What style Shabby Chic: a definition

How Not to mention the style shabby chic that is very fashionable in recent years? Just take a trip to the web to realize how many fans of this style there are around, many Italian and foreign blogs exist on this style of furniture that, according to the opinion of many, is also a lifestyle.

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The term was coined by the magazine The World of Interiors in the 1980 and became extremely popular in the US in the 90s, with an increase of styles and variations in metropolitan cultural centers on the west coast of America, Eating Los Angeles and San Francisco. This style, not entirely new in Europe, was greatly influenced by our cultures, particularly those Mediterranean: Provencal, Tuscan and Greek.

Shabby chic (which literally means “shabby chic”) is a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are old and faded, are light colored pastel, if non-white, and show signs of wear, and may not be included in the list of antiques - such as furniture Victorian or Renaissance period - because they are not.

The style is a style shabby romantic and ethereal: seems to live in the clouds, in another world. Everything is soft and padded and has a very relaxed.

We must first of all to clarify what the shabby chic style, what are the shabby chic furniture real and what the country chic, the latter often confused with the shabby chic.

Shabby Chic is not a design, is not a certain form of furniture or of a certain age or culture, but a type of painting that takes place on the furniture, a light painting, white or pastel, decapata, faded: the furniture takes on a "ruined" and "dated". To which can be shabby all types of furniture with all kinds of forms. A movable shabby real is always a movable old, not made "shabby" the restoration, but just ruined by time. The important thing is that this furniture is ruined and worn and have not been touched. When we speak of "shabby chic style" instead, we talk about a piece of furniture made of wood from the restoration shabby, decapato (a technique to reproduce the real effect "ruined" and "faded" furniture). Finally we differentiate this style country chic, that, instead, is a form of real furnishings, design, the Provencal (In fact, we also talk about French Chic), that does not have to be white, but can also have other colors, also lit, the type checkered tablecloths white and red as complements and textiles of the house, the furniture can be dark or light wood, but also pastel and white, everything is to the taste of those who furnishes. Country Chic then (which literally means "country-chic") is a style of furniture and furnishings, and not a technique of painting on mobile. The furniture country chic fact, can also be bought new and just like that, do not have strength for signs of wear and are not marred. Same thing is the style Gustavian, a form of furniture, a style, which can then be stained and painted as you want.

It 'hard to shed light on this topic, often there is confusion, because in fact the two styles tend to merge.

This is an example of Shabby Chic: the furniture is just ruined and show signs of wear. The style can be squared or soft, does not matter, the important thing is that the furniture is worn:

 

This is an example of Country Chic, the furniture are not damaged, may also be new, what matters is the form, typically boxy, and the light color. A country-style furniture or can not be shabby.

Finally this is an example Gustavian Swedish. The furniture is very soft, are not angular, There are tables and chairs from the oval shape and is a very elegant style, sumptuous and elaborate, typical of the royal palaces. In my point of view is not a furniture cottage, that does not fit the houses of the country, but is best in a large building.

Still on the shabby chic style ...

As regards the textile, shabby chic home furnishing are in many laces, curtains of linen or cotton, embroidery, laces under the shelves, floral fabrics, all inspired by the French style. Ideal for use are the old grandmother's crocheted doilies, embroidered pillows, chenille bedspreads, i runner cotton embroidered, tablecloths and sheets of dowry (I do not know if you still use it, I have made) and all these complements classic. Everything is strictly off white, although there are various pastel shades, cream or pearl gray. But more is white is more shabby.

The chandeliers are ancient, classics, iron with drops of glass or crystal. We find the wrought iron and wood. The colors, as I said, are white, but also cream, off-white, blue, pale pink or pearl gray. The walls are usually painted white, but can also have shades slightly nuanced as beige or light gray. Complements of this style are the white porcelain or floral motifs, flowers country, lavender, roses arranged in rustic vases, such as those of metal from gardener. The paintings are themed rustic or country, bucolic, like flowers, fields and farm animals. Not infrequently there are also cherubs as wall decorations or furniture, as well as birds and hearts as both signs wooden ornaments. Typical of this style is the inevitable birdcage.

 

Variants of style shabby chic include the cottage chic, beach cottage chic (the bluish color, symbols shells and starfish), french chic the country chic and that Gustavian Swedish.