All New Shabby Chic Thread!

tara747

Morning all, hope everybody is well. I just love all the chat and pics in this thread, it is getting livelier all the time and you are all a great source of information and tips.

newmee wrote: »

:rotfl:oooops. He'll love it when you've finished with it Glad you got it in the end. Anyway, could you imagine the homes in Britain if we left it to the men to be creative about our environments :eek: :eek: You sleep easy Tara!!! :rotfl:

Oh gosh, I'm really not sure what to do. He has (rightly) pointed out that we don't have space for it, but maybe I could take it to my mum's and work on it there, then bring it back here when we buy a house (whenever that will be lol!). My idea is to use it as the base of a bookshelf unit, and have the shelves standing on top of it.

At present we have a bookcase in our living room, but it's the LL's and doesn't go with the sideboard. But I would be looking out for a pine one in the meantime. Do you all think I'm mad buying furniture when I don't yet have a house to put it in? Be honest!

jcr16

not at all. when i was little i remember a lady saying it was the done thing to collect things for your bottom drawer for when you got married and had your own home, because money was tight you would start saving. ok so your doing it on a bt bigger scale, but your getting bargains to save money later on.

tara747

jcr16 wrote: »

not at all. when i was little i remember a lady saying it was the done thing to collect things for your bottom drawer for when you got married and had your own home, because money was tight you would start saving. ok so your doing it on a bt bigger scale, but your getting bargains to save money later on.

That's the way I see it! OH doesn't though. :rotfl:

niksyg

hello all!

A lurker here, loving your photos, it's all very inspiring!

I am umming and aaahhing about a nasty wardrobe on ebay...the size and shape are perfect, but the material is HORRID...beech veneer, any ideas on how easy it would be to shabby this up or am I best to steer clear??

catrobinson

Hello,
I have just been to my local homebase (Rugby) and they are selling oil eggshell farrow and ball paint in Dimity and Lime White half price £6.99. Hope this helps someone. I wanted something a bit whiter unfortunately!
Catkin

tara747

niksyg wrote: »

hello all!

A lurker here, loving your photos, it's all very inspiring!

I am umming and aaahhing about a nasty wardrobe on ebay...the size and shape are perfect, but the material is HORRID...beech veneer, any ideas on how easy it would be to shabby this up or am I best to steer clear??

Can you post a pic? I'm not sure if you can sand veneer... does anyone know for definite? I would only try sanding real wood.

jcr16

tara men often don't but they usually come round to our way of thinking . luckily my hubby doesn't mind what i do , as long as we can afford it and i'm happy. he very laid back to let me do to house what i want. he does put an input in which usually compliments what i'm doing so it works out really wel. MY hubby loves my bargain hunting skills for the house. I've recently picked up 2 huge new sofas ( new to me) from john lewis cost over £2k. the lady selling it ( very wealthy, ex pop stars wife) had just sold her massive 9 bedroom house and was downsizing and had no room and needed them gone that day and i got them for £25!!!! wow wow wow. plus hubby being 6ft4 can now fully lay out on our 7ft sofa with room for me.i also bought a chanderlier from her for £2.

tara747

jcr16 wrote: »

tara men often don't but they usually come round to our way of thinking . luckily my hubby doesn't mind what i do , as long as we can afford it and i'm happy. he very laid back to let me do to house what i want. he does put an input in which usually compliments what i'm doing so it works out really wel. MY hubby loves my bargain hunting skills for the house. I've recently picked up 2 huge new sofas ( new to me) from john lewis cost over £2k. the lady selling it ( very wealthy, ex pop stars wife) had just sold her massive 9 bedroom house and was downsizing and had no room and needed them gone that day and i got them for £25!!!! wow wow wow. plus hubby being 6ft4 can now fully lay out on our 7ft sofa with room for me.i also bought a chanderlier from her for £2.

OMG, you are so lucky (with your bargains and your OH!). Mine is pretty laid back, but he thinks I'm nuts buying furniture before we've even bought a house.

jcr16

i have been waiting to find a sofa long enough for hubby for over a year. we kept missing out on them. we bought a leather one but both hated it , as always found it cold and un homely. i was able to sell our old suite for £25 , there for not really costing us anything for our new one. these new ones are deep and comfy and you sink into them and snuggle. Had to buy some new bun feet for it tho, as they were on castor type wheel as didn't want them to damage our carpet.

but yes i am very lucky with a fab hubby, and guess just in right place at right time for some fantastic bargain's.

Mely

newmee wrote: »

OK. Don't suppose any of you clever people have any ideas to throw in regarding my piano with matching stool. Antique, although not as old as Victorian (I was told by the tuner) I cannot bear to part with it and have lugged it to Wales and back then into my upstairs flat (which cost a fortune!)
It has to stay in the living room as it wouldn't fit anywhere else so needs to blend if I am to take this theme seriously. I currently have a chocolate brown and red theme which the dark wood blends well with however I won't paint the whole piano as I think that's overkill and not advisable. I wondered if I chic'd up the stool and use the top of the piano for lighter accessories I'd get away with it? I'm struggling to picture it though.
Any suggestions welcomed :A x

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vintage-shabby-chic-painted-piano-stool-cath-kidston-/250626608764?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Home_Garden_Decorative_Accents_LE&hash=item3a5a828e7c

Hi newmee.....i also have an antique piano (made in 1910)and piano stool in my livingroom. Personally i couldnt bare to paint either of them...but what i have done is recover the piano stool seat in some lovely vintage material. That has brightened it up amazingly well! And across the top of the piano i have a cotton lace edged vintage style runner with photos in light coloured frames on top of it. I find that now it fits in perfectly with my country shabby chic room, and im very pleased with it.