Adventures in Shabby Chic

In my quest for the perfect comfy-cozy bedroom, I’ve turned to Shabby Chic as my inspiration. I love the softness of the colors, the clean look, and most of all the ultra femininity of it all. I picture Marie Antoinette’s Royal décor meets a breezy seaside bungalow on the shores of the Carolina Coast.

Shabby Chic seems to have its roots in the vintage and antique. The decor's signature look often revolvles around distressed white furniture, vintage chandeliers, and plush bedding. It can be delicate and simple, vibrant and full of pattern, and even seductive and romantic. It allows for the use of almost any color and color combination, using graceful décor of its past, while keeping progressive and modern if one so desires. It offers vintage but not “old”, what I would picture like walking into my grandma’s guest room that hasn’t been used in decades, with lace doilies, crochet afghans, gold four-poster bed perfectly made, and all you can hear is a clock ticking...

First, I'll tackle the bedding. I’m obsessed with a cozy bed! I am quite partial to the beige, white, and rosy pink color combinations in the first picture, as well as the subtle use of the lace borders on sheets and pillows. I absolutely love eyelets, in moderation though. Another theme in Shabby Chic designs is the use of flowers by the bedside. Mostly soft rose colored flowers, (or really whatever color is most dominant in the decor) perhaps even dried, and the use of a mason jar as a vase completes the look.

Here are a few other color/design combinations and ideas:

Very seaside, with shabby accents. Notice the raw knotty wood combined with the white weathered iron, very classic shabby…And the white vases above the bed, Melissa’s favorite!!

Moving towards the romantic side.....

Pretty in Pinks...endless color combinations for ultra-girly meets candy factory explosion!

Cooler blues and lavendars bring mystery. Almost like these rooms could be in a dark drafty castle somewhere, where the only source of light is the candelabra by the bedside...

Once the bedding is in place, next comes the furniture. Dressers, shelving, lamps and embellishments all add to the Shabby Chic design. I plan to keep you updated on my progress in my room, so for now here are a few items I've found on craigslist.com that caught my eye.



Find more shabby chic inspiration at Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic blog and from her Simply Shabby Chic line for Target.

Which is your favorite bedroom design style?