So what’s the shabby-chic style all about? It’s a type of interior design which uses soft furnishings and furniture that is, or looks, a little worn or old. Despite this, the shabby-chic look is aesthetically pleasing and quaint. It’s all about vintage, feminine accents and muted pastel colours. The room should look lived-in, yet beautifully put together. Renowned designer Rachel Ashwell was one of the first people to popularize this look. Rachel opened a shabby-chic style store in California during the late eighties. A kitchen is the perfect room to create this style.
Distressed Cabinets
Distressed cabinets are generally made of wood, the finish is intentionally changed so that it looks older, and so that the paint or wood is peeling away. To distress a wooden cabinet you can use paint stripper or sandpaper. You can also purchase readily distressed cabinets to save you the work. Either way, these cabinets are the perfect way to give your kitchen a shabby chic look.
Upcycle Accessories
To provide any room with this gorgeous style, it’s all about upcycling old items to make new accessories. Why not start by saving some old bottles and turning these into some lovely vases? Fashion yourself some bunting using an unwanted garment and some string? Take a look at apps like Recyclart for plenty of upcycling ideas. The app allows users to browse through thousands of ideas, searching by various categories and receiving notifications when new upcycling posts are published.
Preserved flowers
Fresh flowers are great, but preserved flowers have that real shabby-chic style. You can purchase these or you make preserved flowers yourself. One method you can use to do so is by pressing your flowers, for instance by closing them into a heavy book. You can also microwave your flowers to remove all of the moisture.
Add floral fabric
Floral fabric turns any kitchen from conventional to shabby-chic in seconds! Whether it’s fabric for your chair cushions, table cloths, the inside of your glass cabinets, or your bunting. For a simple lesson on how to make good quality bunting check out this bunting tutorial video.
Cleaning tips
If things aren’t organized and clean, the look of those distressed cabinets and vintage accessories will fail to create the right impression. You want things to look shabby- chic and not neglected. Wipe down all of your surfaces daily, using vinegar and baking soda or a green cleaner. You can also use a dash of eucalyptus oil, which is an excellent scent to ward off pests. Kitchen pests can be difficult to get rid of once they’ve invaded. Remember to wipe up food residue immediately and store everything in airtight containers. If you continue to have trouble, try this pest control service at https://www.000pestcontrol.com.au/
When you’re next renovating your kitchen, why not give the shabby chic look a try? With a few trips to the vintage store and some upcycling projects, you’ll soon create something beautiful.
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