There is indeed a growing and hugely popular trend catching on with the stylish young and not-so-young folks out there – as the French would call it, the ‘rustique’ look. Others more fashion savvy and in with anything stylish see this as the ‘shabby-chic’ look.
The shabby chic look is slightly differentiated from other more worn look as it has that air of old, used and LOVED. It shouts “don’t let me go, I’m too precious to be done away with 😊!” LOL.
I fell in love with the shabby chic look especially with furnishings where the painting is falling off the very skin of the furniture and showing the old layers of paint of original wood etc when, a couple of years ago, I holidayed with my family in the village of Maffliers in the Val-d’Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France. There, I was fascinated by the old beautiful buildings lining the narrow streets and in one home I was invited into for a drink, I was blown away by an old chaise longue. The piece had this old and well-worn silk-like material, but what caught my attention more was its entire faded, rustique look. Old Satin blue paint falling off the wood, exposing a creamy-coloured hard wood underneath, the design on the legs of the furniture was real ancient-looking, very Gothic, with paint peeling off and marks across the entire leg surface, like scratches from a rather angry cat. The material covering the chaise longue looked tired but adorable. I fell in love!!
That was my shabby chic awakening moment!!
Now I’m always looking out to rediscover that feeling in every piece I come across.
Here’s one I designed and handpainted recently and which will be available for grabs soon on my Marketplace page.
If you haven’t been bitten by the shabby chic bug just yet, just you wait, there’s no escaping it!
LORHUES 