What Is Shabby Chic Interior Design?

Shabby Chic is an interior design style that heavily features distressed furniture and a trend of upcycling. Often described as a feminine style of interior because of pale colours, floral patterns and charming accessories. The style rose in popularity back in the 1980’s and was used as a way for the upper middle class to show off their wealth and taste, with the use of classic vintage furniture, whereas in more recent times it’s seen as a more rustic look that brings second hand pieces back to life.

How To Do Shabby Chic

If you are wanting to make a space within your home feel a little more shabby chic, we’ve identified some of the key features that can help you achieve this look within your home. From our research on Pinterest and Instagram we have identified the top 5 main features of this design style, which you can use as a guide to help transform your space.

1. Shabby Chic Accessories

There’s nothing minimal about this type of interior design and the accessories you choose to place within your home can really make a difference. If you are a fan of the ditsy floral element of shabby chic design, then you should look to bring in those patterns through soft furnishings like cushions and curtains.

There’s also the “Live, Love, Laugh” style which is popular, and you can introduce this element through wall art, accessories and little keepsakes that can help you fill up empty walls or shelves within your home.

Shabby Chic is quite a maximalist style of interior design so don’t be afraid to fill your space up with plenty of accessories and trinkets.

2. Distressed Furniture

Of course, no shabby chic design is complete without the introduction of distressed, upcycled furniture. To create the look of shabby chic furniture you will first need to decide on the look you want to go for and the finish. The most popular style is to use a chalk furniture paint in a heritage colour like pale blue, pastel green or white and then sand down the paint to expose the wood underneath to create a rustic finish. Finishing touches can also be added if you are feeling creative such as wallpaper, vinyl backing or hand painted designs to make the piece a little more unique for your home.  

Instagram Credit: VintageChic12

3. Shabby Chic Paint

The colours used on the walls throughout the shabby chic interiors we have seen online are pale, pastel shades with hints of green, blue, whites and creams. When it comes to the design of the walls the colour choices are often quite minimal and the character is highlighted through the accessories and furniture. If you did want to introduce more than one shade into the space, you could have a feature wall or use contrasting colours on the furniture to complement the walls.

4. Farmhouse Panelling

If you are wanting to go for a shabby chic interior that has a more country feel to it then you could consider adding some farmhouse panelling to your space. Panelling is a huge trend right now within interior design and it’s becoming easier and easier to create a high end panelled look yourself at home. This style typically features thin rectangular strips of MDF that can be attached to the wall vertically or horizontally at varying wall heights depending on the space you are renovating.

Instagram: MadeByMor

5. Shabby Chic Mirror

Another key accessory is the addition of wall mirrors and there are two particular styles we have seen the most through our research. One being a French style that helps you create a more elegant, classic style of shabby chic and the other being an arched window style which again plays to the country style. This is a great way to again add some detailing to the walls and make your room come together as one.

Instagram: LottiesCottage

Overall, shabby chic is an easy design that you can start implementing into your home right away. Remember it’s all about getting your personality across and being bold with your décor choices.

Throughout March we are exploring shabby chic interior design and will hopefully be giving you ideas of how you can make this style work within your home.

Keep up with us on Instagram and Facebook and stay tuned for our shabby chic hallway makeover at the end of the month.