Shabby chic is one of the top looks for 2014, so, if you are looking for the perfect window coverings for your Hertfordshire home, plantation shutters or solid shutters are a perfect choice. Wooden shutters work especially well with this style of interior because they offer a mix of contemporary style with classic design and are reminiscent of yesteryear.
Shabby chic interiors are popular because it is a timeless yet eclectic style with no set rules to follow. There are a few common traits, such as an elegant and romantic approach to decorating, with upcycled furniture the keystone of the look. Upcycling involves improving on something you already own, such as giving furniture a distressed, white-washed look. A shabby chic interior suits almost any budget as you can buy vintage furnishings and accessories from flea markets and use leftover wall paper or paint to revamp old hand-me downs.
Here are The Bespoke Shutter Company’s top tips for decorating a home in the shabby chic style, including completing the look with the installation of plantation shutters, or solid wood shutters for your Hertfordshire, Essex or London home.
Plantation Shutters Hertfordshire - click here to find out more about our complete range of solid wood shutters for homes in East Anglia, the Home Counties and London.
Shabby Chic – Your Style Guide
Shabby Chic Style Living Room – The shabby chic style suits almost any home, whether it is a period property or contemporary, loft style apartment.
A top tip for decorating the living room is to try to prevent leaving large areas of space unfurnished, as this makes a room look more stark than cosy. Add comfy, occasional chairs to empty areas and create a reading corner. Only your imagination is the limit with this style, and if you don’t have room for a bookcase, one idea is to make a pile of large, hardback books to use as an alternative to a side table.
Customising furniture gives you the chance to inject your own creativity into this space. Add your own personal touch by white-washing furniture; all you have to do is to give furniture a coat of paint, then sand it down with ordinary sandpaper to give it a distressed appearance. You can do the same with accessories, such as wooden carved mirrors or old wooden candlesticks.
The shabby chic look is light and airy in style, so plantation shutters are a great choice for this space as it helps make the most of natural light. Shutters make a stylish alternative to net curtains and are far more versatile too, as you can open just a few panels or change the slats to let the light in. White shutters help make a sitting room feel calm and serene, and work well with white-washed furnishings. However, if you prefer to match your shutters with your wall-paint, Bespoke Shutters can do this for you.
Complete the look by placing fresh flowers in vases, or by picking a few flowers from the garden and putting them into old jam jars. With this style, there is no limit to your creativity!
Shabby Chic Dining Room – To decorate this space, you can pick up second hand dining tables at the fraction of the cost of a new one, which again you can white-wash to create an entirely new furniture piece. Do the same with wooden chairs that you find, and create comfort by tying cushions – covered in delicate, feminine, Vintage style-fabrics such as white lace or floral prints – to the seat of each one. The table and chairs don’t have to match exactly, just as long as the overall look is effortlessly stylish.
To dress your shabby chic table, choose fine glassware and silverware; and linen napkins are a must. If you want to go that extra mile, you can even bring out vintage style cups and saucers when friends pop round!
Lighting is another important part of interior design, and you can pick up many Vintage style ceiling lights, such as an elaborate chandelier to hang over the table. Candles are a must in a shabby chic dining room, and will create a flattering light for dinner parties, so invest in old candlesticks which you can pick up from antique fairs, or you might be able to find replicas in a similar style.
Complete the look of your dining room with solid or plantation shutters and if your home is not overlooked, solid shutters can be opened during the day to let the light filter in, or you can adjust the slats of plantation shutters.
Shabby Chic Bedroom – The bedroom is one of the most private rooms in the home, so it’s a room you can really go to town on. Create a room that is light and airy with lace trimmed cushions and throws, or choose floral prints if you feel your space needs an extra injection of colour.
Wooden dressing tables look delicate and feminine and are another must for this room. And, if you are visiting a flea market, an ornate, white-washed mirror will help bring the light in and make the room look larger.
A cosy rug adds colour and texture, and if you want to soften stripped wooden flooring, one way to do this is to add a fluffy shag pile rug which will give your room a cosy look during the coldest months of the year.
Again, wooden shutters are a great option and add an elegant touch to a shabby chic bedroom. The Bespoke Shutter Company sell beautiful solid wood shutters for all types of homes.
Shutters Home Counties – Click here to see our elegant range of wooden plantation shutters for your Hertfordshire, Essex or London home or business.
