Antiques have their own charm. History emanates from them, they are silent witnesses of the events that took place earlier. Very often, it is the old, memorable things that determine the direction of the interior and set the tone for it. And already the whole style of the room is built into one ensemble with your favorite things. Especially when it comes to the kitchen. A porcelain service inherited from your grandmother or a carved wooden sideboard will help to bring together, in one ensemble, a vintage shabby chic style.
What is a shabby chic kitchen?
The name comes from the English shabby, which means "shabby" in translation. Rachel Ashwell, a designer, is considered the founder of the style. She invented it in 1980 in England. And the name was given to it by the magazine "World of Interiors" all in the same 1980. It is also believed that it arose for a simple reason - economical English people like to buy things at flea markets and furnish their homes with them.
One of the features of the style is wear. As if things have already lived a long life before the real owners. Either these are really old things that have been restored, or they are new, but"aged" specially.
It can be in this form as all kitchen furniture, and any separate detail (island, bar counter, sideboard, dining table and chairs or something else).
If you go too far and age everything, you can get the effect of an old cluttered room, which can spoil the result of all work. Therefore, the main rule is everything in moderation. Let there be the main aged detail (for example, a sideboard), and the entire interior will be adjusted to it.
The color scheme is characteristic pastel shades. Pale pink, creamy, turquoise, pistachio - all colors seem to be with the addition of white paint. Pure colors are also acceptable, undiluted.
A shabby chic kitchen is suitable for romantic, refined people who are nostalgic for the past and carefully keep memories of it.
Distinguishing Features
The shabby chic kitchen is a storehouse of elements. This style is definitely not suitable for those who love minimalism. Ruffles, jars, shelves - you can find everything here. Even a piece of fallen off plaster on the wall is used in the design as an indicator of antiquity.
Characteristic wooden shelves for dishes with hooks for cups and towels. Such shelves are installed above the work area, above the window or above the dining table - depending on the size of the room. Also, the design of the kitchen in the shabby chic style provides for the extensive use of textiles: curtains, napkins, potholders, tablecloths. Chairs are most often covered with covers with bows behind the back or with frills. Mainly withsmall floral pattern.
A popular trick is to use curtains under the sink instead of doors. At the same time, plumbing can be ultra-modern, the sink is made of marble, and under it are cute floral curtains. Ruffles, frills, ribbons - everything is welcome, and it's even hard to imagine a shabby chic kitchen without them.
Materials are used only natural - cotton, linen, velvet. When the whole meaning of the interior is tied to things with history, synthetics have no place here. And, of course, lots of flowers. Not only in the ornament, but also alive in bouquets, dried or growing in pots. Graceful carved planters or openwork coasters are suitable for them.
The floor should also match and be aged. Parquet, antique tiles or floorboards. Throw a small floral rug under your feet for a harmonious look.
Lighting
Chandeliers for the shabby chic kitchen are characteristically frilly and large. If it has been preserved since the time of the Baroque or Rococo, then it is the right place for it. Chandeliers with lamps in the form of candles are especially welcome. It must be supplemented with an appropriate vintage switch.
Neon-lit furniture and work area do not belong here. Only spotlights with warm yellow light. It is possible to use a sconce. You can even make the wiring open, as they did in the century before last, on special porcelain holders. Also, chandeliers for the kitchen in the shabby chic style are characterized by stucco elements (flowers, ribbons) and forging.
Furniture
Filling modern kitchens is as technologically advanced as a spaceship. And so that all these benefits of civilization look harmonious, they are usually hidden behind kitchen facades. For a shabby chic kitchen, this option is not suitable. Luckily, many appliance manufacturers now produce vintage-style lines. These are gas stoves, and hoods, and refrigerators, and kettles.
Therefore, one main task falls on the facades of a shabby chic kitchen - to match the style. Of the obligatory elements are antique handles and scuffs. Also preferred are such classic elements as moldings, bas-reliefs, cornices, balusters. On them, traces of scuffs look especially attractive.
Kitchen can only be with the bottom row of cabinets, without the top. The top is perfectly replaced by open shelves with plates and cups. You can also make the bottom row open, but in operation it will be inconvenient due to dust. If you like the style, but don’t want to see the wear, then you can order shabby chic facades for the kitchen, painted with matte paint in delicate colors characteristic of the style. It's white, creamy, pastel.
Desirable free-standing chest of drawers or cupboard for dishes. It can be used to store towels, necessary small things, and put a bouquet of flowers and favorite photos on top.
Textiles
So beloved by many women, frills, flowers, bows - everything has the right to be here. The shades are delicate, as only natural materials are used. Hand embroidery is possible. Ruffles can decorate both the curtain itself and the kitchen towel, tablecloths or chair covers. You can add frills to the curtain holder and napkins.
Shabby chic kitchen curtains are also preferred from natural materials. Available in three types: long to the floor, short (up to the window sill) or roller blinds.
Decor
To design a shabby chic kitchen, just furniture and textiles are not enough. Need details. Charming porcelain figurines, vases, photo frames. The photos themselves can be made in black and white or antique sepia. Various little things and souvenirs brought from trips will also come in handy. For this style, let's go over the details, even a little clutter. It's a matter of taste.
Dishes
Dishes in the kitchen are her business card. It can be either a family porcelain service or simple faience plates. Plain plates and cups will look good. Open shelves are suitable for storing them.
For storage of cereals and other bulk products, large jars with inscriptions are suitable. Such open shelves with hooks for cups are very functional and convenient, there are no problems with drying dishes and they are always at hand.
Pros and cons of shabby chic style in the kitchen
Of course, the main thing in the kitchen is convenience. For this, it is important to comply with the technological series (refrigerator - sink - stove) and distances in accordance with the standards. The distances calculated by the designers allow you to perform actions in the kitchen as efficiently as possible. This is the heightshelves, and aisle widths, cabinet depths.
But if the style of the kitchen is shabby chic, it adds its own characteristics. Of the pluses, the following can be distinguished:
- the kitchen looks gentle and feminine, which pleases the eye and gives aesthetic pleasure;
- you can and should use vintage things;
- great scope for fantasy decor;
- bright colors;
- timeless design.
But with all the obvious pluses, there are a number of minuses that need to be taken into account:
- congested with decorative elements;
- this style is only suitable for women;
- difficulty in choosing furniture;
- necessary antique-style appliances.
If you want this style, but it is inconvenient in everyday life, you can use shabby chic techniques in the interior of a kitchen in a country house or in the country. Moreover, surrounded by nature, it will look even more natural.
