Shabby Chic Thread?

Pipkin

I love Farrow and Ball type colours..scrummy!

Is the 12.99 for a smallish type tin (sort of like the small Laura Ashley oil paint type tins?)

Your cupboard in the kitchen looks ace, I think (pending room) I may have to try that !

moanymoany

Rachelle, love the blog and I've sent for the F & B colour card.

For all those recommending the 'country cream' site - you nearly had me parting with lots of cash! It's full of smashing ideas.

Here are a couple more sites.

http://www.vintagelifestyle.co.uk/

http://www.catalogs.com/info/home-decor/painting-shabby-chic-furniture.html

I've decided to try to store a couple of chests of drawers I was going to give away - if the house of the coast happens - I will be able to F&B them up!

I'm going to do the white candles tied in red ribbon from the country cream people.

mary43

Brilliant ideas there. We'll all be rushing off to buy paint now..........lol

wicknwax

I loveeeeeeeeeeee shabby chic :T

rachelleblondel_2

Hi Moany
You won't regret the F&B decision and I can guarantee that'll you'll never use any other paint, for a couple of extra pounds the paint is far superior to anything else I've used...good luck rx

Austin_Allegro

I'm a big fan of shabby chic too, though in a more masculine style - I don't like too many flounces and frills and flowery stuff. I have Rachel Ashwell's book 'Shabby Chic' which is good but there's rather too much pink paint in it for me!

The style I like is a sort of mixture of country cottage/school dormitory/officers' mess in a downmarket regiment which wouldn't look out of place in any year from about 1850 onwards.

The great thing about shabby chic is it's cheap to buy and maintain, and whilst it never looks fashionable it never really dates either, and because you don't really have a 'look' you don't have to worry too much about things matching.

You can pretty much treat any old junk with cream matt paint and it will look good. Eg, take the nastiest cheapest crappest old chipboard laminate wardrobe, the kind you can probably get off skips. Add some MDF cornicing around the top (you'll need to know how to mitre edges which can be tricky) and create fake panels on the door with beading. Paint it with melamine primer, then a Farrow and Ball type top coat. Fill in the panelling with some Laura Ashley type wallpaper (offcuts of course) then add some antique effect brass fittings and hey presto you have a 'shabby chic' wardrobe. You can do this with any cheap junk furniture really.

mary43

Is Farrow and Ball paint available almost anywhere ?

janetmw

Homebase!

Janet

mary43

Thanks Janet..............can see me and OH taking a trip there when we have the rest of our leave...................lol I'll break it to him gently..............lol

Austin_Allegro

Farrow and Ball is quite expensive BTW - I'd check out the alternatives, most paint companies make 'heritage' ranges, but any matt or silk paint looks ok on furniture. Gloss tends to look a bit 'new' and doesn't really give the same aged effect.