Why do so many people love the look of shabby chic? It’s believed the term was first dreamed up in the 1980s, with demand across the UK and internationally having grown over the decades since then.
The main reason for the lasting popularity of this style is that it gives a building personality, bringing in a range of textures and colours to enjoy. Introducing rustic and vintage furnishings and fittings creates a warm and welcoming feel, which can be much easier to live with than minimalist décor.
While wooden floors are often chosen for shabby chic interiors, a modern material such as an advanced vinyl flooring with a distressed appearance can work equally well or even better. This type of surface will give the best of all worlds, by being highly practical and easy to clean.
Reasons for the Appeal of Shabby Chic
A shabby chic interior will have a bespoke flavour to it, since no two spaces of this type are exactly the same. It is very much up to the individual to choose what items they want to include, meaning the room will be stamped with their own taste. Shabby chic is also a look which is easy to adapt and develop in years to come, as your customers can add more furniture pieces in the future.
The style relies on contrasting textures and colours, such as floral patterns and soft pastels. Effects like these make houses feel more homely and lived-in, giving a relaxed and rustic flavour. It’s easy to see why boutique hotels and guest houses so often choose this look, because it will make visitors feel that they are staying somewhere unique and different.
Elements to Include in a Shabby Chic Interior
Many different types of furniture and materials can be included in a shabby chic setting. Typically, it may feature a blend of genuine antiques and vintage pieces, often “upscaled”, and modern items carefully created to have a retro look. Scrubbed pine tables, wooden shelves or chests treated to a new coat of paint, floral soft furnishings and attractively aged curios can all make a contribution.
Junk shops can often be a source of treasures which will gain a whole new lease of life when painted or adapted. However, the key to making a success of this look is to choose items where, despite the weathering, it is clear that they are of high quality, as opposed to those which are scruffy and down at heel. Interior decorators need to be aware of the pitfalls and avoid would-be shabby chic creations which end up looking simply shabby!
White, off-white or pastel walls are often chosen as a great backdrop for any vintage paintings or framed prints going on display. Painting the skirting boards in a brighter shade, such as blue, can add another quirky touch.
When it comes to the flooring, if your customers are looking for a way to give their homes or workspace a truly individual atmosphere, choosing Xylo’s VLVT5431 vinyl flooring in “Sandhill shabby chique”, from our Dynamic Click range, is a great way to underpin the look. It has an appealing, light-coloured distressed wood appearance while being hygienic, practical and built to last. It will also tone or contrast well with a whole range of fixtures and fittings.
Anybody seeking quality interior decorative surface panels with that shabby chic look will also find what they are looking for from our sister product, Xylo Cleaf. The Matrix range includes two high-tech, durable finishes with a beautifully distressed look, Vintage LM 62 Matrix and Vintage LM 63 Matrix.
Advanced Vinyl Flooring UK – Follow the link to see Xylo’s Dynamic Click range, which is covered by a lifetime warranty.
