Shabby Chic is defined by About.com as “a comfortable, causal decorating style with a look that uses vintage accessories, pastels, and comfortable furniture”. One of the easiest rooms to decorate this way is your bathroom. Here are a few characteristics that can transform your bathroom into this wonderful style.
Touches to Incorporate for the Shabby Chic Feel:
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Pastel Color Wheel
Color – pastel, pastel, pastel. Think of muted Easter colors – light pinks, blues, yellows, and off-whites. Choose one color for your walls and then use other pastels for accessories.
- Furniture – older, distressed, or antique furniture. Think of using a small, tall table to neatly place bathroom toiletries, towels, or other items on. Think about making yours into a vanity of sorts. I love the smaller half-circle wall tables or tall and skinny square-topped tables. If your piece isn’t an antique, think about distressing it or even using crackle paint to give it a more longingly loved feel.
- Finer Touches – muted silver or gold or clear glass. For door handles, towel rods or hooks, and cabinetry pulls, choose touches that are not bright, clean brushed. As with the furniture, you want to choose something that seems slightly dated. The door knobs within my home are all the original glass knobs, which fit perfectly with the shabby chic style. Older furniture pieces are likely to already have the perfect accents on their drawer pulls, but if not, several home improvement stores have pieces that give a convincing effect. You could also think of hanging a small chandelier in your bathroom.
- Accessories – lace, vintage fabric, and pastels. Think of incorporating lace into your bathroom’s theme somehow, whether as
A perfect inviting accent!
window curtains or doilies on your side table. Lace can either be a crisp white or slightly tinted (some have even been known to tint their own using tea as a stain). Use a vintage linens for hand towels or your shower curtain. Finally, try using brighter pastels for vases, soap dishes, or wall art that will pop from the walls. I particularly like bright blue pieces.
- Shower Curtain – vintage, lace, or simply patterned. There are several options for your shower curtain. Finding a great vintage curtain may be difficult, but finding
This Shabby Chic Shower Curtain also incorporates the blue accent of our vase.
a modern, knock-off can be rather simple. If color lacks from my bathroom I prefer a nicely patterned floral shower curtain like the one feature here. Otherwise, to a room of color, choosing an off-white curtain may be just the touch your room needs.
A Shabby Chic bathroom can be quite cozy and welcoming to guests. It can also be a tranquil place to escape. If you’re having trouble envisioning your bathroom think of all the finer touches your grandma had in her over-stuffed cozy home, or think of what Martha Stewart might choose. Good luck with your bathroom makeover!
- ang