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Shabby Chic style is now one of the hottest decorating trends and with good reason. It is versatile, easy and inexpensive. Shabby Chic – the rich, inviting, practical, time-worn style created by one of America’s top designers, Rachel Ashwell, is a style of living that reflects the grace and simplicity of another time. It is a study in contrast between fresh and traditional, casual and elegant, plain and patterned, simple and ornate, rumpled and tidy. It is often referred to as secondhand stylishness and as such looks like it is here to stay!

Popularized in Britain after the Second World War, the shabby chic look – otherwise known as the ‘country house look’ has become one of the most important decorating themes of the late twentieth century. Money was tight so people were thrifty with their soft furnishings and accessories and sofas became worn, curtains became tatty and paintwork became scratched. During this period people furnished their homes with inherited pieces and many items were handmade as money was scarce. Furniture was often recycled, passed on the relatives or friends or sold at flea markets. The shabby chic charm in these items lies in their past and their history. Scratches, marks and peeling paint are ok – in fact they are encouraged.

The words shabby and chic were combined together in the 1980′s by designer Rachel Ashwell . The term was coined in the 1980′s by The world of Interiors magazine and has since been used as the name of a successful U.S. company founded by Rachel Ashwell. She has turned the phrase Shabby Chic into her trademark and now runs a successful business empire marketing shabby chic design.

Most shabby chic décor is based on a white or beige theme. Soft colours such as pastel pinks, pale blues, muted greens and washed out grey and neutral tones add an accent of colour. Another great feature of shabby chic is the well-loved look. That old side table that has seen better days is perfect for shabby chic. Give it a coat of white paint and put a vase of flowers on the top. Better still use your grandmother’s old well loved teapot. It is little details like this that make shabby chic work so well.

Shabby Chic reflects the practical and ecology-minded views of the 21st century. By finding new uses for “old” items, we keep from adding to the mountains of items sent to the landfill each year. What’s more, no tree has to be sacrificed for a found, Shabby Chic furniture treasure.

So if you love mismatched tea cups, soft floral fabrics, painted furniture and lots of white or cream accessories then this could be the look for you. It is the look that evokes cricket on the village green, strawberries and cream for tea, chickens in the garden and cakes baking in the range oven. There could be no more perfect image of an idyllic lifestyle than shabby chic.

We have a lovely range of shabby chic accessories to bring that vintage style to your home. We hope that as you browse through our ever increasing range of accessories you will find the perfect item to add that finishing touch to your Shabby Chic decor.

About the Author:

Tracey has been designing and producing soft furnishings and shabby chic style accessories for more than 20 years and is now making the items she uses for her clients available more widely through her website
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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Shabby Chic Style – What it is and How to Get It

Keeping Shabby Chic Alive

Thomas and Friends All Aboard Pillowcase $9.99 Thomas and Friends All Aboard Pillowcase. This brightly colored standard pillowcase is perfect for night time sleep adventures as Thomas calls your child “all aboard” for bedtime. The brilliant red stars on the blue background really highlight Thomas who is surrounded by his own big star. The train on the back of the pillow says “Ready, Set, Go.” One Standard Pillowcase 20″ x 30″….

Nautica Monteray Bay Quilt Nautica Monteray Bay Quilt is a classic Nautica patchwork design. The rich blue, red, green and white color pallet will give your master suite or quest room a very classy yet fun look. With unique top stitch then that handmade quality you won’t be dissatisfied with your choice. Only the very best quilts are made and filled with 100% cotton. Full/Queen Size 86″ x 86″….

Taymor Oil Rubbed Bronze Pedestal Toilet Tissue Holder $29.00 Taymor Pedestal Toilet Tissue Stand. Looking for that different look for your bathroom. This classic looking pedestal toilet paper stand lets your toilet tissue hang in style. Measures 22″ high with a 7 1/2″ diameter pedestal base….

Nautica Lacquer Solid Wastebasket Nautica Lacquer Solid Wastebasket with its simple, clean lines of this solid blue colored wastebasket adds a contemporary feel. Made of high-quality lacquerware and are a handsome addition to the modern bathroom. Wastebasket Size 10″ H 8.75″ W….

American Pacific Circus Wastebasket $29.99 American Pacific Circus Wastebasket is great way to create new or bring back old memories of that three ring circus. Watch as our giraffe work her way into the big top to take the center ring of our circus. This colorful and fun wastebasket will bring a smile to your face every time you go into your bathroom. Our adorable giraffe is only one part of this unique Circus Bath Ensemble….

American Pacific Dolphins Wastebasket $29.99 American Pacific Dolphins Wastebasket shows your love of the ocean’s friendliest creatures with the Dolphin Bath Accessories. This colorful dolphin wastebasket has your favorite dolphin jumping out of the ocean just for you. Made of 100% resin, these accessories will add a little fun to your bathroom!…

Shabby Chic $22.87 The founder of the trendsetting Shabby Chic stores shows how to create her inviting, easy style in home furnishings.

Shabby Chic $22.84 The founder of the trendsetting Shabby Chic stores shows how to create her inviting, easy style in home furnishings.

The Shabby Chic Home $22.87 Wonderful wide-plank floors, paned sash windows, an old brick fireplace, the charm of living with a home’s small imperfection

Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic $23.09 The guide to discovering beautiful treasures on a budget from the acclaimed creator of the Shabby Chic style and line of home furnishings. 200 color photos & 50 color illustrations.

Shabby Chic $23.06 The guide to discovering beautiful treasures on a budget from the acclaimed creator of the Shabby Chic style and line of home furnishings. 200 color photos & 50 color illustrations.From The Publisher:Rachel Ashwell’s trademark design style features a lovely palette of soft, feminine colors, fresh white paint, and a love for the finishing touch that may be slightly imperfect yet is filled with meaning. But her style is about much more than simply decorating an attractive home — it’s an intimate, warm approach to creating thoughtful occasions and comfortable environments for those we love. In Shabby Chic: Sumptuous Settings and Other Lovely Things, Rachel uses six very different celebrations and locations to show how to make a joyful, lovely setting — whether it is casual or formal, large or small. This beautiful, accessible book proves that entertaining need not be expensive or intimidating; it’s simply a matter of inspiration and imagination — and it all starts with the beautiful things, carefully chosen, that you surround yourself with every day. As Rachel says, A sumptuous setting is a place of abundance and generosity, the necessary backdrop for any party. This is easy to accomplish when you allow a love of beauty to be the foundation of your daily life. From a baby shower with the playful theme of a tea in an English country village, to a magical bat mitzvah celebrating two lovely young girls who adore the arts, Rachel provides hundreds of sweet ideas and imaginative details that will add sparkle and whimsy to every occasion. And this inspiring book will also help us find the beauty and freshness in our lives every day. About The Author:Rachel Ashwell was born in England and has spent the past eighteen years in Malibu, California. She created the Shabby Chic style in 1989 and is the founder of the Shabby Chic home furnishing stores and the designer of a line of slipeovered furniture, bedding, and fabric sold worldwide under the Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell label. She is the author of the bestselling Shabby Chic and Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Treasure Hunting & Decorating Guide, and is the host of E! Style Network’s Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic on Style.

The Shabby Chic Home $23.09 An award-winning designer shares her secrets for transforming a rundown houseinto a relaxed, yet classic Shabby Chic home–without spending a fortune. 250 color photos. From the Library Journal Ashwell (Shabby Chic and Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Treasure Hunting & Decorating Guide) shows how she transformed her own Malibu home, a 1920s natural-wood dwelling built by a Swedish boatbuilder, into a reflection of the Shabby Chic style that she has popularized with her home furnishings and fabric lines. Taking a house with good bones, she dramatically changed the look of the house with simple adjustments, such as using lots of white paint. (To those who protested her painting the natural wood, she replied, Oh, well. ) Given the continuing tendency to gut or tear down older homes, her recommendations are refreshing.