Shabby Chic; Volume III

jumblejack

Looks good already!!!! :T

Thriftkitten

Chalky, I hope hubster is prepared for wild weather, we are getting battered again as I type... about the 4th time in 2 weeks, aparently this is the worst one.... another night without sleep:eek:

chalkysoil

He was in Penzance this morning with clear blue skies, hoping he's hunkered down in Bovey T by now with family. Loads of roads were closed and sea fronts etc. We lost a tall tree but live on a hill so not much chance of flooding, but a nearby village was all over BBC news today with flooding and water bubbling up through the tarmac from the water table. I'm so sick of it, it started with 3 days of no power over Xmas and has gone on and on. I felt really sorry for a lady in Somerset who has pets, and is minding someone else's too, who refused to leave her house. I've seen tv pics of people sleeping outside community centres with their pets because they aren't allowed inside.
Hence painting things red to cheer myself up!

Thriftkitten

Yes has been a lovely day, but started going down hill around 3pm, windy outside but not too bad, gusty but not too gutsy yet. I have nightshift tomorrow at the hospital and DD1 n DD2 are at my mums whose house is surrounded by old oak tree's... I'll be fretting all night.

chalkysoil

we should have air raid type shelters. I used to love the wind when I was a kid but now I get flashbacks to 1987 and start imagining the worst. Hubs hasn't phoned since lunchtime... probably having a good time rather than in a ditch but ...


Meanwhile, I gave the final coat to a pine desk and hope to wax it soon. It's been in the queue for years. And the first coat to a really thrashed chunky pine coffee table. Can't move in here for drying paint!

Thriftkitten

Don't worry chalk, The Cornish are very welcoming, I'm sure he is probably warming his tootsies infront of a logburner in some old maids scullery, whilst being force fed a huge home made pastie, thousands of cups of tea while she is knitting him some fishermens sox... before being aloud back outside after the storm has passed.... on a serious note, it is very blustery here and I'm told to get worse...I hope not too much worse as I have to drive to Treliske Hospital tonight for my nightshift...

chalkysoil

He's Ok as of 2pm! Meanwhile we've had two hail storms here in Kent today and lots of rain.


I'm watching the paint dry on 8 wooden knobs I've chalk painted. I saw something about cocktail sticks and a potato so that's what I've done. Hands are still covered in paint but they look quite jaunty.
Good luck with the night shift.

fawd1

Ches wrote: »

Anyone good at home decor as I need some advice.
My bedroom furniture is shabby chic and I am very pleased with the look although I can't claim to have painted it myself and instead had it done at a local place.
The problem I have is that my downstairs furniture is almost all Old Charm in medium oak. This includes dresser/table & chairs/settee etc. I can't have this painted because the other furniture is a long case clock, an Edwardian occassional table and another table and grandfather chair that has been handed down in the family and would be devalued if painted.
I intend to have the walls painted in Dulux Nutmeg White as its my favourite colour for walls but can't think what colour to have for carpet/curtains/recovering settee and chairs to make it look shabby chic. My ornaments are wooden boxes and jug/basin sets and I have a lot of old china/lace/doilies etc to accessorise if needed. Anyone up for giving me some ideas please.

I'm happy to give you some ideas.
The first thing I would say is that if you want a shabby chic look and already have wooden furniture that "matches" then don't get fabrics, cushions etc that match. Look for a variety of patterns, textures, colours etc that complement each other whilst simultaneously not matching if you see what I mean. For example if you had your sofa recovered in a light blue (or teal, something with a bit of oomph) you could then accessorize with a variety of cushions you make yourself, or buy. Mix it up with some hessian cushions, some made with vintage patterned fabric, some printed fabrics etc. Pick up one of the colours in the fabric cushion and use that as a basis for your curtains, again don't worry about it matching, floral and stripes is fine, or anything else really. Decorate with frames painted in various shades, and group them together if you can. The more different the shape and colour of your frames the better to create that shabby chic look.

It's really important to remember that to get a "look" in a room is not about one element, and shabby chic style is not just about painting all your furniture in various shades of white. Basically for a real shabbby chic look, you have to decorate your house in such a way as to make it look like you've picked things up as you've gone along simply because you liked them not because you were trying to create a theme.

P.S. I'd also consider a pale carpet with a colourful rug, ideally a rag rug style with a mix of colours on the paler side of the palette.

Just my 2 cents anyway.

Ches

Thanks Fawd1 thats brilliant. My achillies heel is having everything matching. I need to loosen up I think.

jumblejack

Had a busy weekend on a few projects (some still ongoing!)

Is it ok to share the link this way as I have yet to pin them on my upcycle board:

http://jumblejacksjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/progress-so-far.html?m=0http://jumblejacksjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/progress-so-far.html?m=0/