The Shabby Chic is a relaxed interior design style. It has a refined flair that gives life to otherwise boring and dull vintage furniture and accent pieces. This kind of design intentionally highlights worn-out pieces.
In this article, you will learn why the Shabby Chic interior design is called a perfect and romantic kind of design.
What Is Shabby Chic, and Why Choose It for Your Floor?
Shabby chic is a design trend that merges the old and the new, celebrating rustic beauty and aged elegance. Originating in the British countryside, this style represents a relaxed, homely aesthetic that embraces imperfections and handmade charm. Choosing shabby chic for your floors can infuse your home with warmth and character, turning it into a cozy sanctuary.
Selecting the Perfect Color Palette for Shabby Chic Flooring
The shabby chic palette often comprises soft pastels and muted, earthy tones. These hues, ranging from pale yellow and sage green to cornflower blue and beige, create a serene, inviting atmosphere. Selecting the right colors for your floor is crucial as they set the tone for the entire room, affecting both its look and feel.
How Does the Shabby Chic Interior Design Differ from the French House Style?
The Shabby Chic interior design and the French Farm House style have so many similarities. Both have worn-out and vintage looks but a closer look shows these two are quite different.
The Shabby Chic look was a very trendy look and almost everyone rode on this design. As a result, there was mass production of purposely distressed fabric and furniture. Plus, the Shabby Chic interior design is the trendier and more fashionable version of the French Farm House interior design.
The Shabby Chic design dwells more on the accents. The furniture is not as ornate as the French Farm House look. It’s simple but frilly and fringy. Vintage-like look but not necessarily vintage.
On the other hand, the French Farm House look emphasizes actual antique and vintage pieces, meaning these pieces aged over time. There are no intentionally made-to-look-vintage elements. There are no replicas either. There are more ornate designs. Wooden furniture is intricately designed and often with curvy legs.
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Characteristics of the Shabby Chic Interior Design
Do you want to know what makes up a Shabby Chic corner unit? How can you differentiate this kind of design with other similar designs? Here are the characteristics of the Shabby Chic
Neutral Colors
What forms as the base of the Shabby Chic interior design are neutral colors such as whites, beiges, ecrus, and creams. Make sure that you have a warm shade of any of these three colors. Leave the stark white to the upholstery.
You can also use other bleached-out pastel colors as accents to the base color. Pinks are the most common accent colors but you can also add shades of blue and green.
Comfort Is a Must
Shabby Chic furniture is comfortable above all else. Comfort is its core value. That being said, add cozy pillows and plush rugs into the Shabby Chic bedroom. These should be in faded colors. Ottomans can be added for comfort.
Bring in the Rustic Look
You can mix the Rustic design into the Shabby Chic interior design, after all, this is the foundation of the Shabby Chic look. Make sure that there are two kinds of wood colors, just make sure that these colors are light-toned.
To make sure that you still add the Rustic look, look for a Shabby Chic table and chairs with patina. Search flea markets and thrift shops for authentic distressed pieces. Otherwise, you can intentionally create one.
Vintage Furniture
When it comes to furniture, think vintage pieces, reclaimed wood tables, and chairs with fabric cushions. The key is to balance the rustic charm of the flooring with furniture that adds to the shabby chic look but doesn’t overwhelm the space. For instance, a whitewashed wooden table can complement a pastel-colored floor beautifully.
Photo by Deborah Diem on Unsplash
Incorporating Unique Elements: Planks and Wall Decals
Wide wooden planks can be used to accentuate the rustic appeal of shabby chic rooms. Wall decals and furnishings with floral prints or classic motifs also play a vital role in bringing the shabby chic theme together, creating a harmonious blend between the floors and the walls.
Balance
The Shabby Chic wall decor is balanced by other elements in the room. It’s not cluttered although there are a lot of design elements. You can display smaller artwork on a vintage mantelpiece. Or you can add photographs on your white walls but make sure that the frames are made of withered wood.
Floral Designs
The Shabby Chic school of design gives off a very feminine vibe. There are a lot of floral add-ons to the design, from the upholstery fabric, lace curtains, and wallpaper. Often, you’d these designs in reds, pinks, light greens, and blues. Such colors complement the aged appeal of the Shabby Chic design.
Exploring Tile Options in Shabby Chic Decor
Tiles in ceramic or terracotta with mosaic, floral, or printed designs offer a wide variety of options for shabby chic homes. These tiles, especially in patterns like chevron or herringbone, can add an artisan touch to your floors. The natural variations in these tiles also contribute to the shabby chic’s appeal for one-of-a-kind, heritage-inspired elements.
Vinyl Flooring: A Practical Yet Chic Choice
Vinyl flooring, often overlooked, can be a perfect choice for busy homes aiming for a shabby chic look. Modern vinyl flooring comes in a variety of patterns and textures that mimic more traditional materials, offering both durability and style. Plus, it’s an affordable alternative that doesn’t compromise on the shabby chic aesthetic.
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Elements of the Shabby Chic Interior Design
Add delicately patterned upholstery to your Shabby Chic bedroom furniture mix. These patterns should be in earth tones. Try patterns such as:
- Floral patterns
- Stripes
A Shabby Chic sofa is something you can sink into, and at the same time, would still look elegant. On the other hand, a Shabby Chic bedroom can have a tufted upholstered bed in white or cream. Nowadays, many prefer to make the tufting in linen or cotton. Patterned fabrics can also be used in beddings and throw pillows.
Don’t forget to add slipcovers to your Shabby Chic bedroom chair and sofa. This is another signature element of this kind of design. Incorporate vintage pieces into the space. It doesn’t matter whether these are real antiques or made to look like one.
Your walls should be in neutral colors, preferably in shiplap wood. Your flooring must also be free of adornments. This is perfectly normal since the Shabby Chic look is heavy on furniture and accessories. You want a neutral backdrop for everything that’s going on.
Try adding recycled wood to your Shabby Chic living room. Add these to your tables, sideboards, and shelves. Match them with white fabrics and white accents. Your sofa should be preferably in white and with classic lines. Always think comfort. Other shades you can add to the room would be ivory, pink or gray
Your Shabby Chic kitchen should feel homey and evoke the feeling of familiarity. White is still the predominant color but you must always pair this with muted pastel colors.
There are a few things you must remember when decorating your living space Shabby Chic. You must not overdo your pastels. This should be 60% of your palette for that room. Another thing, you mustn’t clutter your space with vintage pieces. Choose the ones that would work well for that particular room. In addition, if you don’t want to hang pictures on your white walls, you can add a vintage mirror to balance the space.
Add unique lighting in vintage style bird-cage.
One of the Shabby Chic accessories you should definitely add would be the chandelier. Chandeliers are timeless pieces that should take the center stage. Add this as your focal point in lieu of the Shabby Chic floor lamp. Make sure that the chandeliers have a weathered finish. If you can find one with bead drapings, the better.
Shabby Chic table decor.
You can add classical elements by choosing the Shabby Chic console table. Such design elevates the aesthetics to a modern vibe. If you can’t add larger furniture pieces in the room, you can also bring in the Shabby Chic bathroom decor by adding smaller decorative pieces such as weathered animal figures.
Your kitchen can become a Shabby chic kitchen if you add some mint-colored elements, whether it’s your cookware, dinnerware, or other utensils. Make sure that such elements are hardy and functional.
To End
The Shabby Chic look may be an aged look but it exudes elegance that everyone can relate. Here are key take awy from the article;
- Reclaimed wood and patterned tiles are excellent choices for achieving an authentic shabby chic look.
- Soft, muted colors and vintage-inspired decor elements are central to the shabby chic style.
- Rugs, wall decals, and French country elements can enhance the shabby chic appeal of your floors.
- Proper maintenance is key to preserving the unique beauty and character of shabby chic floors.
- Incorporate these ideas into your home for a space that exudes the timeless charm of shabby chic.
