Show Your Family The Greatest Pride Decorate Your Living Room Using Shabby Chic

History contains much matter for pride, and many decorators need home decorating ideas to express this pride. Pride is part of who you are and is part of your day to day living. Because of the need for expression in home decorating, I will discuss using shabby chic in living room decorating to show love for history as well as personal pride.

Many tend to associate shabby chic decorating with femininity yet I disagree. To me shabby chic is a decorating style that expresses pride in history by using furniture, sofas, and pieces of art from earlier periods, the vintage pieces ideally look a little worn, to create a beautifully aged design scheme.

It was in the 1980s when Rachel Ashwell began the use of this term, then an inexpensive line of furniture became popular for shabby chic decorating. The furniture associates with a number of historical designs from different periods, the pieces are created to look as if they're older, worn and from an earlier period, for instance the 18oo's country French, Shaker designs, plus many others.

This style will turn your living room into a comfortable space with the romance of things that are old or vintage pieces that have a purpose. A shabby chic living room is perfect if you'll like to show off your favorite accessories and antiques. And best of all it is possible to create your own shabby chic decor using items in your home and paints.

How To Paint Shabby Chic Furniture

When painting shabby chic furniture home decorators get an inner sense of pride and save cash because the decorator creates the finished product.With style of painting each piece of furniture is created as the decorator desires. Shabby chic decorating is a cozy, stylish and relaxing look and a perfect way to preserve vintage items.

Shabby chic shows class and pride in character, and can be used for any room of your home such as the nursery, living room and guest room. Arrange articles that are different and then paint theme to give them a uniform appearance.

I'll outline some tips here that will give your home the pride of the peacock:

* Choose pieces that are a bit old and worn out to paint in shabby chic decorating, usually vintage pieces and second-hand items are best for the cause. It is ok if the finishing is in bad shape because they will be painted.

* For painting you must break away from tradition, choose light colors and pastel. Some ideal choices include lavender, light blue, pink, light green, and light yellow gel.

* If the piece you have chosen is made of laminated materials, first clean it of all the old dirt and chipping paint with sandpaper, then use a quality primer to coat it before painting.

* Rub candle wax onto the furniture to prevent the paint from sticking, then begin painting by simply adding layers of the selected color. The great news is you don't have to be a professional painter to create great shabby chic furniture.

* Use uniformity in your scheme, by choosing identical color fabrics for your curtains and the shades. Consider tea stained fabrics in similar colors and shades in a combination of prints like floral, striped and checked matching the background with the same color.

The pride of creating shabby chic furniture belongs to everyone, even if you don't have any old or antique furniture in your home. From thrift shops and garage sales look for pieces of furniture that have some antique lines, or furniture with a lot of curves. There is no need to spend on expensive beds, large closets, or huge sofas, nothing has to be purchased. Many decorators do shabby chic painting using old suitcases, stools, pieces of broken glasses, broken vases and lamps, with a little bit of reason and a sense of freedom home decorators can find pride in shabby chic decor.

If you take pride in preserving old furniture you'll be amazed at the opportunities this style of decorating offers. Restore a worn deck chair for living room furniture, fix up old wood using a transparent blue stain paint. Bring in a garden arbor to make your scheme distinctive, use garden statues such as angels, or combine pieces from your grandmother's home with pieces you have chosen. If you take pride in preserving old furniture these ideas will make you a proud decorator.

In the living room decorators can use house hold furniture already in their home, they can sand half of the paint off a piece to give it a worn look or add a light layer of paint to a wood piece. Decorators may also use several layers of different shades on top of one another, so that the shabby chic piece appears to be from an earlier age, the idea is to break up sets by painting each piece a different color. The paint treatment can also be used to create a cottage tile floor, by painting the floor to resemble a blue and white checkerboard.

Noteworthy qualities of a shabby chic wall include: the paint color is light such as cream. Artwork can be created by grouping plates together, use floral plates or solid colored trays. Also paneling and bead board is very popular with shabby chic.

Turn your light fixtures into chandeliers with paints for shabby chic decorating, using cream or butter yellow color hang crystals from the room's light fixtures. Incorporate various sizes and shapes of crystals to stimulate curiosity and to break away from conventional decor. Also decoupage a floral pattern to show charter, onto the outside of light shades.

Break away from older ideas for decorating, remove the glass from old window frames, and suspend the window from the ceiling for a room divider with a shabby chic element.

We have just had a discussion on shabby chic decoration, this style will take personal commitment and pride in your ability to decorate. So now you know the secrets, it is up to you to separate excellence from inaction, with a bit of reason and a sense of freedom you'll proud of the results. Look for more articles and writings by me on home decor, I look forward to future discussions on this exciting subject.










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Believe You Can, Refinishing Old Furniture, To Match Your Home Decor.

Because many do-it-yourself types like to know the secrets of successfully refinishing furniture. In this writing I'll give tips on getting yourself prepared, and what you really need to do. By doing what you feel is right will bring the results you want. I'll give tips on refinishing old furniture or any furniture you choose.

The future of home decor belongs to those who believe beauty exists in their homes. If you can imagine beauty, then with these tips believe you can create beauty in your home. The point I'm making is; sometimes you may find a piece of furniture in your home that appears to be of yesterday's history. It is a piece with a hopeless look of days gone by and just seems to be out-of-place. When you think of the other pieces in your decor, you say "My only option is to replace." But if you take a little time and restore the outdated piece you'll have the rarest piece in the world. Here I will provide a step-by-step instruction guide, for a thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as restoring your furniture.


All you will need is to prepare, the proper supplies, and to follow the tips provided. Believe you can, and purchase the following: chemical strippers, rubber gloves, eye protection, a rounded-edge scraper, steel wool, water or turpentine, sandpaper medium and fine grit, tack cloth, stain, topcoat, drop cloth and rags or brushes.

If you are ready to begin the physical work start by desiring a neat job (hurry will make waste). It will be ideal to remove the old stain or varnish outdoors or select a well-ventilated room. A little wisdom, use a drop cloth under your furniture and avoid contact with the floor or ground.

According to the manufacturer's directions apply the chemical stripper while wearing rubber gloves and eye protection. Allow the stripper to properly saturate the old stain, follow the directions for the amount of time needed to soak, the time needed will vary from product to product. The idea is to believe you can for what you think you'll become. After soaking your furniture, use a scraper to remove the finish. Remove as much stain as possible with the scraper, what is left remove with steel wool. It is important to work quickly, do not allow the stripper to dry. After completely removing the old stain, clean your furniture with turpentine or water, removing the remaining stripper according to the directions. Now give your piece the length of time needed to thoroughly dry.
With care begin sanding in the direction of the grain of the wood, be sure not to sand against the grain. First sand with medium grit sandpaper and lastly with the fine grit sandpaper. Gently smooth out all imperfections in the wood and remove the last traces of the of the old stain. Using the tack cloth, it is important to remove all remaining dust from the piece before proceeding any further.

Your old piece should now start to show new life. Just believe you can restore, for you'll understand more through involvement. Paying close attention to the manufacturer's directions carefully apply the new stain. To transform your piece it will require a rag or a brush depending on the stain used. Allow the stain to sit for the length of time recommended, then wipe off the excess. For a darker color apply multiple coats, but remember to allow the piece to dry between applications.
Lastly apply a sealer or top coat. Apply the sealer in thin coats, allowing the piece to dry between applications. By using long, overlapping strokes evenly apply the sealer for best results. One idea is to purchase a stain with a built-in sealer, then applying a sealer will not be necessary. Do not move the piece until allowing the top coat the length of time needed to completely dry.

We have just had a discussion about restoring a worn piece of furniture to match your home decor. If someone tells you, you will forget, it is best to believe you can and follow the advice. I suggest you to follow your dream and become involved, then you will find understanding. Look forward to you joining me in more discussions. Look for more articles and hubs I have written on home decor.












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