Shabby chic as an interiors term was first aired by The World of Interiors Magazine in the 1980s. A style that was quickly adopted in the UK and the US, shabby chic is all about re-creating the look of big country houses that have been handed down the generations without many changes being made over the years. Characterised by aged and distressed pieces of furniture as well as faded linens, it’s clear to see the appeal of this look.
If you fancy giving a room in your home, or indeed your whole home a shabby chic look, it’s easier than you might think. And the good news is, with a bit of planning you can easily turn the end result from excellent to exceptional without calling for much in the way of additional investment. So where do you start? A great place to start is with the infrastructure of your room. The whole shabby chic backdrop relies on the right flooring and the right walls.
Before you even start to think about furnishings and finishing touches for your shabby chic interior, it’s important to get the setting spot on. This means that you need to plan how you’re going to treat your walls and what sort of flooring you’re going to invest in.
When it comes to walls, there are plenty of shabby chic wallpaper options if budget isn’t an issue. Normally faded, floral prints, a really convincing shabby chic wallpaper can be pricey, so an alternative is to create an aged, distressed look using white, off-white and pastel coloured chalky paints. A clever way to do this is by layering different colours on top of each other and then washing or rubbing away at the layers to create an effect that suggests that the paint has worn off over the years. Not an easy trick on first attempt, if you give this technique a few tries, you should be able to make it convincing in a relatively short period of time.
As for your shabby chic flooring, there really is only once choice and that’s wood. Although there are no real rules for what style of flooring you choose, it’s essential that it looks as if it’s had a long life prior to installing it. In order to achieve this look, we find that a brushed and oiled finish creates the all-desired matt look commonly associated with shabby chic. The only other piece of advice is to make the look light and airy so it links in well with your light coloured walls and the faded furnishings you’re going to add later.
At Wood and Beyond we have a whole range of shabby chic wood flooring options from light whites, to almost natural wood colours through to greys, so there really is something great for everyone. Here are what we consider to be our Top 3 Shabby Chic wood flooring options right now:
– This select engineered oak flooring has been fired and brushed with white oil. A really unusual flooring option, this wood flooring can be used throughout the home and even over under floor heating which means it’s highly adaptable as well as attractive. When you choose this option, you can be sure that your shabby chic room will ooze style and class.
– If you want to create a lighter effect, this rustic engineered oak flooring that’s been brushed and white oiled is perfect. A really thick board to boot, although this flooring isn’t normally recommended for installation over under floor heating, it works well in every room in the home, including bathrooms and kitchens.
– And finally, if you want a nice neutral shabby chic wood flooring solution that won’t break the bank, then this natural engineered oak summer grey oiled flooring is ideal for you.
Once you’ve got the backdrop for your shabby chic room ready, it’s a simple case of setting about distressing some old wooden furniture and shopping around for some nice pastel, off white or grey linens and you’re ready to sit back and enjoy.
If you’d like some help to choose the best shabby chic wood flooring for your interior, why not get in touch? At Wood and Beyond we’re simply brimming with wood flooring ideas to help you achieve the look you want but you might think you can’t afford – when you work with us, everything’s possible!
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