Replacing the furniture in your home for new can be quite expensive, so it is sometimes best to settle on a particular style you like and then buy a few items each month or so until you get the look you want. The furniture alone however does not have to define how the room looks.
Home accessories
With so many home accessories available we thought we would just mention a few of the better ways you can add that shabby chic look to your home without spending a fortune.
Replacement furniture knobs
Changing the knobs on your furniture can really make a difference to how your furniture looks. Adding ceramic knobs or glass or metal knobs can really spruce up that old dresser and tie the piece in with your other furniture items.
Vintage and reclaimed coat hooks
Instead of hanging your coat in a wardrobe or at the end of the staircase, why not buy a vintage styled set of coat hooks or even a reclaimed wood coat hook to tie your hallway design in with the rest of your house? Small design statements can have a big impact on your overall design.
Outdoor design and ornaments
Bring the inside of your home to the outdoors with a range of garden design elements that keep the flow of your design through your living and outdoor space. Adding French reproduction garden chairs or even aged ceramic garden tables can achieve the look you want in a really cost effective way.
French furniture is currently in fashion and French bedroom furniture is particularly popular. The look is characterised by solid wood items which are eye-catching classics.
French bedroom furniture is often white or pale pastel shades. In some cases the wood veneer is highly polished, while in others the finish is rougher to create what is known as the shabby chic look. For the latter, edges may be sanded and layers of paint exposed to give an aged, rustic look.
Essentially, it is all about warmth and that rural feel. The furniture should create a relaxed atmosphere and should also be stout and durable. You will be able to get not just beds, but dressing tables, night stands, cupboards and wardrobes in this style.
Where once such furniture would have cost a fortune to import, nowadays you can get exactly what you are looking for online. Retailers know their market and are producing magnificent pieces of rural French furniture at quite affordable prices. If you get French furniture for your bedroom, you will be assured of a comfortable, great looking haven from the world outside each night when you go to bed.
If you’re currently furnishing and decorating your house, you may have heard the term ‘shabby chic’ being used. However, you may not really know what it means. So what constitutes shabby chic furniture?
Pastel shades
While people may mean slightly different things by the term, in general it refers to aged, traditional looking French style furniture. Most commonly such furniture will be white or at the very least, pale, pastel shades. It is very rare that you will see dark wood or indeed any natural wood tones at all.
Distressed finish
Another feature of shabby chic furniture is the finish. Furniture will look aged, so distressing is common. This doesn’t mean peeling paint. It is more likely that edges will be sanded down to give an irregular finish.
Where to get it
The good news is that you don’t need wait for your current furniture to age and you don’t need to go hunting round antique shops either. Shabby chic items are now being produced to meet the growing demand. A range of designs are available and each item will be artificially aged using different techniques to give it the right look. Take a look online and you are sure to be able to find something that catches your eye.
