Bring Your Home Up to Date with Shabby Chic

Some home trends come and go but experts predict that the trend for shabby chic is here to stay  and one of the best things about it, is that it can be incorporated into a wide range of decors. So whether you have a modern studio flat or a Georgian terraced house, there's a place for it.

Suitable for most rooms

Just take a look online at websites selling shabby chic and you'll quickly see that furniture is produced for most rooms. You can find:

* Tables for the kitchen or dining room
* Side tables, chairs and footstools for the living room
* Wardrobes/ottomans for the bedroom
* Cabinets and drawers for the bathroom
* Hall stands

Colour choices

White or ivory/cream tend to be the most common base colours for shabby chic furniture but if you shop around, you can pick up other colours such as baby blue or light pink. If you want shabby chic painted furniture to fit in with an existing colour theme, it should be easy to find something in white or cream with finishing touches in the colour you are looking to match.

Like most things, shabby chic can be over-done so don't make the mistake of filling your house with it. Just one or two carefully chosen items can brighten your living room and give it a fresh feel. If you would like to add a few little extra touches, consider adding a shabby chic mirror or picture frame and then choose some co-ordinating soft furnishings such as cushions, rugs or throws.

Accessories in very dark rich colours such as burgundy or chocolate brown can provide a striking contrast against white or cream chairs or table.

Take care where you buy

Sadly, given the fact that shabby chic furniture is meant to look  well, shabby  many inexperienced people have dabbled in the market. That's not really surprising since it is easy to think that anyone can pick up a piece of old, battered furniture for just a few pounds at a charity shop and give it a rough lick of paint. You can then label it shabby chic and sell it on for a good profit.

But nothing could be further from the truth. There really is a lot of skill needed to produce a piece of furniture that looks the part without looking downright tatty or cheap. Like many skills, the experts just make it look easy - but it takes a lot of work and skill to achieve the finished result. It's also vital to use the right type of paint for the job. For example, if you are buying a storage stool for the bathroom where steam is a factor, an item created using the wrong type of paint will soon begin to peel.

So it's important that you buy your shabby chic painted furniture from a reputable retailer, such as Apple Blossom to ensure that you are buying a quality item.

AUTHOR BIO: Diyana Wilson has been writing for interior design magazines and blogs for more than 10 years. She is a huge fan of shabby chic and has sourced a lot of items for her own flat from websites such as Apple Blossom.

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