The problem with trending designs is they can be hard to pull-off without totally changing your furniture. With budgets being tightened back and more of us getting limited to time and energy to go shopping, there are fewer options. This is why you can never go wrong with Shabby Chic as a room design. It’s a romantic throwback to the past while giving any room a touch of elegance. Let’s see why this style works so easily.
The essentials of Shabby Chic
If you ever spend time in a garden house or a small cottage in the countryside, you’ll know this style. It’s not farm-like in any way but has some elements that bring a certain British elegance into a simple cabin setting. Images of some Bed and Breakfast along the coastline immediately form as you get the idea rolling around in your head. This is why it’s so easy to afford and throw together as a DIY design project.
Here are some of the key design elements that you want to focus upon:
French Linen
If you didn’t know, Linen is made from the flax plant and is 3x stronger than cotton. It’s the kind of fabric that was passed down from generation to generation in the old days. If you think of luxury most people never even think of French linen anymore. These can cover your bed as blankets, be used as window blinds, and of course who could forget the bathroom towels.
Another important aspect is the addition of hanging privacy curtains. These can be used in front of closets, doorways, and the entrance to a bathroom. This is where classic antique looking curtain rods will help sell this look even more. The higher quality French linen is a bit pricier than cotton, but you’ll notice it wears better over time. Stick with light colors that allow the lightness of the room to flow evenly.
An open uncluttered room
Shabby Chic also means that everything has a rightful place. This is where cabinets, storage bins, built-in sunken shelving, and window edges come in handy. This is a great opportunity to have lots of cabinets and shelves that hold all your belongings. The secret is that each area should be specific for why it’s there. This room should be open and not cluttered with too many props or decorations.
This is why they belong on shelves that can be built for this addition. Look for ways to create the look of sunken shelving. This way you can add hidden storage behind areas that appear as a solid wall. If you have any idea what wainscoting panels are, your walls could certainly use these too. It’s a DIY room effect that brings richness and romantic luxury into reality, and it’s super easy to do.
Slightly weathered antiques
You don’t need to be an expert artist to age-down something that’s already new. You just need some fine looking items that look antique that you can add some weathering. Think of items made from wood and metal that were perhaps repainted years ago. That paint is sure to come off on all the worn edges where it would be handled so often. These should always go against a wall or in a corner.
Other items such as door handles, hanging hooks, and cabinet knobs and hinges should all follow the same approach. Make this room look lived-in, so even the paint on cabinets and storage bins is weathered down. Not too much, since this gives a sense that there is time passing and not something run-down.
Romantic decorations
As I mentioned before, Shabby Chic is all about romanticism, so your decorations should have the theme of love and family. You won’t need paintings anywhere for this style of design, but small sculpture reliefs and trinkets. These should include keepsakes that embrace your idea of love and the memory that it serves. Put these anywhere they happen to fit bets.
Your finer decorations should be placed into sunken shelving, while smaller trinkets can be placed along the window edge. Don’t forget that small decorative pillows are a must for Shabby Chic rooms. These must include at least one positive message or image on them. These can go anywhere on your bed board, on sitting chairs, or wherever they brighten-up a room.
Lots of pastels
Who could forget the most romantic aspect of this style in the room is your choice of pastel color. It doesn’t have to be exclusively girly, but a color you truly enjoy. Mix these colors where you like. Add them to the color scheme of your French Linen so the color flows well. Anything with edges such as a doorframe should have a pastel color. Not the entire room, so just splashes of color that appear as an accent.
Use pastel on the raised decorative edges of your wainscoting panels and it can make any wall simply pop. Window frames and nearly anything that creates a line of color is all you need. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a room that inspires more than a memory and more of a lifetime. As compared to other types of DIY room designs, Shabby Chic is a make-over that won’t cost you more than your thought it would.