The shabby chic style is popular for many reasons. People are drawn to the shabby aesthetic because it’s easy, cheap, and it looks cool. If you’re searching for ways to give your living spaces a makeover, you’ll like the examples we’ve found the represent the shabby chic aesthetic.
Shabby chic design is as a retro kaleidoscope of design ideas mixed together to create a relaxed, casual, and welcoming environment. To help you understand, look at it like this: the shabby chic aesthetic is to interior design version what the “messy look” was to fashion.
What Is The Shabby Chic Style?
Here are a few common style elements:
The decor may feature floral patterns and look unorganized and sloppy, but only because that’s intentional. The shabby philosophy turns design ideas like perfection and symmetry upside down, and instead embraces casual chaos and peaceful mayhem.
A combination of boho and unconventional flair, the shabby chic style strikes at the heart of retro interior design. Often we see vintage elements or new items included in the style.
Reclaimed materials are a go-to source for DIY shabby decor. And yet at the same time, the shabby chic aesthetic is defined by a clean and simple ideology.
Vintage Aesthetic
The aim is to include pieces that have a weathered look, regardless if they are true vintage or reproductions doesn’t matter.
Natural Finishes
Natural materials, finishes, and distressed surfaces have helped define the shabby chic style. Driftwood, whitewashed bricks, bamboo, rattan, rope, and other materials can be introduced to add texture and character to interior designs. The finishes and textures give your living space an organic feel.
White
White on white is indicative of the shabby chic style. Whether pure white or a soft-white shade, when colors are used, white dominates the space.
Soft Hues Only
There’s no place in a shabby chic home for vivid colors and bold, dominating prints. The style is gentle, so choose from soft hues when it’s time to add color to a space.
Relaxed Fabrics
Loose, casual, and a bit unmade are good ways to describe the textiles that fit with the design style. This is not the place for formal fabrics, primly pleated accents, or tailored upholstery.
Mixed Not Matched
Mixing up the pieces in a shabby chic home is the way to go no matched sets of furniture. The eccentric, eclectic combinations of furniture and accessories you see in this decor style are what make the look so interesting.
Shabby Chic Style Ideas For 2022
A few characteristics of the shabby chic style are: simple and uncluttered, textural, and used or worn. Here are a few contemporary designs that illustrate the shabby chic aesthetic.
Older finishes are associated with the shabby chic look and can be antiques or new items made to look like antiques.
Shabby Sofa
This sofa captures the right rustic vibe with flour sack stripes and a light brown background. It looks even better when paired with vintage accessories.
Tufted Headboard
A tufted headboard captures the shabby chic look. When the bed is fully dressed in natural layers of white linens, a cottage couture vibe is captured. The pillows and comforter add to the shabby style.
Flea Market Treasure
Do not underestimate your local flea market. The markets are known to be hotbeds for shabby decor. Look for gentle colors as an accent, the one exception is the turquoise green that is found in the patina on a copper surface.
Weathered Doors
One thing you’ll notice is how architectural pieces are ideal for when you want to achieve a finished look.
Vintage accessories are at the core of the shabby chic style. The old doors are great for leaning against a repurposed wall, but you can also use shutters, windows, and other pieces.
Rustic Décor
Another flea market treasure. You should always be on the lookout for rustic accessories. They are a great way to add age to a room. The pieces have the right worn look and would work in any room.
Rustic Chic Chandelier
Chandeliers are ideal for shabby rooms, but you’ll have to look hard for a true vintage fixture. As a compromise, choose a new piece that looks old. This one has an old finish and features beads instead of crystals.
Worn Furniture
Slipcovers are part and parcel of any shabby vibe and can transform your furniture. These are more tailored than the typical slipcover but have the right look, thanks to the texture and exposed raveled seams.
Vintage Kitchen Set
How is this for inspiration? Mint is enjoying another moment and these enamelware pieces hark back to days gone by – perfect for a shabby kitchen or dining room.
Light Furniture Style
Light-colored furniture with soft pastels serve as the inspiration for this room.
Kitchen Inspiration
While it might raise a few eyebrows, including yours, if you were to decorate your space in old, worn-out pieces, there’s something absolutely charming in striking a balance between the beloved and historic with the fresh and new.
Here are 60 inspiring ways to incorporate shabby décor into every room of your home.{found on juliasvitadrommar}.
Shabby Chic Style Foyer
A pale blue frame is kept empty in this all-white entryway, almost taking the role of a simple piece of art.
A barn door is a fantastic piece of shabby décor, even if it leads to nowhere. {found on thefancyshack}.
A trademark of the shabby chic style is utilizing furniture in spaces were they’re not intended. This large turquoise dresser makes a great entryway piece with plenty of “hidden” storage.
This entryway displays plenty of shabby chic décor traits, including weathered wood, chipped paint, woven baskets, burlap, and an overall simple aesthetic.{found on farmhouseporch}.
An old wooden window of almost any shape, and IN almost any shape, makes a charming shabby chic entryway component.
In the shabby vein of reusing and/or upcycling, how about this old door-turned shelf? Simply mount the door on the wall, add a chunky shelf and two corbels, and you’ve got instant shabby entryway style.
Shabby Chic Living Room
Ornate lighting fixtures, such as these candelabra-style wall sconces, add a bit of sophistication to a space that embraces the wear and tear of everyday life. It’s a balancing act, for sure.
Vintage Furniture Pieces
A shabby chic home features vintage-looking furniture pieces. Not every piece needs to have a retro look. Incorporating one or two weathered pieces into a simple living room design scheme will get the message across perfectly.
Ornate, baroque styled furniture pieces accentuate the shabby chic style nicely. Perhaps because they are so opposite – one purposefully fancy, the other purposefully humble. Keep the color palette simple and neutral to make these two styles really sing in harmony.
Once again, a weather-roughened wooden door leaning against the wall creates an instant sense of warmth, welcome, and home. Although it doesn’t act like a piece of furniture here, a weathered wood door is practically a staple of shabby chic furniture.
Vintage furniture items, such as this delightfully paint-worn dresser in the living room, make lovely statement pieces and provide a foundation for showing off a collection of treasures. Just try to keep the collection well-edited.
White slipcovers over larger living room furniture pieces and a weather-beaten trunk for a coffee table create charming shabby chic style in the living area.
Floral curtains can be extremely versatile in a variety of styles, but these floral shabby chic curtains are paired to perfection with some worn oriental rugs and a rough wood stool.
Casual country chic living room furniture sits at the heart of the shabby chic aesthetic. Specific wood details, such as the herringbone natural wood floor and the pale painted wood wall planks, create a lovely foundation for
Shabby Chic Bedroom
Loads of layers and ruffles in white or pale pastel colors embody shabby bedding. The chic, feminine characteristics juxtapose nicely with the “shabby” aspect. (found on amyneunsinger.)
A detailed, almost damask-esque, wallpaper in subtle hues provides a fancy backdrop to heartwarmingly shabby and simple pieces, such as this antique metal bedside table. I love how the hues of the bedroom itself are bright and crisp, while the shabby chic piece stands out in a golden way.
Soft, pale color tones mixed with dreamy, almost ethereal whites, create the perfect shabby chic bedroom palette.
A simple metal four poster bed frame creates verticality and elegance in this bedroom that has effective shabby chic elements.{found on cotedetexas}.
Subtle shabby chic touches (e.g., painted planked wood floor, metal bedframe) mixed with glam elements (e.g., white chandelier, mirrored nightstands) produce a perfect soothing balance.{found on rigbyandmac}.
Opting for natural fibers in bedding provides a lovely wrinkled, shabby chic vibe to the bedroom. Colors needn’t be matchy-matchy, but rather they should meld together in peaceful pastels.{found on juliasvitadrommar}.
Keep in mind that, although many successful shabby chic bedroom spaces are mostly white, these rooms still need a grounding element. A woven or natural-fibered rug is an excellent, earthy way to provide this. (Plus, aren’t those pale blue glass vases just lovely?) {found on abeachcottage}.
Shabby Chic Kitchen
Plenty of room for floral patterns and mismatched hooks on one side of the wooden island make this shabby chic kitchen not only highly functional, but particularly lovely as well.
A chandelier in a white, vintage-y kitchen goes above and beyond the décor wow factor. Plus, that copper cake cover? I die.
Many might be under the impression that shabby chic style must be ensconced in vintage finds. A gleaming white kitchen with strategic farmhouse-style touches.
Lavender Color Accent
There’s nothing like the power of a lavender color accent. In this example, it’s the focal piece of the entire kitchen. Light wood beams and drop-down recessed lights on the ceiling, white subway tile for the backsplash.
image byBill Mathews Photographer
Plenty of eclectic color and vintage pieces make this wood-tabled farmhouse kitchen a cozy, friendly space. A butcher block countertop and wood planked backsplash help to keep things down-to-earth.
A burlap-upholstered bench, large wicker basket, and a severely weather-worn wooden island create an inviting section of the kitchen that people would want to hang out in.
Shabby Chic Dining Room.
A diamond (diagonal checkerboard) motif painted in muted tones and antiqued on the top of this dining table provide a lovely subtle shot of shabby chic personality. Beautiful
Keeping décor on the light and simple side of things is a critical element of fresh shabby chic style. Bright whites throughout this dining space keep the weathered furniture legs feeling intentional and fresh.{found on dreamywhites}.
The combination of crisp, contemporary pendant lights and chunky horizontal stripes on the walls with the worn and battered dining room chairs in this exemplary shabby chic style dining room is pure bliss.
A variety of earthy, natural textures, paired with a bit of antique glam, make this dining room a perfect shabby chic specimen.
Muted blues create a fresh feeling amidst the shabby chic scheme. Paired with an antique-looking chandelier that still sparkles, these two elements make this dining room feel fresh, even crisp.
Pared down forms, like this bare mannequin torso and simple white porcelain flower vase, bring out a feeling of appealing authenticity.
Perfect pastels and quaint, sweet accessories make this shabby chic style dining room a beacon.
Shabby Chic Home Office
An exterior lighting fixture, such as this hanging lantern, makes an excellent chandelier choice in a shabby chic space like this home office. Another example of placing pieces in unexpected/non-traditional spaces in shabby chic décor.
Turn regular soup cans into great shabby chic office organizers. Using natural-looking papers and fabrics, glue covers onto the cans. Place on lazy susan for easy, stylish accessibility.
Turn an ornate art frame into a magnetic chalkboard for the ultimate shabby chic office accessory. Silk flower-covered magnets help to complete the look. (found on thewillowshomeandgarden.)
This workspace features a shabby chic look. Clean lines, minimal clutter, with a few shabby chic details produce a positive vibe all around.
Shabby Chic Bathroom
In true to the shabby chic style, this bathroom mirror is a combination of many things. For example, the vintage old rake has been turned into a jewelry holder. A chipped paint cupboard door is the mirror’s foundation. And the mirror is an antiqued piece of glass.
Vintage Door Knob
A vintage door knob gets a white-then-distressed makeover to become an ideal shabby accessory as a robe or towel holder.{found on thehouseofsmiths}.
Shabby Chic Bathroom
If you have the space, the shabby chic style can be applied to your bathroom space. A chippy metal chair, for example, is both stylish and functional, and a battered hutch provides cool extra storage space.
A bright, friendly turquoise color makes this toilet paper, slash, magazine holder a cheerful addition to the shabby style bathroom. Areas of worn paint add to the charm.{found on etsy}.
A fully ruffled shower curtain is a romantic and feminine touch to the bathroom, working nicely with the white painted and antiqued ornate iron pieces above it.
A chippy shelf is a fun way to display toiletries while also storing them. (Found on farmhouseporch.)
Shabby Chic Laundry Room
An old wooden window, turned on its side, wallpapered, and mounted with hooks provides a shabby chic look for the laundry room.
A shelf dedicated strictly to shabby chic décor in the laundry room is a luxury…yet, when seen here, is more of a necessity, don’t you think?
The storage of laundry detergents in blue glass mason jars. (Found on 11magnolialane}.
“Hide” your ugly washer and dryer behind charming white sheet curtains. This is reminiscent of sheets hanging out to dry and makes for a most shabby laundry room.
Vintage Accessories
The shabby chic style also includes vintage accessories that fit with any room. The only thing you have to remember is to think outside of the box.
Hanging Jewelry Storage
Do you need a place for your designer jewelry that also offers quick and easy access? DIY projects add a shabby chic style to a room while also serving a purpose.
This picture frame jewelry organizer for example would look good in any bedroom.
Find out more on themakeyourownzone.
Picture Frames
Shabby chic decorations like this framed butterfly art for instance can fit well in any room. If you want to create an elegant atmosphere, install this in the bedroom above the headboard.
You could also add it to your home office. Why not personalize the entryway or integrate it into another space to feel more welcoming?
You can learn more at thediymommy.
Shabby Mantel Piece
Using reclaimed materials and repurposed items adds shabby chic style to your projects. An idea that you might like is to transform an old wooden shutter into a cool piece of flair.
The project is described in detail on hometalk so check it out to find out what you’ll need in order to make something similar.
Earring Cabinet Frame
Old frames look cool and are also functional. Here’s another version of a jewelry organizer which makes use of a reclaimed frame. It can be done in a few simple steps which are described on martysmusings.
First, you paint the frame, then you attach the chicken wire panel, you add the spacer on the back and finally, you hang it.
Vintage Lampshade
Something else that you could do to add a shabby aesthetic to a space like the bedroom or the living room is to decorate a lampshade with fabric roses. Check out the instructions and all the details on simplyciani before you get started.
Antique Storage Space
Restoring or transforming old furniture is another great way to create a shabby décor. Furniture makeovers are very rewarding and can have different goals. Check out paintmewhite to learn more about the transformation.
Vintage Candlesticks
A shabby chic style often includes a variety of decorative elements and ornamental features. These can range in size and can take a variety of forms. They can also be considered a wonderful opportunity to work on a DIY project.
Consider something simple, like a pair of painted hearts made out of thin plywood. You can find the tutorial for them on allthingsheartandhome.
French Bowls
Something specific that you can use as a decoration or a design detail in a shabby style is a terracotta pot. It’s easy to do and all you need is some chalky paint, matte varnish and a paintbrush. More details can be found on picklee.
DIY Flower Pots
Repurposed tin cans would also fit well in such a décor. There’s lots of different ways in which they can be repurposed but most commonly they’re turned into small vases or planters.
The tutorial from thepinningmama explains how you can transform empty tin cans using spray paint and lace and how you can use them to create beautiful shabby centerpieces.
Here’s another example of terracotta pots being used as decorations. This time the design introduced a new element. The pots have the house number on them and are meant to be displayed out on the front porch.
It’s a charming way of marking the house number. Head over to the36thavenue for more details.
You can achieve many cool things with a simple piece of wood. For instance, you can turn a wood slice into a beautiful tray and an element that you can integrate into a charming centerpiece. This tray has these stylish hairpin-style legs which are made out of bent metal tubes.
You can check out the tutorial on craftberrybush if you want to make something similar for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ
What Is The Difference Between Shabby Chic Style And French Country?
Shabby furniture features geometrical shapes, squares, rectangle tables, beds, and cupboards. Shabby chic furniture is more fashion oriented; meanwhile, French furniture décor offers a conventional and classy appeal.
What Gives Off A Shabby Chic Look?
The shabby chic look is an interior design where furniture and furnishings are chosen for their appearance. The reason why is because of their age and signs of wear and tear or with new items that are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique.
How To Make Shabby Chic Furniture?
You don’t need many tools to create a shabby chic furniture. Chalk paint in the color of your choice is the only thing you need, along with sandpaper and chalk paint wax to seal in your finish after you’re done painting. The furniture style features glazes and finishes that offer a sense of history and retro style.
What Does Shabby Sheek Style Mean?
The shabby chic look includes items that have been heavily painted through the years. You’ll notice many layers that show through time-worn areas. It’s also imitated in faux painting using glaze or by painting then rubbing and sanding away the top coat to show the wood or base coats. This process is known as distressing the finish of the furniture.
Shabby Chic Conclusion
As a design option, the shabby chic style offers room to explore creative DIY abilities. Between shabby chic beach house interior design to French country shabby chic cottage decor, you won’t encounter a shortage of ideas.
When you want to achieve a shabby chic look, you’ll find plenty of examples online to help you. You can find floral patterns and vintage accessories at your local flea market.
If you’re designing a room by yourself, sort through the ideas your like the most. After you decide on a color palette, select one color and use it as your reference. The idea behind DIY projects is you want to enjoy what you’re doing. Also, it shouldn’t take more than a day to design one room.
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