Make Your Room Shabby Chic
If you just love a casual look that will let you display all your flea market finds and items from estate sales, you need to let your room go Shabby Chic.
Shabby chic isn't an American style at all and actually has its roots in the British countryside where homes feature age-worn items like faded fabrics, old paintings, and furniture with chipping paint, also called the 'distressed' look.
You do not want a room full of junk, the entire goal of a shabby chic decor is to convey a feeling of old time elegance that is casual, warm and welcoming. Old furniture is usually recycled to continue its usefulness. If you add a new item to your room, go for the aged or distressed look to keep the mood "old".
Many French country items and Shaker elements are virtually interchangeable with the Shabby chic look. Rustic looks and simple designs are all part of the look. Your furniture pieces themselves should be large and heavy or very delicate. There is no in between in a Shabby Chic decor.
Think functional or think antique look and it should make the choosing of your items easy.
The upholstery of your furniture should be light and have a minimum of decoration. If you do not want to reupholster, you can usually get by with a well made slip cover. Keep your window treatments light and simple. Linens are often used to give the room a light and airy feel.
Other design elements you can add are soft and fluffy pillows, any distressed furnishings, lighting made out of small chandeliers and adding floral arrangements to the room will add greatly to the Shabby Chic decor.
posted by Home Decor Experts - Iron Accents
Get the Rustic Look
The rustic style of interior design has been around for years and continues to be a classic because of it's casual and easy style that most people find very comfortable. If you're not sure about a rustic look for your home, think natural and unrefined. Think southwestern, country, log cabin, lodge, western, or a farmhouse type of decor.
Rustic color palettes usually contain colors such as browns, earth tones, dark rusty reds, dark burnt oranges and no bright colors. Elements of the rustic design are the use of leather and suede fabrics. Metals that have a patina such as tin ceiling tiles or metal sculptures for an impact piece. You can also use wrought iron items to help bring a rustic look into your home. A wrought iron wine rack or simple rack would look fabulous in a rustic setting.
You can also get a good rustic look going in your home by going vintage when possible. Vintage look items are generally easier on the pocketbook and in most cases no one will be able to tell that stone looking artwork is actually a casting in lightweight resin. Functional items such as fire place tools are also a nice warm touch to a rustic room.
Add in personal touches such as your own family photos, heirlooms and family antiques. If an item was handed down through the years, don't stuff it in a closet, use it in your rustic decor design.
The rustic look is comfortable and very family friendly. If you have small children in the house, you know a white carpeted room with pristine furniture is just a dream you need to keep to yourself until the kids are older. In the meantime, go for coziness with a cool rustic decor in your family room.
posted by Home Decor Experts - Iron Accents
