Features and rules of interior design in the style of shabby chic

Translated from English, shabby means old. The style of shabby chic in the interior is defined as aged or shabby chic. In the room, decorated according to all the canons of style, necessarily present expensive furniture, decor and interior items. But, looking at them, you immediately realize that they are more than a dozen years old. The corners of the furniture were worn and frayed, the lacquered surface cracked, the upholstery on the sofas and armchairs was worn or torn in places.

At the same time, the room does not look neglected or has not been repaired for a long time. The abundance of antique furniture does not create the impression of a "grandmother's attic." Shebby chic style very finely combines objects and materials, so the interiors look elegant and expensive. The high cost in them is not ostentatious, but home. In such an environment, it’s not scary to sit on the couch of the last century and drink from the porcelain cup of the Ming Dynasty. Some shabby items make the interior easier.

The story of the appearance of the style of shabby chic

Does the name Rachel Asheville tell you something? It was she who became the founder of the Shabby Chic style. Rachel, a creative person by nature, loved to buy history items, old furniture or decorative items that she herself transformed on the flea market. She artificially aged some things. She added life and color to others, turning a peeled chest into an exquisite casket. At first, Rachel created unique furniture for a family interior. Her furniture in front of her eyes transformed the atmosphere, making it interesting and non-trivial. Soon she began to decorate custom-made furniture. Her idea became popular among Americans, and became widespread in the 80s of the twentieth century.

By the way, the Internet has contributed to the rapid spread of the new style. The creator bought furniture, sanded it and put it in order. Decorated with a fresh layer of paint, varnish, a pattern of roses. And then I took pictures and put them on public display on the Web. Through the Internet, she received the first order for the manufacture of such interior items. In the same way, she taught others to decorate the interior in the style of shabby chic. She gave master classes, described her own invented style in books. In fact, Shabby Chic is a very young style with a little history and achievements. He is a little over 30 years old.

The Shabby Chic style externally echoes American country and French Provence. These areas have a number of common features.

But there are enough differences:

• elegance and recognition of patterns;
• luxurious, albeit slightly worn, furniture;
• beautiful chandeliers with crystal pendants;
• special love for presentable and expensive things.

The main features of the style of shabby chic

To combine furniture, decor and surface finishes in the style of "shabby luxury" you need:

• knowledge and skills of a stylist or designer;
• the ability to see beauty in old and long-serving items;
• a subtle sense of the difference between sophistication and rudeness of old things.

In the interior in the style of shabby chic, people with a creative vision of the world feel good: photographers, fashion designers, decorators, artists, musicians, poets or screenwriters. It will be difficult for a person of strict views who recognizes the usual order of things to appreciate an expensive cabinet made of natural wood with a missing door handle against the background of a simply plastered wall. Best design in this style succeeds in the interior of a bedroom or living room.After all, it’s quite difficult to arrange the whole house like this: firstly, it will require large expenditures, and secondly, it can turn an elite mansion into a toy house for Barbie.

To create a cozy corner in an apartment with a touch of shabby antiquity, use the following techniques:

1. They select the main objects that set the tone for the entire interior and beat them. Most often these are large furniture sets. They are made the main characters of the plot, placing in the spotlight. Furniture should be solid, made from natural materials, preferably used.

2. The color scheme of the interior is determined, again, focusing on the color of the furniture. If chairs or a table are white, then the walls and floor should shade it. They are decorated in beige, cream, pink or light green. If the furniture is closer to brown, then the flat surfaces are decorated in white.

3. Complement the room with exquisite decor. It plays an important role in the overall picture of the interior. It creates the final impression of former luxury and wealth. Shabby Chic apartments look elegantly decorated with ancient decanters and services, fresh flowers (the most sophisticated and fragrant), wooden caskets with a picture of roses on the surface.

4. In general, the pink pattern is the main leitmotif of the style. Such a picture must definitely decorate the room in the style of shabby chic. It can be present on wallpaper, vases, crockery, embroidery, bedspreads and curtains. If the interior is made in plain colors, then the bouquets of living roses, buttercups, peonies will create the desired color.

5. Use mint color. He is the hallmark of the style. Mint can be walls, wardrobe or chairs. If the interior is a lot of white and beige, then mint complement the main color scheme only a little. They can color the input or interior doors, or pick up a chest for storing mint-colored jewelry.

6. The main feature of the style is luxury and elegance. But designers are advised to adapt them correctly to normal living conditions. After completing the design, the room should look familiar and homely. It should not give the impression of a museum room in which antiques are collected, but you can’t touch anything with your hands.

Tip: don't be afraid to add paint to the white interior. The overall impression that the room should create should resemble an old china service with roses. Some blurry color spot on a white background.

7. Another feature of the style is the abundance of textiles. The style, although created by modernity, does not support strict forms of minimalism or the coldness of hi-tech. Curtains and bedspreads should be cozy, beautiful, with light fabric folds. The fabric for decorating windows is selected for the most diverse, based on the general context of the design. A heavy dense curtain with tassels along the edge, a light curtain with a pattern of roses, a transparent curtain of white color will fit in.

Color palette

A room in the style of Shabby Chic does not happen without white. This pure and innocent color determines the nature of the interior, is the backdrop for bright color spots. Ceilings and walls, cabinet furniture, window frames are painted in it. Snow-white textiles are selected for the design of a berth and upholstered furniture.

The main color is replaced with close pastel shades:

These colors can be applied all at once or separately. But they are necessarily complemented by a neutral white range, which saturates the room with light. Designers are not afraid to overload the interior of Shabby Chic, using several pastel shades at once. For example, the walls are painted in beige and sand colors, the furniture is selected in white and beige colors, a white rug in peach and light brown stripes is laid on the floor, and dusty blue and spring-green dressers complement the space.

The range of natural materials and surfaces can complement the decor:

• bleached or natural wood;
• natural polished stone;
• painted brickwork.

A characteristic pattern of style is a rose. It can be presented as a color picture, silhouette, pattern, stucco molding, image in a picture or textile.Use monogram and plant patterns. Typically, patterned fabrics are chosen for window decoration and the manufacture of decorative pillows. Monograms adorn the walls as repeating motifs on the wallpaper.

Wall decoration

For processing walls using such techniques:

• smoothly plastered walls are painted with bleached matte paints;
• color plaster is applied to the surface with traces of a spatula;
• the walls are papered with wallpaper with a small floral pattern or a large monogram pattern;
• one of the walls or the entire perimeter is sewn up with a wooden lining, which is opened with tidbits or painted with colored enamel.

Sometimes the surface of the walls is complemented by stucco moldings and volumetric elements. Very rarely, the walls are decorated with a touch of antiquity. To do this, they are painted in dark color. After drying, a light layer of paint is applied, and the protruding surfaces are wiped with sandpaper. As a result, a dark layer appears through the light layer. The surface roughness is clearly visible.

 

Decoration of ceilings

For ceilings use the following methods:

• staining;
• decoration with venetian plaster;
• wood paneling;
• whitewash.

The ceiling can be a backdrop for an antique setting. If the room is filled with objects that greatly attract attention, then the ceiling is made smooth, even, covering it with plain paint or whitewashing. If the room has a lot of free space, the furniture looks simple, then the ceiling is decorated in antique style. Traces of time can appear on it: stucco stucco, faded paint, peeling whitewash.

Shabby old-style ceilings are decorated with exquisite multi-tiered chandeliers. This technique is especially relevant for creating the interior of a bedroom, living room or dining room. A large antique chandelier is suitable for decorating high ceilings. However, for the Shabby Chic style, this condition is not necessary. In a room with a low ceiling, you can safely hang a large chandelier with many suspensions and horns.

Floor decoration

For the decoration of floors using natural, slightly shabby materials:

• tiles made of natural or artificial stone;
• a wooden board;
• good parquet, which served for more than one year;
• parquet board with aging effect.

Do not pay too much attention to the effect of antiquity. The floor should be primarily warm, not slippery and comfortable. If it is covered with an old deformed board or broken tile, then this can be not only ugly, but also traumatic.

Floors can be safely decorated with various rugs: with a high pile, from looped fabric, dense patterned tracks are also suitable.

The right selection of furniture in the style of shabby chic

Furniture is the main focus of this interior. She sets the tone for him and is the subject of pride of the owners. On it you can distinguish shabby chic from country or provence. Rachel Asheville made the following recommendations in her articles regarding the proper selection of furniture: “Do not buy a table or cabinet of serial industrial production. See how exquisitely and expensively the handmade furniture of a baroque master looks. How each bend and monogram on it is verified, how the proportion of forms is observed. Despite the fact that it was made several decades ago, handmade furniture from natural wood did not lose its beauty and sophistication. She’s still luxurious, albeit slightly battered. ”

Furniture in the style of shabby chic was not produced and did not massively. Classic, empire, vintage, antique furniture is suitable for this style. It is important that it be natural, and not from pressed sawdust or synthetic fibers. If necessary, the appearance of cabinets, tables or chairs can be corrected. To sand old paint, apply several layers of a new one, create the effect of cracking in the right places.

 

When it is difficult to find the necessary furniture, they resort to buying serial samples of furniture that is made in the style of shabby chic. Finding samples of such furniture is sometimes very difficult, but possible. Below we have given some samples of such furniture.

Lighting

The style of shabby chic in the interior is perfectly emphasized by large baroque chandeliers, classics, and the Renaissance.They are selected in specialized stores, and, if necessary, age. They add chrome gloss, add patina. If such a chandelier is purchased at an antique store, it most likely will not require additional processing.

For rooms, several lighting scenarios are selected:

• in the center of the ceiling there is a beautiful chandelier with forged elements, glass or crystal suspensions;
• to illuminate a large room, a sconce with bent legs and frosted glass shades is selected;
• near the armchair or sofa they put a floor lamp on a long leg with a fabric lampshade.

Textile

Interior decoration with textiles is a fascinating, albeit time-consuming, process. It is important to choose harmonious fabrics combined in texture and color. For each room, a specific set of fabric items is selected.

For bedroom

The focus is on the design of the bed. The basis is usually taken a combination of white and pastel colors. For example, ash pink. In this vein, bed linens, bedspreads, covers for rollers and pillows are selected. Plain and patterned fabrics alternate. A bright bed is complemented by dense decorative pillows repeating patterns. Curtains can be dense monophonic, protecting from bright light or completely weightless. For example, from organza or chiffon.

 

For the kitchen, dining room

The main place in the kitchen is the dining area. It is decorated with a tablecloth, covers or pillows for chairs. Beautiful curtains are picked up. The table is decorated with napkins.

For the living room

The room is designed for receiving guests and relaxing, so it creates a special cozy atmosphere. Fabric sofas are decorated with decorative pillows of various shapes and colors. Usually patterns and colors repeat all those that were used to decorate the room. The floor is covered with a soft carpet, the windows are curtained with beautiful curtains.

Shabby Chic Decor Rules

Such decorative objects will help to emphasize the beauty of antiquity:

• large watch;
• mirrors in volume frames;
• sculptures and busts with lightly worn texture;
• caskets and caskets decorated using decoupage technique with roses;
• bronze candlesticks;
• dolls with porcelain faces in satin dresses and hats with ribbons;
• gramophone, antique telephone;
• dishes with a pattern of roses.

On sale there are many decor items made in the style of shabby chic, below you can see some of them.

Differences in the style of shabby chic from other styles

The line of differences between styles, in which shabby textures predominate, is very thin. Sometimes it is almost impossible to distinguish. But still.

Photo ideas for interior design in the style of shabby chic

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