If you are wondering what shabby chic style is and what it consists of, you should know that we are talking about a type of decoration that – although it is currently one of the decoration trends of 2021 – comes from the 18th century and the taste for the details of the English countryside.

The English Victorian era and its incredible country houses have been a source of inspiration for countless decorators over the years. Surely we all remember those beautiful period films in which dogs run around, horses graze and hundreds of fragrant rose bushes spring up around them.

In the case of the modern trend, shabby chic decoration is characterised by its fusion of shabby and elegant. In fact, we literally speak of: shabby (shabby) and chic (luxurious).

Shabby Chic in the decoration of a house

The homes that use this decoration use rustic and worn furniture and the use of ornaments and fabrics with floral prints, where the colour white predominates.

The popularity of shabby chic decoration came in the 20th century with the publication The World of Interiors, which defined this style as a subtle blend of the most refined French decoration with British elegance.

The importance of colours

The colours we can find in Shabby Chic as we said tend to be white with floral details; however, the colour palette of this style is wider, predominantly a palette of pastel colours.

Thus, we can find shades such as pink, aqua green, sky blue, turquoise, among others. White -always present- brings that luminosity that the houses of the English countryside used to boast.

Although coming from an 18th century style some may consider this trend as vintage, the truth is that the current mix of elements and colours makes Shabby Chic a modern adaptation of its past self.

Decorating with Shabby Chic furniture

Antiques and furniture with worn touches take centre stage in this style. This taste for the “classic” includes restored furniture, Victorian figures, colourful vases, carpets and upholstered pieces with floral motifs.

In this taste for the British, we can complement a room with carpeting, include chests of drawers, copper lamps on the ceiling or large mirrors covered in antique gold.

This does not mean that we should overload the house with objects. We must find the right balance between antique and modern, without too much floral ornamentation or bright prints. Let’s create warm, luminous atmospheres that are elegant at the same time.

Shabby Chic Kitchens

Kitchens have always been a fundamental part of the home. In the Shabby Chic style they have special relevance due to the complexity of merging the concept of worn but elegant into a useful space.

Shabby Chic Bathrooms

Finally, let’s talk about another of the most important parts of the house and one that tends to have special relevance in terms of decoration: the bathrooms. Shabby Chic bathrooms, like kitchens, have the challenge of presenting a space that blends modernity with antiquity.

In this case a crucial element could be a huge claw-foot bathtub, if possible in copper tones. Other aspects such as floral prints, a vase with roses, or white or pastel tones on the walls will also play an important role.

Shabby Chic Bedrooms

Before finishing this post it is important to mention the last important space in the house. Shabby Chic bedrooms should convey exactly the same things we have been talking about throughout the blog: a touch of antiquity, warmth and modernity at the same time.

In this sense, the bedrooms will be full of light coming through windows with silky curtains hanging from them. Inside, we can include materials such as carpeting or patterned rugs, wicker chairs or worn furniture.

Remember that this does not mean that we overload the space. When decorating a bedroom in Shabby Chic style we should feel comfortable and try to keep our personal touch.

Conclusions

If you wish, there are also other small corners in the house where you can use Shabby Chic decoration, such as a hallway, an entrance, a corridor or a passageway. Here we can use all the variables we have mentioned and mix wicker, copper, large vintage mirrors and chairs with “antique” touches.

Finally, we would like to remind you that Shabby Chic is not necessarily vintage. It uses antiques, pastel colours, chests of drawers and worn furniture within the concept of “British elegance”. You will see that the fusion is really interesting.