Simply Shabby Chic - Bathroom

The shabby chic décor is an interior design theme whereby furnishings, furniture and finishes all posses visible signs of wear and age. In some cases, if a client or homeowner desires a shabby chic effect, but doesn't want to expend funds on them, then existing furniture can be 'distressed' to achieve the appearance of old aged furniture such as vintage or antique pieces.

In order to differentiate shabby chic style from antique or vintage pieces, a modest, unobtrusive effect is emphasised in shabby chic.

Would you love to have the timeless look of a shabby chic bathroom? Well if you are one of those people on a tight budget who intend to have minor bathroom makeovers, the shabby chic bathroom décor is an affordable way to decorate your bathroom and give it a new lease of life, whether it's a large or small space.

There are quick and simple ways to achieve the shabby chic effect, and the time expended to carry out the task may be as short as a couple of hours.

A shabby chic bathroom look can be so cheap that it may not cost you more than a couple of tins of matt paint and a small paint brush.

If you intend on transforming your dull, plain or lifeless bathroom yourself, the first thing to do is to paint all the trims white.

As is known, white is the main colour of all things shabby chic. This can be further enhanced by applying a crackle finish or shabby chic paint finish on your crown molding works.

Furniture items that have been re painted (or stained) through the years, with many layers showing through time worn surfaces, are really considered shabby chic.

For a similar effect with new or existing bathroom furniture, a similar look can be imitated with faux painting by using a glaze, or by painting the pieces, allowing them to dry thoroughly, and then sand and rub the top coat of paint to show a bit of the wood and patches of the base coats on the areas that naturally wear out first.

The walls constitute the largest surface area in the bathroom as in other areas of the home, and is one of the least expensive surfaces to update into the shabby chic theme.

The chosen colours must be matte (or a flat wall paint), to get an authentic shabby chic look. It is important to note that shabby chic décor is not meant to be shiny, gloss or flashy, but dull old and worn.

For a great effect, a vintage yellow (or a pale gold shade), and a neutral sand hue creates soft warm feels that is loved by all shabby chic enthusiasts. Another great shabby chic theme is painting the wall surfaces with stripes, using two shades of colour and masking tape.

White and offwhite combinations look fantastic, as does white and soft pale yellows. You could also try white and cream lines. This will look awesome in any shabby chic bathroom décor.

Finally, to complete the look of shabby chic bathroom décor, the first thing to do is to change all the towels to white. White is quite prevalent in shabby chic bathroom décor and simple white towels will add instant fresh looks that's typical of shabby chic.

Towels in a soft creamy colour or champagne shades are great for these bathrooms too, as is trying to match the towels to the bathroom's wall colour. Furnishings and accessories do need to be planned and considered so as to compliment and enhance the new bathroom makeover.

The essence of the shabby chic style is basically decorating with, and displaying something old, as in 'passed down' antique and vintage furniture and furnishings, seemingly with its original old paint and possessing distinct signs of age. That's why words such as faded and bleached remain common terms often applied to the shabby chic style.

Even the textiles tend to be linen and cotton fabrics, nothing really synthetic or man made. Eco friendly green textiles, particularly linens inspired by old French, in whites, looking vintage, worn or lightly bleached out are very popularly used in shabby chic settings. 

Pastels are another set of favourite colours, and to make fabrics look really old and antique, it is possible to stain pale or white fabrics with light tea solutions to give it the look of old vintage fabric.

So for an easy quick bathroom makeover, the shabby chic bathroom style is the quickest and cheapest way to get a 'new bathroom'.

Using these simple and affordable makeover ideas will liven up your dull and boring bathroom and give you a brand new traditional but chic look. That’s the beauty of shabby chic décor in your bathroom.

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