Shabby Chic is here to stay! It’s all about re-purposing. It’s not just about adding some paint to old pieces. It’s about making something completely different from items that have lost their original usefulness. Check out these cheeky chic accessories and decorating ideas for pennies on the dollar! Thrift stores and flea markets will become your most favorite haunts!
For the old farmhouse shabby chic touch in the dining area, choose an older dining table. Strip any paint from the top and stain. Distress/crackle paint the legs. For finishing touches, select 6 non-matching chairs that complement each other and paint different colors, giving them the distressed look. A bamboo woven mat will set the focus on this eclectic combination.
Pallets aren’t just for shipping any more. Set them outside to weather for 3-6 months. Take an oxyacetylene torch and burnish. With a small palm sander, hit the boards randomly to distress. Stain lightly to bring out the color of the wood or simply use a clear, non-gloss finish.
You can purchase the plant hooks and small lanterns at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. This provides great ambient light in a foyer, hallway or living room wall.
This window to the past makes a wonderful anniversary or Christmas gift. You can purchase an old pane window at almost any salvage yard. Don’t repaint. Simply clean windows thoroughly and spray frame with clear non-gloss varnish. Take an old photo, perhaps one or your Mother and Father on their wedding day and have it blown up to the size of the window.
Cut a piece of cardboard to fit snugly into the back and secure with picture frame staples. Add two-eye screws, some picture frame wire and voile! This masterpiece will be the envy of all who visit!
Don’t throw those old shutter doors away! This shabby-chic look not only covers the wall, but also creates a headboard. Mismatched shutters work best! Your friends and family will think you paid thousands of dollars to get this look! An antique iron bedstead with lacy covers and tufted pillows add the finishing touches!
Look closely at these shelves – a vintage wooden door was repurposed by cutting out the panels and attaching boards to the back for it to rest on. Notice how narrow the top shelf is compared to the last shelf. This allows the door to lean up against the wall at an angle securely without falling. The brass bolt plate and bolt were left intact. This door has been “pickled”. It was painted a base color with a secondary color on top, then hand sanded to show some of the under-paint. This one is so, so easy!
Bird cages are the perfect venue for displaying battery-powered tea lights and twinkle lights. Paint the cage your favorite color, then take some of the white icicle lights from last Christmas and arrange inside the cage. Stunning!