27 Mar Furnishing styles: shabby chic interiors
It is always time for renovations and consequently for interior design. Many people find themselves renovating their homes and need to determine how to furnish their spaces. The possibilities are many, but in the end, it always depends on personal taste.
There are so many styles to choose from: modern, contemporary, shabby chic, Scandinavian, vintage, and boho chic, but these are just a few. Choosing will be complicated, and sometimes you cannot make up your mind, but once you have selected the right style, your home will have a unique and personalised look.
Furnishing means paying attention to every detail such as shapes, lines, volumes and last but not least, materials. In this article, we want to focus on the shabby chic interiors style, which is one of the trendy styles in furniture and interior design.
Sommario
What to know about the shabby chic style: origins and curiosities
Shabby chic is a design style for interior decoration that consists of choosing, furniture, accessories and furnishings that have an antique, authentic used look due to the passage of years or were made specifically to make it appear old and worn.
Shabby décor originated in Great Britain, in country houses, where the furnishings were not too pretentious. In fact, old furniture with faded paint was used, while sofas and curtains were made of chintz, a sturdy cotton fabric that is very versatile. This style is suitable for those with a romantic and elegant soul, and for those who want to give new life to old furniture through the pickled technique and the use of pastel colours. Shabby chic is suitable for all kinds of rooms, bedrooms, living rooms and even the kitchen, and gives each of these a special touch.
The expression shabby chic first appeared in 1980, in the British magazine The World of Interiors. Shabby chic refers to an ‘unkempt style’, more precisely aged, perhaps with scratches and worn, a style that has undoubtedly been worn by time but is so distinctive as to make it chic.
Materials and colour palettes for furnishing in the shabby chic style
The shabby style has evolved, merging with Provençal and Swedish craftsmanship to become a unique style. The material originally preferred for shabby-style furniture is solid wood that usually has wrought iron details. Today, other more technological and even recycled materials can also be used.
The colours generally used in the shabby style are all declinations of white – beige, dove grey, ivory, grey and pink – they should have a matt and pastel base, often combined with natural colours such as sage green and lavender lilac, with vintage nuances. This colour palette applies not only to walls and floors, but also to furnishings: furniture, objects, and upholstery.
If you want to give the room a Provençal feel, we recommend placing a few jars of lavender flowers here and there, which will not only perfume your rooms but also give a romantic note to your home.
Furniture, walls, and floors: ideas for the shabby chic interiors style
As we mentioned earlier, shabby furniture prefers old or new wood, the important thing is that it is treated in such a way as to make it look worn, because the aim you want to achieve is antiqued furniture.
It is advisable to use wardrobes, sideboards, high headboards, tables and chairs with special legs, mirrors with worked frames, and all the furniture and furnishings of the past. On the other hand, you can also try your hand at decoupage for small furniture items.
For flooring, wood, stone, and terracotta are commonly used, just like the old British country houses. Nowadays it is also possible to have a wood effect thanks to porcelain stoneware.
For shabby chic walls, wallpapers are also used: the more worn the effect, the more vintage will be achieved. The texture can be damask or with small Provencal-style flowers or stripes, the important thing is that the shades are in pastel tones.
For fabrics, the choice falls on linen, jute, hemp and cotton, natural fibres that are used for curtains and upholstery, which can also be adorned with crocheted lace, which is a very shabby style.
This type of shabby furnishing also encourages DIY, where old furniture is repainted in white or neutral tints to give it an antique effect, combining them with fabrics in pastel shades for sofas, curtains, cushions, and linen in a romantic, vintage style.
Windows and doors in perfect shabby chic style
Turning to windows and doors, what does the shabby style offer us? We can say that the shabby chic style is also easily adapted for doors and windows. First, it must be said that the choice of doors and windows is very important in making the home environment harmonious and comfortable. Keeping with the shabby style, it is a good idea to choose wooden doors and windows that are reminiscent of the style of the English countryside and that provide multiple advantages, i.e., they guarantee thermal insulation as well as being resistant and durable over time.
The shapes of the windows should be classic, to enhance the furnishings as much as possible. The colour must match the walls, so we suggest white, but ivory, beige and grey, and opaque white finishes can also be preferred. Today it is also possible to have PVC frames that look like wood, strong and insulating, and retractable doors that become real furnishing accessories.
Whatever style you have chosen to furnish your home, shabby chic or otherwise, with Eurocassonetto you will have doors and windows that are just right for you. As always, we take care of our customers, following them from start to finish with the seriousness and professionalism that distinguishes us. Do not hesitate to contact us by phone at +39 0922 31885 or by e-mail at info@eurocassonetto.com.