Home Interior Design – Shabby Chic

Full of character and with a timeless quality that makes it enduringly popular, the shabby chic style has many admirers partly because of its subtle tones and delicate touches. Also, due to the quality of much of the furniture that is used, a shabby chic interior design can be both breathtaking and comforting. Its continuing success as an interiors trend chimes in with the current mood for an economically restrained lifestyle that eschews waste and excess. So, what exactly is shabby chic, and how can we achieve a successfully chic shabbiness in our own homes?

What is shabby chic?

The phrase was first coined in the UK in the 80s and came to denote furniture and furnishings that have pleasing wear and tear to their appearance. Originally inspired by finds in old country houses and cottages, it has taken on a broader appeal over the years and has enjoyed periods of popularity in the US and mainland Europe as well as the UK. Today, shabby chic is widely recognised as a style that champions quality over newness, and can see beauty in imperfections and the ravages of time. Interior designer Rachel Ashwell created her own Shabby Chic brand in 1989, and her range of vintage-inspired furnishings in soft colours is still incredibly popular today.

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How to achieve the shabby chic look

The two words seem to contradict each other; how can something that is shabby also be chic? Getting the style right is not as easy as it first appears, and it is not a look that can be achieved by simply throwing a few old-looking things together and hoping for the best. A successful shabby chic interior will blend quality items that enjoy a timeless elegance, such as a traditional Darlings of Chelsea sofa, with a rich palette of subtle tones and materials, as is the case with much of Rachel Ashwell’s furnishings.

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Another staple of the shabby chic aesthetic is furniture that has been distressed or made to look old, thereby taking on more character and charm. In the case of wooden furniture, this can be achieved by painting and then sanding, or rubbing away, the topcoat. In this way, a piece of furniture, which in fact is no older than your laptop, can take on the appearance of having been handed down from generation to generation.

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When it comes to soft furnishings, certain colours and materials are very successful at creating a shabby chic look. Cotton and linens, especially those with a pale or bleached outlook, work very well. Pastel shades and traditional floral patterns are utilised to great effect, creating a soft and comforting look that is at the very essence of what has made shabby chic such an enduringly popular interiors trend.

Peaceful interiors

Ultimately, shabby chic works so well for many of us precisely because it is so markedly different from the modern world. As our lives are increasingly hurried by the pressures of the digital age, the appeal of a natural, more homely, aesthetic becomes ever greater. Offering rustic charm and a deep sense of peacefulness, shabby chic has come to represent a simple elegance that many of us long for in our home interiors.