What is shabby chic and why has it become so popular?

Shabby chic is used in interior design to describe furniture and furnishings that have the appearance of aging and the signs of wear and tear or is used to describe newer items or new items of furniture that have been distressed or treated to achieve the appearance of being antique or what has become to be as known as ‘shabby chic’. Shabby chic items are often very heavily painted over many years, with many layers showing through with obvious worn areas. The style is enhanced by using a glaze or by painting then rubbing and sanding away the topcoat to reveal the wood or base coatings, this is known as "distressing". Furniture pieces that are not genuine antiques or vintage items are usually selected due to their resemblance to older furniture styles. The style evokes the type of decoration found in large country houses in the UK where there are worn and faded old pieces of furniture that have a certain style and elegance and a lasting appeal,

The term shabby chic was first coined over 20 years ago and is still going strong today and remains one of our best sellers here at Kalusto. Be it simple lamp tables or fine dining tables and chairs or office furniture for the home office, our Seville shabby chic range remains as popular as ever and has a lasting appeal that never looks out of place in any home. With its eclectic style, mixing and matching an antique look and feel with pastel colours and even lace and floral patterns, shabby chic is also referred to as country chic or vintage chic. Championed first in the 1980’s by Rachel Ashwell who is credited to playing a vital role in its rise in popularity, the origins of shabby chic décor are firmly planted here in the UK but it was across the Atlantic  where Rachel Ashwell was the first to pioneer the trend and open up a store in sun drenched California solely dedicated to shabby chic furniture and shabby chic home décor

Our shabby chic range here at Kalusto only uses wood reclaimed from areas such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the Southern parts of India – Some of the wood that we use to make our shabby chic furniture can be between anywhere 50 to 150 years old and because it is reclaimed, each and every piece of furniture we make is truly unique. Built to a very high standard by the most skilled of craftsmen, we use a durable satin lacquer to bring out the colours and make them more vibrant whilst enhancing the character of the wood as well, providing a long-lasting finish and durability

All our shabby chic furniture is environmentally friendly and built to last bring a shabby chic elegance and beauty to any room. Discover our range of shabby chic furniture here