Tag Archives | Shabby Chic Style

Organizing in Style: Shabby Chic Storage Ideas

Every room needs storage furniture and containers. If you choose well designed pieces, they can be left out in the open and add to the decor and style of the room. Here are some shabby chic storage ideas that will help transform your space.

Upcycling Furniture

Shabby chic furniture is distressed, and the best way to do this is to upcycle furniture finds. Repaint them, and add decorative elements. The free standing shabby chic closet in picture (1) has been distressed painted in blue. You’ll want to keep to the shabby chic color palette if you decide to paint any piece. So colors like mint, baby blue, yellow, pink, cream, and white – keep to the pastel shades. For a DIY guide on how to distress paint furniture, my post here has a link to a step by step guide.

Another way to upcycle your furniture and storage closets is to add fabric. That is what the shabby chic style is all about – a soft feeling space, covered in fabric. Use lace and crochet, or floral patterned fabric. The cabinet in picture (2) has had lace fitted on the inside of the glass panels. If you have open shelves, why not create a backdrop by fitting shabby chic style fabric to the back walls (Creative DIY Ideas for Living Room Shelves).

A easy way of adding storage to a room is to drape fabric over a table. Say you have a side table with legs in your living room, you can just drape some shabby chic style fabric over it. Now you can store items undercover.

Shelving Ideas

Here are a few creative ideas for shabby chic shelves:

Create framed shadow boxes just like in picture (3). For more ideas on using shabby chic frames around the house have a look at my mood board here: Photo Display: Ideas for Shabby Chic Picture Frames and Stands.
Use cast iron shelving brackets (4), or even decorative cast iron floating wall shelves.
Decorative crown molding is another way to create unique wall shelving. In picture (5) it is being used to hang up shoes.
You can buy bird cage style wall racks. These can be used to store and organise jewellery (6), photos, or keys.
Reclaimed wooden ladders, with their distressed look, can be used to hang up clothes (7), blankets in the living room, or towels in the bathroom.
Reclaimed wooden windows fitted with clothes hooks can be hung up and used to hang up clothes . For pictures have a look at my mood board here: Home Decor Ideas: Using Reclaimed Old Windows.

Shabby Containers

Wire and wicker baskets or storage boxes are great for storing things all over the house (8) (9). You can even have white or lace fabric lining them. For wicker baskets you can go with the rustic wooden look, or white painted ones will look good in a shabby chic room.

Burlap is another material that fits in well with the shabby chic look. In picture (10) burlap has been used to decorate storage jars.

The plant pots in picture (11) are cheap IKEA flower pots with paper napkin decoupage. Here they are being used to store art supplies. They can also be used to group clutter in the living room or by the front door. They can also be used to store kitchen utensils or TV remotes.

Buckets, either galvanised or painted with a high gloss pastel color, can be handy storage containers. They can be used to house plants (12) or used as a trash can. They can store magazines, extra pillows, blankets, or fire wood.

Vintage style bottles (13) can be used to as plant stem stands. In the kitchen or bathroom they can replace your plastic branded bottles (washing liquid, hand soap, etc.). Have a look at this mood board for more ideas on using vintage bottles around the house: Home Decor Ideas: Using Vintage Glass Bottles.

Other storage container ideas:

Enamel containers look great for kitchen storage (Vintage Kitchen Storage Ideas: From Milk Baskets to Wicker Baskets)
Avoid using plastic containers, and instead go with glass

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For more shabby chic inspiration, have a look at my mood boards here:

March 7, 2014 in Design Styles, Storage

Romance in Style: Shabby Chic Lighting Ideas

The Definition of Shabby Chic: Chandeliers

When people think of the shabby chic style, they think of white and pastel shade, drapes and chandeliers. A chandelier is a statement piece in any shabby chic room. It really sets the style tone for the space, and is a must have piece when it comes to shabby chic lighting.

There are a few design options when it comes to choosing a chandelier for a room. There are the more French antique chandeliers, just like the one in picture (1). Or there are more modern shabby chic chandeliers (2), with all the metal parts painted over.

You’ve also got chandeliers that are decorated with flowers, lamp shades (3), and plants (4). Each creating a different twist on the shabby chic style. If you want a more toned down and refined look, then a mini chandelier is the way to go – just like the one in picture (5).

There are also a few ways to create your own personalised DIY chandelier. Hanging icicle/fairy lights on a hula hoop creates a string light chandelier. Strands of acrylic crystals can be hung around existing ceiling lights (6) using a wire wreath – DIY instructions here.

Having a chandelier is a major part in creating a shabby chic styled room. But not everyone can start changing their ceiling lights. An alternative would be to use chandelier style table and floor lamps (7). The ones below can be bought from amazon. The floor lamp in picture (8) is an upcycled DIY project, which you can follow along with here

Pink Silk Jewel Lamp Shade: $45 Amazon | Vanilla Twist Lamp Shade: $43 Amazon

Downbridge Floor Lamp: $119 Amazon

Barn Lighting Fixtures

For more wall or ceiling shabby chic light fixtures, have a look at barn lights. These have a vintage style to them, and come in white, galvanized, or pastel colored. Barn Light Electric is a great place for these kinds of lights.

Mint Wall Lamp: $216 Barn Light Electric | Homestead Pendant Light: $109 Barn Light Electric

Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns are another way to add some whimsy to a room. For a shabby chic room you will want to use white, pastel (pink, mint), or the paper lanterns with a floral pattern on them. You can just have one hanging down and lighting the room, or you can create a paper lantern chandelier (multiple paper lanterns hanging down with one light in the middle lighting them all up).

Have you seen all the DIY projects that can be done with a paper lantern [post coming soon]? Paper lanterns make great bases for lighting projects. People have glued vintage maps onto them, butterfly cutouts (9), or thousands of coffee filters on them to create a fluffy lamp.

Elegance in Fabric

A shabby chic room is soft, meaning it has a lot of fabric around the room. From lace curtains (Window Treatment Style: Shabby Chic Curtains, Rods, and Tie Backs), to quilted blankets. Fabric can also be used when it comes to lighting the room.

In the day you’ll want to have as much sunlight bathing the room as possible. This natural lighting mixed with hanging lace makes for a great combination, creating a soft and diffused glow in the room. You can do this by hanging up lace curtains, or hang lace drapes/canopy down from the ceiling.

String lights can be used at night. Get the LED ones as they give off less heat. Now you can wrap the lace or a light fabric around the string lights to create a soft glow at night (10).

Whimsical Table Lighting

Above I talked about having a chandelier style table or floor lamp. Other lamp ideas include: using those formal and traditional style lamp shades – seen in picture (11). How about using a bird cage to create a unique lamp (12) (Home Decor Ideas: Using Bird Cages)? Or there are lamps in the style of a candle lantern.

Candles also create elegant lighting. You can find some great looking shabby chic style candle stands – either with acrylic jewels, chipped painted, or go for the antique metal French candle stands. If you are worried about the fire hazard, fill up a bowl with water and use floating candles. Or put a candle into a vintage style jar. Battery powered candles can also be used. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

More Shabby Chic Mood Boards:

March 7, 2014 in Design Styles, Lighting

Photo Display: Ideas for Shabby Chic Picture Frames and Stands

A chipped and distressed painted wooden frame would be the go to choice for shabby chic picture frames – just like the ones in picture (1). But there are other creative picture frame ideas that can also create the shabby chic style.

Lace can be wrapped around normal a photo frame to create a softer and more shabby chic look (2). While reclaimed wood can be used to create a rustic and decorative shabby chic frame (3).

Reclaimed wooden mirrors and windows, with their distress look, can be upcycled into a panel of shabby chic frames – seen in picture (4). Check out my post here for more reclaimed window ideas – such as turning one into a coffee table or kitchen cabinet.

Old window frames or larger photo frames can be used as a frame to hang string. Now you’ve got a way to hang up small photos (5). Or you could do without the frame and use thin rope and vintage style clothes pegs to hang up black and white photos, just like in picture (6).

An old frame can also be used to create a burlap cork board – seen in picture (7), which can have photos pinned onto it.

Crafty Collages

There are a few ways you can create a shabby chic photo collage. The first way is to just use photos. For a more shabby chic look, mix together different media pieces. Mix vintage photos, crotchet, lace, and mementos to create a framed collage – just like the one in picture (8).

Another way to create a collage would be to us a mixture of different photo frames. In picture (9), small photo frames have been painted white and then attached to a wooden backdrop. This can then be hung up or left to stand against the wall.

Photo Stands and Other Shabby Ideas

Here are some shabby chic photo stand ideas:

Bird cages can be used to display and house photos. Have a look at my mood board here for pictures and ideas: Home Decor Ideas: Using Bird Cages.
Vintage style jars can have photos in them
I did a little DIY project using air dry clay to create photo stands seen below. You can see the step by step post here.
Driftwood can also be used to create a photo rack or display stand (10).

Don’t forget about transferring your photos onto different materials. Picture (11) shows photos that have been transferred onto wood. You can also transfer photos onto pillows, napkins, and even furniture (12). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

Whimsy and Romance: Shabby Chic Decor Ideas

The shabby chic decorating style is a soft and whimsical one. You’ll see lots of white and pastel shades. There will be a lot of fabric decorating the space, creating that soft and diffused feeling. Here are a range of shabby chic decor ideas that will transform any room into a whimsical and romantic space.

Dancing in Fabric

Fabric plays a big role in the shabby chic style. That is what most people imagine: a pastel colored room, bathed in lace and floral fabric. One way of adding shabby chic fabric to your room is through the curtains. My mood board here (Window Treatment Style: Shabby Chic Curtains, Rods, and Tie Backs) shows all the different ways you can style a window. From using lace as seen in picture (1) or floral curtains, to using rustic wooden or cast iron curtain rods. You can even shabby up the tie backs by using vintage door knobs.

Other ways of adding fabric into shabby chic decorating ideas and rooms:

Draping shabby chic style fabric over any side tables, coffee tables, or dining tables you have
Draping a quilt over your couch
Hanging up a canopy (2)
Hanging up LED string lights and wrapping them in light fabric to create a soft glow (3). LED ones produce less heat and so are a better choice
Below I go over how you can add fabric to upcycle your furniture

Furniture and Storage Ideas

Distress painting your furniture pieces is a good way to create the shabby chic style (Romance at Home: Shabby Chic Furniture Ideas). In my shabby chic storage post, I showed other ways you can upcycle different furniture pieces in a room to create a shabby chic look. One example is taking normal cabinets and fitting lace on the inside of the glass doors, just like the closet in picture (4). This can also be done to the back walls of your open shelves. Stick lace or floral fabric to create a backdrop for your shelves. Another way to decorate your shelves is to hang up a decorative frame around them to create a shadow box (5). Check out the mood board here for more ideas and pictures: Organizing in Style: Shabby Chic Storage Ideas.

In that storage post, you’ll also see ideas for shabby chic style storage containers. Things like wicker (6) and wire baskets, enamel containers, or even using an old ladder to hang things up. Well designed storage pieces can be left out in the open and help style and decorate the space.

Creative Shabby Room Decor Ideas

Logs: Logs make for cheap rustic coffee tables and stools. While smaller log pieces can be turned into photo stands, candle holders, and planters. Keep them their natural rustic color, or paint them white for a more shabby look (Home Decor Ideas: Using Logs)

Bird Cages: Who knew bird cages could be used for so many different decor ideas? (Home Decor Ideas: Using Bird Cages). For a shabby chic style, go with a white one. They can be used to house plants, books, or turned into a lamp (7).

Shabby Picture Frames: Large decorative picture frames can be used for more than just displaying photos and paintings. You can tie string from one side to the other and hang up smaller photos or jewellery. Fit a piece of cork board inside a decorative frame and you’ve got yourself and shabby chic bulletin board. Check out my mood board here for a collection of images and other ideas: Photo Display: Ideas for Shabby Chic Picture Frames and Stands.

Photos: In that photo display mood board you’ll also see ideas such as using vintage style clothes pegs to hang up photos on a rope. Or transferring your photos onto wood to create a rustic and shabby look (8).

Vintage Bottles: A vintage bottle is another item that can be used for a bunch of decor ideas around the house. I wrote a whole post of ideas here: Home Decor Ideas: Using Vintage Glass Bottles. Some ideas include: using them as table decorations, and plant or candle stands. Or how about those plastic branded containers you have in the kitchen and in the bathroom (for dish liquid, hand soap, etc.). You can pour the liquids into vintage bottles and get rid of those plastic ones. Now you have elegant bottles decorating your kitchen and bathroom just like in picture (9).

Reclaimed Windows: With their rustic look and distressed paint, reclaimed windows fit in well with the shabby chic style. They can be upcycled into coat racks, picture frames, coffee tables (10), and even cabinets. Have a look at my mood board here for more ideas and pictures: Home Decor Ideas: Using Reclaimed Old Windows.

Your Shabby Chic Walls

How you treat your walls will play a major role in how your room will look and feel. The classic paint choice is white. It is plain, but it creates a blank canvas for you to decorate the rest of the room with pastel colored (baby blue, yellow, pink) decor pieces. There is also the option of painting the walls in a pastel color. For wall treatement ideas and pictures have a look here: Room Styling: Shabby Chic Paint Colors.

In my wallpaper post (Shabby Chic Wallpaper Ideas and Designs) I showcase a range of different design ideas. From floral ones to watercolor and even distress wood wallpapers. My favorite is the anaglypta wallpaper. This is the white wallpaper that has a 3D design on it, which is perfect for a shabby chic room – seen in picture (11).

Also in that wallpaper post I go over finishing touches such as vintage French style crown molding (12). Wall trim is another shabby chic design treatment for your walls (13).

Don’t forget about the grand piece in any shabby chic room, the chandelier: Romance in Style: Shabby Chic Lighting Ideas. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13