home decorating

Lynn Cressy our expert of the day, writes:

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Here are practical, easy-to-use ideas for decorating in the shabby chic home décor style:

Think paint! Anything can be painted, whether it’s wood, wicker or metal. Paint gives objects a clean appearance and a sense of belonging. Garage sale and flea market items painted white give a home a distinctive, connected feeling.

Family heirlooms and trinkets can be used as shabby chic home décor along with newer décor that looks old. Use those keepsakes that you love by displaying them in your home. You, as well as your family and guests, will enjoy them.

Distressed surfaces are characteristic of shabby chic decorating. Your furniture can “acquire” a worn look by simply lightly sanding the corners—that technique adds character and interest to shabby chic furniture.

Scour flea markets and garage sales for “rescued art” such as old doors and windows, mantels, garden gates, and house shutters. These items can be used as unique wall hangings, fashioned into a folding divider screen, used as a one-of-a-kind headboard, and even used to replace existing doors to add character to your home.

Wrought iron can also be used in shabby chic home décor. An ornate wrought iron corner shelf can be used to display that chipped teapot and old recipe box from your grandmother. Add crocheted dollies that hang over the edges of the shelves for a vintage look.

As you can see, “the sky is the limit” when developing the shabby chic home decorating style. This decorating approach may be used in an entire house or in just one or two rooms. Have fun using your ingenuity and imagination to create the shabby chic look in your home.