The Origins of Shabby Chic Furniture

Shabby chic has been a popular decorating style for the past 20 years and which home owners and interior designers are becoming more and more fond of.

Shabby chic talks its influence from the New England style along with French. It is more often associated with the French style but increasingly amongst interior designers, they are seeing the ties with the very popular New England style as well. The shabby chic style is very creative, individual and romantic. Many furniture designers now are taking the basic elements of a shabby chic home and combining it with a touch of glamour to create a modern, comfortable style. 

Bland shabby chic is not, it is very much a statement in terms of interior design. It is a statement in quite a different way to many styles of furniture in that it is the shape and form of the pieces that give the statement as the colours and shades are mostly muted like greys, washed out blues, pale pinks and faded greens. It is due to this that it has become such a popular style. The statement without the brash colours often found with strong design styles. It is the stylish marriage of things based on vintage designs and more modern pieces. 

Even though by its nature and of course name, shabby chic doesn’t have smooth, perfect finishes. At the same time, the finishes, paints and varnishes on shabby chic furniture are meant to be like that and have been created in that way purposefully. Mass manufactured it is not and more importantly, not worn, chipped or broken through use as it is then that shabby chic loses its chic. 

One very good description of shabby chic colours is “chalky”. These chalky greys and taupe’s mixed with lots and lots of white. Shabby chic furniture is always matt, always painted and combined with muted, linen covers is put together with accent pieces in silver. A touch of glamour and sparkle can then be added with crystal accessories such as chandeliers and decanters along with black and white family photos in silver frames and fresh cut flowers in an assortment of beautiful vases for example.

Shabby chic is a relaxed style through both the accents of its origins of France and New England and through the muted colours and “unfinished” look. Relaxed furniture, in turn, becomes very functional so it suits even the largest or most boisterous of families.

Shabby chic home furniture is extremely easy to look after and clean which makes it an excellent choice for those who have families or other busy lifestyles. Just one piece of shabby chic style furniture can give a focal point to a room.

With the rise of popularity of shabby chic furniture, complementing accessories and decorating items such as wallpaper are now readily available. Accessories for every room in the house including glassware, candle sticks and mirrors can now be found along with bathroom accessories such as soap holders, mirrors and towel rails.