Furnishing in a shabby chic style

Small flaws and flaws give some furniture real charisma. The imperfections tell interesting stories and make the furniture look very charming and attractive to the observer. In this way, they create a somewhat nostalgic, but at the same time very romantic atmosphere in the room, as if the splendor of bygone days was shining again. Perhaps that is why the shabby chic living style has become one of the most popular furnishing trends worldwide.

wonderful shabby chic kitchen

Vintage shabby chic with candlesticks and angel figures

Toile-de-Jouy pattern for the bed linen

Toile-de-Jouy patterns for shabby chic furnishings

Shabby chic living room with wooden floor

so dreamy is the shabby chic style

Snabby chic style in the living room

Another living room furnished in shabby chic

Shabby chic living room with wall decorations

Shabby Chic – what is it?
In 1989, British stylist Rachel Ashwell opened a store in California selling beautiful finds from the flea market, heirlooms with valuable antiques and individually selected new items. The whole thing quickly developed into a new trend, which was a kind of counter-movement to the then popular and pompous Victorian style. She called the new way of furnishing shabby chic.

The shabby chic with its basic elements is very reminiscent of country house and vintage styles, but looks a bit softer and more feminine. The durability and quality of the furniture are very highly valued. When furnishing, you decide to design used items and thereby extend their life. In this way, every piece of furniture is unique, and with its patina traces of use, it radiates nostalgia and charm in the room. At the same time, the individual idea of ​​comfort in your own four walls is strongly expressed. Anything that pleases and is meaningful to you is allowed. Nevertheless, there are a few things to consider in order to create a harmonious shabby chic ambience, such as shape and color selection. We are happy to tell you the details so that you can furnish your home according to this romantic trend and make a kind of time travel with great shabby chic inspirations through our picture gallery.

Decorate bathroom in shabby chic style

Decorative pillows with flowers go wonderfully with this furnishing style

Flowers are essential in shabby chic

Bed linen and curtains made of cotton with roses in shabby chic

Bedding and accessories in shabby chic style

Bed linen and other accessories in shabby chic

Shabby chic bathroom

Shabby chic style furniture
The motto is: the old is presented in a new light. Scratches, signs of aging and scratches express the uniqueness of the old furniture and are therefore an integral part of the Shabby Chic furnishing style. The pieces of furniture are then lovingly restored and artfully arranged so that their cosiness and individuality come into their own. However, not all vintage furniture is suitable for this style of living. Shabby Chic furniture is in most cases very light, often painted white, made of wood and has a romantic, rustic look thanks to its carvings and curved shapes. In the meantime, the romantic beauty of the imperfect is also often industrially produced by artificially creating the traces of use that are characteristic of the style, such as rust or chipped paint. Furniture made of coarse, untreated wood is also very suitable for this. You can actually make traces of use yourself with varnish and sandpaper and thus achieve the used look typical of shabby chic. The love for the tried and tested and the natural is thus strongly expressed in living.

Dining room with typical shabby chic decoration

Shabby chic accessories

Drawer chest of drawers with paisley pattern in shabby chic

Roses on the shabby chic box

romantic bedroom with wallpaper in shabby chic

romantic table setting with flowers and candle holders

Natural motifs when decorating in Shabby Chic style

Kitchen in the romantic shabby chic style

bright and romantic in the living room with the shabby chic furnishing style

Decorate in shabby chic style

The Shabby Chic style is particularly suitable for individualists who would like to be surrounded by a motley conglomerate of objects with character and their own story. The main advantage of this style of furnishing is that it does not have to be expensive. Those who cannot afford artful antiques from specialist dealers look for bargains on the flea or flea market and combine them with already existing basics at home.
The shabby chic style likes filigree porcelain cups, worn enameled bowls and jugs, tarnished silver cutlery and brass candle holders as accessories. Old storage jars and spice jars, tea towels with flower prints or toasters in retro style give the kitchen more charm quickly and easily. Matt metal frames create a playful contrast to the pastel-colored patterns from flora and fauna, which in most cases appear somewhat faded on textiles, wood or porcelain. Cut glasses, old mirrors, crystal chandeliers and picturesque lampshades are also popular. Many indirect light sources such as fairy lights or long-stemmed candles in neutral colors are suitable for a romantic atmosphere. Decorated decorative pillows, vases with fresh cut flowers, patterned wallpaper like from the 70s and small plaster figures give the apartment in the shabby-chic style a nice, kitschy character. Finds from nature should not be missing either. Driftwood, stones, shells, snail shells and feathers are all natural and incorporated into the decoration with great attention to detail. In this case, too, the aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder, so that you can try it out and draw decoration ideas from your own ingenuity.

Shabby chic decoration ideas

Shabby chic with a vintage floor lamp

Shabby chic crystal chandelier

Shabby chic nursery

Shabby chic is very diverse

Shabby chic is very romantic and feminine

Shabby chic is very imaginative and individual

Shabby chic decoration for the hallway

Shabby chic decoration for the bedroom

Shabby chic colors and materials
As already mentioned, the Shabby Chic furnishing style is clearly feminine and therefore also very romantic and elegant. That is why his world of colors and patterns is very soft and harmonious. Strong contrasts, strong colors and especially the color black have no place in this romantic world. Soft, matt nuances and pastel colors such as pink, light blue, light green, yellow, white, beige and violet predominate, which bring nature into the house. Decorations made of gold and silver complement this color palette and ensure feminine delicacy. Small, realistic nature motifs such as birds, butterflies and flowers in pastel colors appear faded on pillowcases, tablecloths and bed linen. Paisley patterns and Toile-de-Jouy are also very popular.
Shabby Chic loves natural fabrics such as velvet, silk, linen and cotton, which are very pleasant and ensure a lot of comfort and elegance in the apartment. Knitwear, lace and tulle in light shades are also very typical for every shabby chic ambience. Wood is also indispensable because it is simply part of it. It doesn’t matter which wood it is exactly.

In summary, one can say that the Shabby Chic style fits almost everything that does not look very modern. Shabby chic is certainly not suitable for purists, but people with a romantic worldview can really enjoy themselves with this furnishing style. Because shabby chic sets no limits to the imagination and offers an infinite abundance of decoration options. We hope you enjoy trying it out!

Shabby chic with light blue walls

Shabby chic living room with vintage armchairs

Shabby chic living room in white

Shabby chic home accessories

Shabby chic bedroom with white furniture

Shabby chic romantic bedroom with ceiling light

Shabby chic pattern for the wall wallpaper in the bathroom

Shabby chic furniture and mirrors