What do you need to shabby chic

Special glazes and finishes can also create a piece with a sense of history. Comfy fabrics are popular when it comes to the style, with cotton and linen being top choices. Feminine, floral patterns are often showcased, and vintage fabrics can serve as beautiful accents. Soft hues reign in the shabby chic interior.

Bright white and beige are ever-popular, as are pastel colors such as pink, lavender and light blue. Yet vivid shades like turquoise can also be found, especially when it comes to painted furniture. Whether they are true vintage and antique items chandeliers, china, etc.

While the style began in England in the s, Rachel Ashwell opened her first store in California in It was here that she popularized her famous slipcovers, which were placed over flea market furnishings.

Bringing 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. Yet relaxed. I have a three foot two shelve one drawer book case. It is shiny wood finish. About 30 years old. Repro model How do I get rid of the shine before I start to paint in mat cream paint.

I do not want a distressed look. Just plain and simple. Do you know what the piece is made out of or if it is solid or veneered? It is likely to be a varnish on the bookcase but due to the age its would be best to clarify a bit more information before I advice. Of you are able to send a photo this would also help and you can email wood finishes. Hi Sam I have a to unit and buffet in a dark mahogany finish. The colour is dated and I would like to transform to shabby chick.

It seems to have a vanish finish. What are the steps to transform this to shabby white. Thanks Kathy. To achieve that two tone shabby chic effect you need to apply two contrasting colours, the only product that we have that is suited to this is the Earthborn Eco Chic , which has a wide range of colours available. Have a read up on the product and if you have any further questions, please do let me know.

I was delighted to come across your site with such clear instructions on how to distress furniture particularly as at the weekend I wandered into a little Interiors shop. As though it was a trade secret. So, thank you for lifting the lid! Hi, Great post! Found it very helpful. I am currently painting a desk for my daughter and I keep getting little air bubbles come up and sometimes the paint is noticeably thicker in other places.

Do you know any tips other than sanding? I would really appreciate it, many thanks. Its difficult to say with out seeing desk and the paint so I would recommend sending in some photos to our email address which is wood finishes. If you can include what preparation you carried out, if there was any previous product on the surface of the desk, what you have used for application, ie brush or roller and what is the name of the product you have used.

Hope fully I will be able to offer some advice — Sam. Dear Sam, I have a set of four matching Victorian bedroom chairs with cane seats. I intend to under-upholster the seats with suede covered seat pads for strength.. So they can actually be sat on and not harm the cane. But reading your blog I see you use an acrylic paint and or a chalk paint. This confuses me I thought it was all done with ordinary wall paint.

Please could you clarify? Thank you in advance Nerissa. Thank you for your inquiry, creating the Shabby Chic or distressed look is still very popular and there are a number of ways to achieve the finish that you want. I am not a specialist in Emulsion paint but I would say that if you are keen to keep the colours matching then I would recommend a test area with the paint and seal with an acrylic varnish.

As an alternative I would recommend having a look at Earthborn Claypaint , which is a product we have brought in since the writing of this blog. It is ideal for a project like yours and has 72 clay paint colours in its range. Either way test areas are important not only to check that you like the finish but also to ensure adhesion of products. Please let me know if you have any further questions — Sam.

I am pleased that our Blog has helped and we would love to see the finished project. Let me know if there is any thing I can help advice with — Sam. Many thanks. Thank you for your inquiry, you could have a look at the Earthborn Claypaint which is ideal for this project. There are 72 clay paint colours in the Earthborn range and you can apply your grey first and then a coat of the white and then sand back to create your distressed look.

The Clay paint allows the wood to breath and gives a Matt flat finish. If you would like some sheen to it then a Wax to finish can be buffed to the required shine, but be aware that sometimes adding a wax to a white finish can create a yellow tinge. I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any further questions. Also if you do go with the Clay paint we love to see our customers projects and if you would like to send photos the address for this is wood finishes. This will depend on what colour and product your intending to use.

If you would like to email me with some more details about the look you would like to achieve and products you hope to use, I can advise you further.

You can email on wood finishes. You can use varnish over a chalk paint but I have had very limited experience with this. If you can spray the varnish on to the surface of the Chalk paint that is undoubtedly going to give the best outcome. Brushing on can agitate the paint and cause it to come away. Manns Extra Tough Interior Varnish would be an ideal product for you as it is durable and easy to use. Beware of applying clear products to white finishes, as they can sometimes have a slight yellow tinge show through.

Always try a test area first. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know — Sam. Everything is perfect apart from the handle rings, keep coming back after sanding down. How do I eliminate this? You will need to be a little more specific about your project and exactly what the problem is as well as what products you are using.

If you can get me all that information I will happily advice you. Thank you — Sam. I have a repro mahogany dining table which we bought new about 20 years ago. It is solid , not veneered , and the top is French polished. There are now lots of white patches on the French polish from water spills or heat? I want to paint the legs of the table and refinish the top surface with something more practical — I was thinking oil? He has over five years of handyman experience.

This article has been viewed 25, times. Inspired by rustic farmhouses and chic vintage pieces, the shabby chic style is a popular home decor trend.

One way to accomplish it in your own home is with painted furniture. To paint a piece yourself, start by prepping the furniture by removing hardware and sanding it down. Then, if you want to distress it, try a technique that uses 2 different colors of paint. If you have wood furniture, consider whitewashing it for a worn look. Happy decorating! Tip: If you aren't sure what type of paint to use, pick latex furniture paint if you want something easy to apply. For paint that lasts the longest and is very durable, choose oil-based.

Tip: To make your whitewashing last longer and to protect it from chips, paint a polycrylic sealant over the furniture. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Things You'll Need.

Related Articles. Part 1. Move the furniture to a well-ventilated area if possible. Aside from adding the shabby chic feel to existing items in the home, your go-to sources will be charity shops, markets and auction houses which are all great places to pick up unique pieces for a low cost. Alternatively, websites like Gumtree, eBay and The Freecycle Network are filled with furniture bargains. The shabby chic look is best achieved with wooden furniture and a couple of coats of Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish furniture paint.

Fancy giving it a go? As with any painting ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean, dry and free from loose paint and grease. As older furniture is likely to be contaminated by old varnishes etc. Top Tip!