And as far as the new… it never hurts to browse Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Couture site! Here are some of our favorite offerings: Bring on the slipcovers!Įstate sales, antique shows, and flea markets are great places to find the “old”. If you’re wondering how to get a shabby chic look, you can start by following Rachel Ashwell’s above-mentioned formula: cozy, comfortable, vintage, and pretty! Mix old with new, but make sure furnishings are comfy. Coming from the woman who revolutionized the style, that’s a formula we’re willing to trust! Rachel Ashwell’s The Prairie Īccommodations at The Prairie The Prairie is an event venue, as well as a B&B Shopping for Shabby Chic In this 2011 interview with Inc., Ashwell describes the Shabby Chic formula as “cozy, comfortable, vintage, and pretty”. RELATED: 50 Resourceful and Classy Shabby Chic Living Rooms Rachel Ashwell It was here that she popularized her famous slipcovers, which were placed over flea market furnishings.īringing the unique style to the forefront of the design community, she also brought an array of flea market finds into the public eye, creating a second-hand decorating style that was undeniably elegant. While the style began in England in the 1980s, Rachel Ashwell opened her first store in California in 1989. It’s hard to talk about shabby chic without acknowledging the role that Rachel Ashwell played in its rise to popularity. New indigo cotton napkin from Shabby Chic Couture Rachel Ashwell Special glazes and finishes can also create a piece with a sense of history. In other cases, the furniture is distressed, which involves sanding and other techniques that give the furniture an aged look. Some of the furnishings are true antiques, revealing layers of paint as the outer coats begin to peel. For starters, worn furniture creates an antique look. There are a variety of elements that help characterize shabby chic style.

RELATED: 50 Delightfully Stylish And Soothing Shabby Chic Bedrooms Shabby chic living room style via

It makes sense that an alternative look would emerge, filled with history-rich pieces that showcased chipping paint, as well as vintage finds boasting feminine style.

From elegant penthouses to corporate lobbies filled with gleaming marble and brass, sleek style was easy to find. In design, this was a time when opulence and decadence were taking center stage. The term “shabby chic” originated in the 1980s.

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