My Guides:
Here are some helpful guides I've written to help you achieve "delightfully shabby decor" on a shoestring:
Trash to Treasure with Decals: Shabby Chic Home Decor
Easy Cheap Crackle Finishes: Shabby Chic Furniture
Confessions of a Lazy Painter: How To Paint Stuff QUICK
Top 10 Furniture Painting Shortcuts & Tips
Shabby Chic: How to Distress Painted Furniture
My Favorite Shabby Things:
My Grandmother's china teacups
Chippy white end tables
Comfy footstools
Rumply cotton slipcovers over soft smooshy chairs
Old crystal chandeliers
Broken china mosaic art
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What is "Shabby Chic" Style?
If you're like me, you were decorating with vintage rose-covered china, painted furniture from Grandma's house, tea stained & faded vintage fabrics and worn crystal chandeliers long before Rachel Ashwell coined the phrase "Shabby Chic" - but those two words just perfectly sum up this beloved decorating style.
A little "dressier" than cottage style, more sophisticated than "country" and less frilly and fussy than victorian - but some of each all rolled up into one - shabby chic is a look and feel that you grow and develop over time, rather than pick out at the furniture store.
Just about any flea market furniture find can be transformed into a shabby work of art with a little paint & some vintage roses.
For those of us who were decorating "Shabby Chic" before it was "in style", this isn't a decorating style, but rather a mode of self expression.
For people who are obsessed with fashion, shabby chic was something in vogue to adopt.
But for those of us who enjoy cozy cuddly comfort, aged patinas, and a look of timeworn effortless elegance, "shabby chic" will always be fresh and creative!
Shabby Chic decorating melts a large variety of furniture styles into one harmonious picture with the liberal use of chippy white paint and rosy accent colors in faded, tea stained tones.
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Q: I absolutely love your site...but, I need to know where I can find furniture that fits the description of Shabby Chic or Cottage Style. Perhaps its on ebay but I have no luck finding it... Please, if you don't mind can you help me in locating this?
Thanks so much for your help!
Debra
A: Hi, Debra!
Thank you so much for the kind words about my site! Most of the 'Shabby Chic' furniture I buy is at the local Goodwill! Or garage sales.
Craig's List is a GREAT place too:
First find and click your city in the right hand column.
Then look under 'FOR SALE' and click on 'FURNITURE'
That's the beauty of shabby chic - you get to go on the hunt!
I'm halfway through furnishing & decorating an entire second home 'Shabby Chic' style - 3 bedrooms 2 baths Living & Dining Room - all for $5000!
It's taking a lot more time than if I just went to the furniture store and picked everything out, but it's a lot more fun, more personal, and a WHOLE lot less expensive!
When I get it done I'll write an eBay guide with photos and my budget. Can't wait!
I have quite a few guides with tons of inspiration and tips:
My Guides: Trash to Treasure Tips for your Shabby Chic Decor
Happy hunting!
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