Chic Cottage
Posted in Bed Comforter Sets on 12/08/2007 11:43 pm by admin
Looking for some wonderful ideas to create a shabby chic theme in your new kitchen?
Shabby Chic is a style that focuses on the comfortable, worn, good quality, well-loved, sensible and rather dilapidated elegance of an Italian villa. The air is of good taste, although well worn and old fashioned. To achieve an air of shabby-chic, you’ll need to find furniture that is distressed or rustic, simple and comfortable. Almost any piece of wooden furniture will fit into this kitchen if its painted white.
Collect pieces from garage sales, markets and attics, paint in either white or soft pastel colors (pink, mint green or soft aqua) and then sand it off a little to show the wood or other layers of paint beneath and to make it look older. You’ll be surprised at how beautiful and quaint it will look! Choose a large table and chairs for eating and preparing food on, a couple of dressers to display your plates, jugs and teapots, some raffia-seated stools, a large range cooker as your focal piece and you’ll have the core of your shabby chic kitchen. Use the same colors in fabrics – popular decor items are pillows of vintage linens or lace and cottons worn with age but of good quality, inspired by old French laces and linens.
Bleached and faded is the sort of ‘look’ that accompanies this style. To add a bit of vintage charm, look for old shelving and vintage open cabinets in place of new cabinets to hold vintage dishes and tea cups. Anything with roses printed on it is popular, and floral chintz curtains or sofas, go really well with large porcelain jugs of fresh flowers on lace tablecloths. For easy complementing of colors, perhaps pick a base color like ivory, and fit others around that. Shabby chic style allows for mismatched color and follows no hard and fast rules. Typically the cottage feel is defined through the use of lighter colors. Soft pastels convey country comfort, but when it comes to color, there are no hard and fast rules. As long as the exterior finish is worn, any colors may be used.
Other accessories in a shabby-chic kitchen would be silver chandeliers or candleholders, copper and pewter items such as candlesticks, cream jugs and gravy boats, that are displayed on open shelving with lots of crockery in whites and pale pastel colors. The decoration and detail is more important than the colors. Soft throw rugs or quilts can give a sense of warmth and comfort. Wrought iron is a well-loved material that can be picked up at second hand shops quite cheaply.
There are stores that supply already distressed shabby-chic style furniture and accessories, but you’ll have more fun collecting your own pieces and painting them the colors you’d like to suit your taste. Add an old-fashioned wood fire and you’ll have recreated your grandmother’s kitchen with flair and elegance, and the sophistication of the present.
About the Author
I am webmaster of a site called clever-kitchen-designs.com. This is all about my passion – remodeling or designing a new kitchen! This is something that YOU can do with guidance and perhaps some assistance from contractors for specific jobs. Let me help you to create a stunning new kitchen reflecting your chosen style!
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Antique Dining Chairs TABLE Cameo~Back~Romantic~Vintage~French~Cottage~Chic~Red $3,400.00 |
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COTTAGE CHIC STYLE Solid Wood CUSTOM Open HUTCH 30 Distressed Paints Stains NEW $2,999.99 |
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STORE COUNTER Antique FRENCH old restaurant desk reception cottage chic shabby $2,400.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Pink Brown Toile Angel Cherub Sofa Couch Settee French $2,195.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Cream and Gold Gilt French Vintage Louis Vanity Table Ornate $1,895.00 |
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French Country Island Bar furniture pine old st Paris cottage store chic counter $1,895.00 |
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2 Piece Shabby Cottage Chic Hutch with Wire Doors $1,400.00 |
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French Cottage Shabby Chic White Garden Flower Cart $1,299.00 |
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FABULOUS ANTIQUE DRESSER WITH MIRROR GALLERY!~CHIC FRENCH BLUE!~SHABBY COTTAGE! $999.00 |
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OMG! CHIC FRENCH BRITISH DECORATING MAGAZINES SHABBY COTTAGE PARIS APT RARE $1,200.00 |
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Shabby Vintage Cottage Chic Vanity Table Desk Trifold Mirror White Roses $895.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Patchwork Wingchair Armchair Roses Pink Sage Cream $895.00 |
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Shabb Cottage Chic White China Cabinet 4 Drawers Mesh Doors French Style Roses $825.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Dining Table French Style Vintage Seats 6 Roses $825.00 |
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Bella Ribbons & Bows Venetian Glass Mirror~Shabby Cottage Style~Paris Apt Chic $1,049.00 |
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Crystal glass 12 salad bowls scalloped edge and roses design shabby cottage chic $35.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Oval Dining Table 1 Leaf French Style Roses $795.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Oval Dining Table Two Leaves French Style Roses $795.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Glass China Cabinet French Style Roses Vintage $795.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Glass China Cabinet French Vintage Roses $795.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Dining Chairs Pink Linen Set of 6 Scroll French Style $795.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Glass China Cabinet French Style Roses Vintage $795.00 |
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Shabby Vintage Chic Buffet Sideboard French Cottage Creamy White Credenza $725.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Dining Table Oval French Roses Seats 6 $725.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Dining Table 1 Leaf Rose $725.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Rose China Cabinet French Vintage Style Glass Doors $725.00 |
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Vintage Pair Floral Applique Quilts Pink Buds Vine Lovely CHIC FOR COTTAGE DECOR $950.00 |
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AQUA SEA Glass & Pewter Iron CHANDELIER, COTTAGE CHIC!! $949.05 |
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Cottage Seaside TEAK DRIFTWOOD CONSOLE Accent TABLE PEDESTAL LEGS Country Chic $939.99 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White 5 Drawer Dresser Highboy French Vintage Style Roses $695.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic 5 Drawer Highboy Dresser White French Vintage Style Roses $695.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Rustic French Style Table Desk Dining Table 1 Drawer Farm $695.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic 8 Drawer Dresser French Vintage Style Roses Romantic $695.00 |
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So CUTE! SHABBY COTTAGE CHIC WHITE NIGHTSTANDS~END TABLE~BED SIDE TABLES $795.00 |
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So Chic Shabby White Cottage Cedar BLANKET CHEST Trunk Tv Stand Coffee Table $745.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Large Gesso Rose Vintage Wall Mirror French Style Barbola $595.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Floral Sage Pink Rose Rug 8×10 $803.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Floral Rose Pink Sage Rug 8×10 $803.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Floral Blue Pink Rose Sage Rug 8×10 $803.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic Grey Tremeau Beveled Mirror French $550.00 |
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Country Bistro Table Chairs antique painted chic cottage rustic Furniture NICE $675.00 |
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~WOW!~ SHABBY COTTAGE CHIC CEDAR HOPE CHEST TRUNCK~FRENCH SHABBY CHIC HOPE CHEST $599.95 |
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Wood Bar Stool chic shabby painted PR wooden white cottage vintage style $599.00 |
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Cottage Chic Oil Painting PANSIES Ceiling Tin Frame $685.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Dresser Highboy 4 Drawer Shelf French Vintage Style $495.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White French Style Twin Bed Frame Rose Wreath Curvy Ornate $595.00 |
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Shabby Cottage Chic White Vanity Table with Mirror French Style Roses 2 Drawers $486.00 |
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Darling Shabby Cottage Chic Dry Sink $698.00 |
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Handmade Large Vintage Shabby Cottage Chic Wool Hooked Floral Rug 114″ By 89″ $599.99 |
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Cottage Seaside 50″ TEAK DRIFTWOOD Vanity Mantel MIRROR Country Chic Rustic Wood $639.99 |