use a soft, clean rag to remove all dust from the surface and prime it. You can make the primer yourself, for which PVA glue is simply mixed with acrylic paint white.

The primer layer must dry, after which you can begin painting the stool. For this, brown paint is used, which is applied in 2 layers. It is best to paint so that each layer can dry overnight. If possible, it is better to leave the stool itself on the balcony to dry. It is important to completely dry the last layer, since it is impossible to proceed with further finishing on a wet surface.

After this, you can begin the main work to transform old furniture in the original shabby chic style. Apply a light layer of red paint over the brown paint, and after it dries, rub the entire surface with a piece of candle, giving it a waxy shine. Afterwards the stool should be given a slightly shabby appearance. To do this, the painted surface should be processed using sandpaper No. 800. This will remove the paint on the top layer in some areas. But it is not recommended to be zealous, so as not to end up with an untidy piece of furniture. Next, the surface must be carefully rubbed so that it is smooth and even. It is better to make the pressure uneven, this will give it a natural look.

Glamorous and luxurious, graceful and romantic, light and cozy, but slightly shabby, shabby chic is unique, arising not as a result of historical and cultural traditions, but thanks to the idea of ​​designer Rachel Ashwell. The girl, being passionate about the restoration of old antique furniture, dishes, decor and other accessories, collected the most interesting objects, restored them and used them in interior design. Gradually, a very specific style emerged, which over time received the name “shabby chic,” which translated means “shabby luxury.”

Characteristics of the shabby chic style

The first thing that catches your eye in such an interior is the obvious wear and tear of the furniture. This is a clear antique, not devoid of grace and elegance, but still old and slightly shabby. Here you can see roughly processed antique tables, log benches, openwork chests of drawers, and exquisite bureaus in the Baroque style. Such an interior abounds:

• romantic openwork textiles;
• forged parts;
• natural wood products of ancient origin;
• carving, decoupage, and other decoration techniques;
• decorative vases;
• crystal chandeliers;
• trinkets and little things dear to the heart.

Color spectrum

The interior palette in the shabby chic style is usually distinguishable from any other vintage design trends: all the shades used have notes of white, as if bleached by time, whitened by long-term use. Even dark wood becomes covered with patina and wear. Of course, today such a coating is often applied artificially, but it is always different from new furniture made in the same style.

As a rule, the interior is done in light colors:

• White and all shades - milky, creamy, creamy, Ivory. Such tones are noble, pure and rich. But if white looks extremely sterile, then its shades look softer, which allows you to vary the mood of the interior.
• Beige and its shades are based on warm yellowish notes, which makes the design less strict than in a snow-white design. These are elegant and sophisticated solutions, in which there is always a place for dynamism and openwork at the same time.
• Pastel blue and green will make the interior look like a room in the style where these shades are especially popular. When faded, they look worn out, but evoke nostalgia and memories of past times.
• Gentle mint color will make the antique interior alive and energetic.
• Gray color is also suitable for shabby chic. It is not romantic and not so delicate, but with an ashen or pearly touch, gray looks especially noble and restrained. Usually men make the choice in favor of such a range when they cannot refuse a woman the overly openwork decor of the room.
• Dark purple, as if covered with gray hair, is another interesting option for decorating rooms in the shabby chic style. This color has a mysterious and ambiguous character, but the inclusion of purple makes even the most ordinary interior mysterious and even fabulous.
• Faded pink is a common option for shabby chic style, especially for young girls. This is a gentle and romantic color at the same time, which can be openwork, antique, gentle, and, if desired, dynamic.
• Wood in its natural shade is often used. These include wicker sets and rough-hewn dining sets.
• Forged items also retain their normal color, as do brass and copper items.

Of course, no room can be completely monochrome; at least it uses shades of the same color. But shabby chic can be monochromatic, because openwork details, relief patterns, forged parts - all this makes the decor quite voluminous, which in turn allows the same shade to look different. Therefore, there is always a choice: you can choose a monochromatic, but lush and openwork solution, or prefer a simpler, but combined finish. There is no third option - the rules of harmonious composition.

Features of room decoration

The decoration of the premises usually follows the standard scenario:

• Floors are usually wood, stone or ceramic. Their palette traditionally preserves the natural shades of these materials.
• The walls are white or painted in other light shades that are chosen for the decoration of the room.
• The ceiling is whitewashed and wooden beams are left. If the premises are initially new, then they are imitated with lighter structures.

Floor coverings

Traditionally, floors in shabby chic style rooms are covered with ordinary wooden planks. Of course, they must be well processed, because no matter how stylized the interior is, people should not be endangered. The following solutions are also applicable in a similar style:

• stacked parquet, which can be whitened in the same way as other aged surfaces;
• stone or ceramic tiles will do for the dining room, kitchen work area, hallway - where you have to wash the floors frequently;
• Antique carpets are also used, but certainly not moth-eaten.

If the room is not too openwork, then you can use mats and paths. In a finely decorated interior, carpets with detailed patterns, which can be slightly worn, will be more harmonious.

Wall decoration

Walls usually allow you to dream a little and choose not just a practical and harmonious solution, but also an interesting one - for the soul, for the mood. In the shabby chic style, the walls can be quite different:

• whitewashed brickwork;
• painted wooden walls with worn places;
• textured wallpaper imitating rough-hewn stonework;
• plaster;
• wallpaper with small floral patterns;
• the walls can be painted: scenes with ancient views of narrow streets, rustic landscapes, biblical scenes, as if paintings by famous artists are visible from under the decoration;
• the bottom of the walls can be finished with wooden panels or boards;
• Some of the walls are decorated with stucco, which can be used to decorate the cornice and the perimeter of the paneling;
• in such a room it is not uncommon to see a contrast of delicate wallpaper with a small openwork pattern and rough brickwork.

The color of the walls is usually chosen to be light. Against their background, both pastel and monochromatic solutions with voluminous decor look quite bright. Dark and rich shades will be contrasting.

Ceilings

There are not many options here: just whitewash the ceiling and the finishing is ready. But you can diversify it with stucco molding, cornices, wooden beams. A stucco rosette is usually placed in the center of the room - this is how attention is focused on a beautiful openwork chandelier. Bas-reliefs and other elements can be arranged in different ways, but remember that they do not combine with wooden beams.

Furniture: the basis of style

The shabby chic style began with furniture, and the composition of any room begins with it. Be that as it may, interior items in this design play a significant role in the design. In a modern setting, furniture can merge with the walls or even hide behind its decoration, making the space visually freer and more spacious. In a retro interior, such an effect is not needed; the details are important here - decor, ornate openwork, textiles, carved and forged furniture.

Furniture has very specific features:

• wooden objects are always shabby;
• solid wood products are decorated with moldings, milling, cornices and baseboards, carvings;
• the fittings used are brass, copper, bronze with traces of antiquity - patina, greenery formed from the oxidation of metals during operation;
• the legs of such furniture are usually curved;
• carved patterns are ornate and openwork.

In a shabby chic style interior, benches can be used instead of chairs in the dining area, forged cabinets instead of the usual ones wooden products. Furniture with attached candlesticks will look original - a piano, a bureau, a dressing table, a desk.

Appropriate in such a situation and wicker furniture. Just remember that modern models may look inharmonious. Therefore, you should choose sets of antique shapes with ornate details.

Shabby shack often plays on contrasts, when well-preserved velvet ones are adjacent to peeling plaster on brickwork, poorly painted logs of a window or doorway. A lush chandelier, an expensive dressing table or an antique bureau and simple linen bedspreads on the sofas will add romance to a rough interior.

There may also be features of bohemian design - paintings and other objects of art, paintings, figurines, vases, dishes. A rare sideboard, which you will no longer see, will definitely stand in a shabby chic style living room.

The facades of antique furniture can be decorated not only with carvings and overlays, but also with stained glass, mosaics, and decoupage. Stained glass can be enough bright element vintage interior, but it is desirable that the furniture itself is not too flashy.

Often, in a shabby chic style setting, furniture with Baroque and Rococo features is used. Here you can rarely see classic items or with character; these are too solemn and strict design options. Shabby chic is still more gentle and romantic.

The upholstery of upholstered furniture is made from expensive fabrics - velvet, velor, brocade, satin, leather. Textiles can be decorated with gilded embroidery or classic patterns - stripes, large floral patterns.

Textile elements in shabby chic style

There are many options regarding the use of fabrics in the design of rooms in the shabby chic style. There are no strict restrictions or priorities here; it is only important that the fabrics are expensive and of high quality. You can choose textiles with or without a pattern:

• Monochrome solutions are usually chosen in a light palette. Such coverings can be openwork, lace, embroidered in the same color. Similar fabrics are decorated with gold or silver.
• The ornament can be embroidered in a contrasting color, printed or knitted.
• The subject of the patterns is chosen to be floral or animalistic. Stripes are also applicable. It is advisable that the design is not too contrasting - all colors should be whitened by time.

Textiles are used everywhere and in large quantities, in all rooms:

• Curtains are always rich in drapery, rich finishing, and lots of details.
• Bedspreads, capes, blankets on sofas, armchairs, beds.
• Tablecloths, napkins on tables, bedside tables, bureaus, secretaries.
• Decorative pillows on sofas and armchairs.

Lighting

The lighting system, in principle, is not much different from systems in other retro interiors: there is always a main central chandelier, which should be luxurious. When choosing the appropriate design, you can also select spotlights for zoning if there are several in the room functional zones. But usually such solutions are not used here, since the ceilings are installed without additional suspended structures into which such lamps are built. Numerous sconces and floor lamps are more applicable and common in shabby chic. They allow you to adjust the level of illumination and create the mood you wanted at any given moment.

Lamps can be glass, textile openwork, wood, forged or even paper. Hanging details are encouraged, especially in crystal chandeliers. Sconces can be used in large quantities: on the walls of a long corridor, along the walls to mark the perimeter of a spacious room. Such elements often serve as decoration. Lamps stylized as candlesticks look elegant.

Table and floor lamps are widely used. As a rule, they are decorated with textile lampshades, which fade over time, which becomes noticeable when you first look at them. Modern economical and LED bulbs, of course, do not give such an effect, but incandescent lamps, being long time the only ones in use that led to the burnout of any textile lampshades.

The spectrum of light should be warm, even if the interior is decorated in snow-white, otherwise it will not be possible to create comfort in a vintage style.

Examples of using the shabby chic style in rooms for various purposes

The unique openwork and romanticism of this style makes you wonder how appropriate it is, for example, in a bathroom or kitchen. It’s really not that easy to create a shabby chic look in these spaces. You can use different features and a smart approach to prevent practical rooms from becoming a dumping ground of gathering dust and unnecessary accessories. However, there is such a risk when decorating a glamorous shabby design in any other space.

Living room

This is a place for receiving guests, family gatherings, and evening relaxation with the whole family. The center of such a room becomes a luxurious chandelier, an antique sofa, a bureau for small items and documents, and a sideboard with retro dishes. The finishing here is quite clear:

• Floors should be made of wood - this is the warmest and most comfortable solution.
• The ceiling is the usual whitewashed version.
• The walls may be different. Wallpaper, plain textured plaster, and brickwork visible through whitewash or paint are appropriate here. You can choose a contrasting solution - a strip of openwork wallpaper for brick wall. In this design, it would be appropriate, perhaps even just stylized, and not working. Above it you can disguise a TV, without which no room can do today. As a rule, modern technology is hidden behind ancient facades in niches.

There will definitely be a lot of detail here. The most important are floor lamps, curtains, sconces, cushioned furniture. If space allows, you can use a coffee table, dressing table and other items that are in modern interior it's simply impossible to see.

The living room is exactly the place where many textile elements are used. These include bedspreads for sofas, lampshades for floor lamps, napkins, and tablecloths. Drapery can be used not only in decoration window openings, but also in wall decoration. But be prepared that such a solution will be quite difficult to clean. Therefore, it is important to choose fabrics that are easy to clean, and it is even better to initially impregnate them with dust-repellent agents.

You can style the fireplace with several forged elements. If the fireplace is real, then such details are simply irreplaceable. In this case, there will be a fireplace mantel, which can be quite high. Therefore, it is important to think in advance about the location of the TV and how to disguise it. It is all the more important to think through this nuance if there will be decorative elements– watches, vases, figurines. And this is where they usually stand.

Shabby chic living room decor

A large mirror in a massive frame will be relevant for decorating a living room. This form can be repeated in stucco on the ceiling. However, the frame itself can be made from stucco.

Painted plates will become an original decoration. These can be real works of art or collectibles.

Dining room and kitchen

The kitchen itself is rarely decorated in the shabby chic style, since it is quite difficult to care for such an interior, and in conditions where you have to constantly wash surfaces and parts, unnecessary details only irritate. Therefore, in combined spaces, shabby chic dominates the dining room, while the kitchen acts as a background, made in retro style.

A stylized set with worn wooden surfaces can be used here. It can be composed of individual antique items, but this is not the most convenient option, so choose a set of furniture in the Provence or Baroque style. And individual items, such as sideboards, cabinets, buffets, are placed in the dining room as decor.

In such a room the central dinner Zone. By the way, a seating area would also be appropriate in shabby chic. The center of the space is occupied by the dining room, work zone It may be angular, but a linear set will look more neat in this style. In a separate corner or in an extended window opening. If you arrange the interior in own home, then here you can make a low window sill, which can easily be turned into a banquette with pillows and a backrest to read, drink a cup of coffee, just look outside in rainy weather and enjoy the warmth and comfort of the interior in the shabby chic style.

Combining the kitchen with the dining room - perfect option for the shabby chic style, since a separate kitchen will still be difficult to clean. Thus, in a combined room, you can transfer the main accents to the dining area, where tablecloths, napkins and especially striking design features are used.

Bedroom

This room is ideal for decorating the interior in shabby chic style. There can be as much openwork here as your heart desires. As a rule, this is a bright, warm and cozy space. The center, of course, is the bed. The shabby one should be her headboard. Although you can choose soft back so that you can sit and watch TV or read a book at night.

• If you choose a shabby or wrought-iron wooden headboard, it should be aged, have an antique openwork and elegant look. Wrought iron headboards are usually painted to match the color of the interior. Most often, a universal white tone is chosen.
• The soft headboard of the bed is usually also made openwork. It can be upholstered in cozy velor or velvet, as in Baroque or Rococo style. A satin solution is also suitable, but this fabric is more slippery and colder.

A drapery around the bed would be appropriate here - a canopy or a light curtain around the perimeter of the bed. The curtains will be the same.

It is advisable to choose a high bed - on legs, and not with a box. Then you should choose wicker baskets or old shabby suitcases for storing a variety of things. You can make such boxes with your own hands, covering them with openwork or fabric similar to upholstery.

An additional seating area or hanging chair would look just as cozy near the window. This area can be separated from the main room using a light screen made of openwork fabric or bamboo. Theater partitions with drapery would also be appropriate.

In the bedroom you can use a wide variety of details: figurines, fountains, vases, baskets with cosmetics. All this usually stands on a table with a mirror with an openwork, but quite massive and decorative frame.

There must be bedside tables and lamps on them around the bed. You can replace lamps using sconces. These are chosen according to the general mood of the room:

• In a fairly restrained and shabby room, rather strict forms will prevail. There is little openwork here, so the lampshades and shades will be laconic and sophisticated. Most often these are forged ornate forms, glass or stained glass solutions.
• In an openwork and overly luxurious environment, you can choose luxury crystal solutions for all lamps. An interesting option The decor will be inlaid with antique lamps.

Bathroom

One more pretty difficult decision for implementation in the shabby chic style - this is the bathroom. It is not customary here to display a lot of little things, and the decor in bathrooms is usually specific - one that is easy to clean. That is, you will definitely have to abandon the shabby wood typical of shabby chic, an abundance of textiles and many decorative trinkets.

However, everything is possible if the bathroom in your house occupies a fairly spacious room. Then openwork curtains, heavy draperies, shabby cabinets, and luxurious lamps would be appropriate here.

You can’t do without ceramic finishing in a bathroom: the walls and ceiling here are usually covered with tiles that do not allow water to pass through, are resistant to heat and are easy to clean. In some places, tiles can be replaced by mosaics - mirror or glass.

Designers do not recommend choosing a lot of decorative parts for the bathroom: increased humidity in this room will lead to condensation settling on the parts, which over time will lead to the formation of mold if all surfaces are not wiped in a timely manner. Cleaning a room where there are a lot of decorative parts covered with condensation becomes hard labor. Ignoring this fact entails the development of fungus.

Appropriate decor for the bathroom would be mirrors, stained glass in cabinets, and mosaics. It is better to abandon textile elements and other impractical solutions.

Teen girl's room

The ideal option for decorating a room for a young daughter is shabby chic. This style will help to instill respect for traditions, exclusively female life values, when family, children and loved ones are put first. Of course, this does not mean that you need to raise your daughter to be a sacrifice for the sake of the family, but the girl should be feminine, loved and happy. Therefore, the way the parents react to this is how their daughter will perceive herself.

At a certain age, every girl dreams of love; the interior of a teenager’s room will help support the development of her femininity and at the same time respect for elders and their traditions. There is also a place for a technological work corner, but when the design says that a woman should understand and appreciate beauty, distinguish between the beautiful and the tasteless, the daughter will be able to adequately assess the world around her.

Even if it seems to you that a modern girl will not accept a retro interior, try to find a compromise - in the palette, in the absence of overly delicate details. You can choose strict and simple solutions– shabby furniture, antique objects in order to teach how to organize your space, store things and clean your personal territory. The color of the room may not be as delicate and romantic as usual: a gray palette with pink accents looks quite fashionable and stylish.

An old-style interior always looks very advantageous and unusual. And in order to create it, it is not at all necessary to have a lot of money and purchase expensive antique furniture. You can create interesting things in the shabby chic style with your own hands from grandma’s old cupboards, stools, whatnots and chests of drawers. Fortunately, such furniture will always be found nearby.

This style originated in England. And, unlike all other trends, it even has its own real creator - designer Rachel Ashwell. She loved antique furniture, but even more - giving furniture an even more antique touch.

The main feature of furniture in the shabby chic style is the artificial aging of the surface. And not to the point of classic antiques, but slightly so that the furniture looks like an item from the 50s of the last century. Furniture in this style has worn surfaces through which the design supposedly shines through.

Furniture in the shabby chic style is also distinguished by:

• ease,
• pastel colors,
• presence of antique elements,
• convex ornament.

Important: do not confuse shabby chic and Provence. Shabby chic is elegant furniture. To create it yourself you can also use expensive materials, especially when it comes to fabric. For Provence, on the contrary, materials are used that are inexpensive and outwardly simple. You won't see roses and angels in Provence. But for shabby chic these are the favorite decor options.

What is shabby chic (video)

What colors to choose for furniture

If you decide to do something in this style, then you need to choose the right color.

Shabby chic furniture can be safely painted in:

• bluish color,
• All pastel shades pink,
• All pastel and delicate shades of green,
• All shades of white - boiling, creamy, creamy.

Important: pastel shades must be supplemented bright accents, otherwise your DIY decor will be boring. The use of gilding, bronze paint, and decoupage is encouraged. If you choose pictures with roses and angels, then it’s impossible to miss.

The main thing is not to cover furniture in this style with glossy varnish. Only matte varnish should be used.

Necessary materials

In order to make shabby chic with your own hands from an ordinary stool, bedside table or chair, you will need:

• oil or acrylic paints of suitable colors,
• ammonia,
• matte varnish,
• stain,
• brushes,
• foam sponges,
• sandpaper,
• brush with metal bristles.

How to age a surface

There are three simple but effective ways:

• chemical,
• mechanical,
• thermal.

During chemical treatment, furniture is treated with ammonia, stain or special craquelure paints. Ammonia gives a grayish coating that appears on old wood.

Important: The stain is easy to use. It gives the base tone. To get an aged surface, before the stain has dried in some places, you just need to wash it off with a wet sponge, creating scuffed, worn places. Then varnish and do-it-yourself shabby chic takes place.

It is extremely easy to achieve the effect of an old surface using paint and craquelure varnish. To do this, the product is painted in the desired tone and then covered with white paint. After drying, the product is brushed with a metal brush in order to obtain paint transitions from one to another - as if the furniture was repainted several times and the old layers of paint are visible through the new ones. Apply craquelure varnish and paint again - cracks will appear that look like peeling paint.

At thermal method do-it-yourself furniture blowtorch so that a texture pattern appears.

Important: you should use it when you are confident in your skill. Otherwise, the furniture can easily be damaged.

When mechanically applied, the surface of the furniture must be treated with a wire brush in order to create the illusion of unevenness and age. After this, treat it with sandpaper and sand it so that there are no protruding torn fibers or unpleasant texture that leaves splinters - after all, antique furniture is made with your own hands, and not really things to throw away.

You can use one of the methods or combine mechanical and chemical.

How to age an item in shabby chic style (video)

Decoupage

To decorate pieces of furniture in this style with your own hands, it is best to use decoupage technique.

The most important thing here is to choose the right scenes for the pictures. Ideal for shabby chic are images of angels in different forms, all kinds of roses and other delicate flowers. Where can I get them? - craft stores now sell ready-made pictures for decoupage, among which you can find roses and angels in abundance.

Important: Ready-made pictures for decoupage can be easily replaced with available materials - you can safely use labels from wine, perfume packaging, pictures from magazines, napkins with pictures.

Decoupage is applied to things after the main background has been prepared. That is, furniture in the shabby chic style should already be painted, and its surface should already be aged to the stage desired by the author. And only then does it come time to choose a place for decorative elements.

Operating procedure:

• You need to glue pictures to the selected places. For this purpose, use PVA glue diluted with water. Glue the picture itself and attach it in its place. The picture is carefully ironed with a piece of fabric so that no wrinkles or bubbles form. You can go over the picture with diluted glue,
• Allow the pictures to dry completely.
• Coat the surface with varnish to make the decoupage decor resistant to environmental influences.

You can use craquelure varnish, which will give a cracking effect and effectively age the decoupage design. You can emphasize the effect of an old surface by applying a special aging wax after all manipulations and drying of the varnish. It will highlight all the cracks, making them more visible. To enhance the effect, you can add a few drops of dark paint to the wax.

Other effects

Furniture in this style can be made more impressive by covering the legs or ends with bronze paint or gilding. Using the same techniques, gilding can be aged, achieving the appearance that it has already begun to peel off in some places, exposing the main background.

In this case, they follow exactly the same scheme: first, furniture parts are painted with base paint, and then gilding or bronze is applied on top of the dried layer. Without allowing the paint to completely dry in some places, it is lightly wiped off with a wet sponge, achieving a translucent effect. It is important to do everything carefully, without rushing, so as not to erase too much paint.

By sewing a couple of fabric pillows with roses and casually throwing them on stools and sofas, you can finally create the right atmosphere in the room.

Shabby kitchen - chic (video)

Creating a shabby chic environment is not difficult at all. Even a beginner can make furniture with his own hands, since you can master decoupage and painting of products very quickly. And this does not require any special skills or knowledge.

Examples of kitchen design in the shabby chic style (photo)

Shabby Chic style is romantic and cozy. Combines modern technologies and long traditions. Once you have been in a room decorated in this style, it is impossible not to fall in love with tenderness and femininity. Moreover, it’s easy to transform the interior into a shabby chic style with your own hands - just use your grandmother’s antique furniture from the attic or an antique store and bring it into the desired form.

History of origin

Translated from English, Shabby Chic means “shabby chic” or “shabby shine.” The British are famous for their conservatism and their favorite saying “I'm not so rich to buy cheap things” largely contributed to the emergence of this style. Good antique furniture is often sold along with the house or passed down by inheritance; it can be found in the attic of an old house or bought at a sale. It is this that forms the basis of shabby chic.

Shabby chic arose in the 80s of the last century, but is already loved by designers and is gaining more and more fans. Its founder is considered to be the decorator of old furniture, the Englishwoman Rachel Ashville. She purchased old furniture at estate sales, flea markets and antique shops, then restored and painted it using soft, pastel colors.

One day, Rachel decided to decorate one of the rooms in the house with only restored furniture, and was amazed by the result - it turned out to be a mix of different styles - Rococo, Baroque, retro, Provence and victorian style. Shabby chic is a very interesting composition of items combined into one composition with a color scheme and an abundance of floral prints, angels and lace.

To some, this style may seem naive and girlish, but to others it will delight with memories of distant childhood.

Features of the shabby chic style: distinctive features, for whom it is suitable

A distinctive feature of the shabby chic style is the use of antique furniture and modern interior items at the same time, layering different styles and eras. During restoration, it is not always possible to repair cracks that appear on wooden parts so that they become invisible. If you paint it a lighter color, both the previous layer of paint and the structure of the wood will appear. But this is precisely the peculiarity of furniture in the shabby chic style - abrasions and layers of color make it unique, emphasizing antiquity and value.

A lot of pieces of furniture from different styles and eras in one room are combined according to color solutions- these are chairs with gracefully curved legs, and mirrors in massive frames, and beds with luxurious headboards, chests of drawers, chests, and suitcases.

If at the beginning of the development of the style one could more often find furniture from the era of Queen Victoria, now one can also find quite successful combinations with furniture from the 50s and 60s, with modern interior items.

To many, shabby chic resembles Provence, but these styles, despite their apparent similarity, have many differences. Provence is characterized by a desire for simplicity, the use of animal prints, and scuffs on furniture are more of a light touch. In shabby chic you can often find stucco, prints on textiles are only floral, images of angels are often used, and furniture defects form the basis of the style.

This style is more suitable for the weaker half of humanity. In a room decorated in shabby chic, adult woman can feel like a true lady, and a young girl like a real princess.

This is simply a godsend for creative people - calmness, a certain “marshmallow quality” makes it conducive to flights of fancy.

Most men will not feel entirely comfortable surrounded by lace, ruffles, and curls. But if you do without frills and give the room a laconic look, then shabby chic can also be used to decorate rooms of the stronger sex.

Photo gallery: style in the interior

How to decorate a room in shabby chic style with your own hands

Having watched a lot various options design and choosing the one you like the most, the first question that arises is how to do this? Where to begin? And start the same way as the founder of the style, Rachel Asheville - collect all the old furniture that is in your grandmother's attic, in the country house and see what can be useful to you. Complement with what is modern in the house and what can be repainted. It might make sense to buy something missing at a flea market or antique store. And when everything is selected, you can begin to select the remaining interior details - finishing the walls, ceiling, floor, choosing textiles, lamps and other important little things that you may need.

Room decoration: materials, colors

Considering that the basis of shabby chic is antique furniture, give preference natural materials. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did not even imagine that furniture could be made from pressed or glued waste wood. You can also add modern, high-tech materials, but the main condition is that they should look in the shabby chic style. Slightly worn, with a touch of wear, imitation of cracks.

The main color of the shabby chic style is white. With a light delicate shade and a slight touch of antiquity.

The walls, whether they are simply plastered or covered with wallpaper, should be white or a similar delicate shade. Wallpaper with flowers, floral patterns, and angels would be appropriate. You can use wallpaper that imitates fabric. Slightly faded with time, bleached by the sun.

Must be present pink color . Others can be used gentle colors: soft light green, caramel, vanilla, light turquoise, ivory, soft blue, diluted olive, fawn. Bright colors are not typical for shabby chic, but this does not mean that they cannot be used.

Various abrasions are allowed, but not too large, the main thing is that they are appropriate and do not seem unkempt. For wall decoration you can use the most various elements- moldings, stucco molding, wooden panels, fragments of brickwork, imitation stone wall light color.

The floor is preferably made of light-colored natural wood or painted in light colors. It is allowed to use antique laminate, parquet, linoleum with a pattern imitating parquet board. For the kitchen, hallway and bathroom, you can use tiles that imitate an antique stone floor or come up with your own version.

The design of the ceiling depends only on your imagination.

Painting in a light warm color with cracks applied, complex structures made of plasterboard, tension glossy ceilings- you can choose any option. The place where the chandelier is attached and the perimeter of the ceiling junction can be decorated with stucco. You can combine it - leave part of the ceiling for painting, and cover part complex design from plasterboard - there are many options.

Furniture, lighting and accessories

Use only high-quality furniture that bears traces of antiquity - scuffs, cracks, chipped corners. It can be from completely different eras and styles, but it must be comfortable and functional.

There is never too much furniture - this is about shabby chic. Choose and arrange it so that the room looks homely, cozy and warm. Guests who arrive should feel as if they have come to their own home. Eliminate rigor and efficiency.

Choose furniture with rounded shapes, interesting carved legs, and curls.

Furniture fittings should look well-worn - slightly green, darkened with time, with bizarre shapes.

Shabby chic lighting should be dim and diffused. Chandeliers - massive, interesting - with shades, candlesticks, crystal pendants. Floor lamps and sconces can be with plain fabric lampshades with ruffles or frills, or made of fabric with a small flower pattern. If spotlights are used, low-power bulbs should be installed in them.

Textiles have a special place in the interior. The more fabrics used in the interior, the better - this is the motto of the shabby chic style. If the curtains are made of natural fabrics, with a floral print, multi-tiered, with a lambrequin or flowing, with various ruffles, tiebacks, bows - there are a lot of options. The bedspreads are either plain or colored with a wide variety of patterns - roses, angels, peonies, imitating the texture of fabric.

Furniture covers - with a variety of folds, flounces, bows. But always from natural fabric. The same rule applies to decorative pillows, of which there are not just many, but a lot - large, small, square, oval, with ruffles.

In order to give the room a special chic, use a variety of accessories - vases, painted plates, clocks - both cuckoo and ordinary wall clocks, many paintings and photographs in aged frames, baskets, old suitcases, candlesticks, candelabra, an antique telephone, compositions of dried flowers. They will always be appropriate if they are arranged correctly and decorated in the same style.

How to make shabby chic style items with your own hands

To turn the most ordinary box or vase into a stylish accessory in the shabby chic style, you just need to master a few simple techniques. The simplest, most accessible and popular is decoupage. Transferring a design to the desired surface is really simple and exciting, just try it once. Moreover, pictures can be applied either to wooden surfaces, as well as metal and glass. You can easily transform not only a box, but also a watch, an old metal watering can, or a chest of drawers in this way. Apply the design to key holders, table drawers, table tops - as your imagination dictates.

Gallery: decoupage in shabby chic style

Decoupage: instructions for action

To decorate using the decoupage technique, purchase decoupage napkins with your favorite floral arrangements.

Cut out the required size and composition from a napkin.

Using a brush, apply a layer of PVA glue to the reverse side of the design.

Carefully take the drawing by the sides, place the drawing on the box or other object where you need to get the image. Try to place the image neatly the first time. If you move it further, you may damage the drawing. Therefore, do everything at once carefully and carefully.

Spread the napkin so that there are no bubbles or irregularities on the surface. After the glue has dried, after 3–4 hours, a layer of special varnish can be applied to the image.

Video: DIY box

An equally interesting decorative detail in the shabby chic style is a decorated bottle or jar.

The main thing is to find an object to create an original form. This can be a tall, curly bottle or a small, low jar that is suitable for a bouquet of wildflowers.

You can decorate bottles in several ways, depending on the result you want to get.

Method I. Acrylic paints and ribbons.

To work you will need:

• Acrylic paint for glass and ceramics in the desired color
• Scissors
• PVA glue
• Brush
• Lace
• Artificial flower (button, bead, etc.)
• Jute thread

Using a brush, apply paint to the bottle with careless strokes. Give it time to dry according to the instructions.

Using scissors or a knife, remove a layer of paint from the convex parts of the object, giving it a scuffed appearance.

Apply a small amount of glue with a brush to the place where we will attach the lace or ribbon to the bottle. We tie a bow on top.

Glue on top of ribbon or lace artificial flower, button or bead - depending on the design. The bottle is ready.

Method II.

Needed for work.