Shabby chic is a trend in decor. It is created when you take a new thing and make it old. The most widespread ways of achieving this look are sanding and denting.

Where to look for shabby furniture
It will be great if you can find light weight furniture in yard sales and dime stores. You should strip off the paint and cover it with white paint in such way that the tones of the old color and wood could be viewed through the new coat. You should sand the corners and edges which can create a naturally worn out look. It will look perfect if you choose light beige tone or cream color and they will also suit for both big and small pieces. Try to avoid dark or bright colors. Instead choose white washed walls. One feature wall should be in red or in various tones of red.

You should collect the old furniture which you have just painted and decorate it with old world cushions in clean, faded slips; doilies, throws, table runners and lamp shades. For the basic tones you should choose antique white tones which can be mixed with tiny floral prints or pastel stripes which create the feeling of comfort. Such things as an old tea pot or even a paint tin can serve as a flower vase which you can fill with red and white blossoms and place it on an occasional table.

Add some color
You can add to your bare white walls a spicy look if you paint them red or in other related colors. Leave the feature wall as a background for the white sofa with a quilted throw draped across. Or you may also hang framed black and white photographs on it. You can make the end tables the center of attention by placing some antique candle sticks or a tea-set taken from the kitchen.

Shabby chic is not a plain shubby
The main aim is to preserve the contrast between the crisp, clean white elegance and the dull shabby red elements. You shouldn’t arrange various pieces of furniture in the same set. Keep a balance with the rest of the decor. As a result you should create a hand made, handed down look which bonds greatly with the past but at the same time it should be looking to the future.

Shabby chic creates a clean, neatly preserved look. Your main task is to keep it clean, squeaky clean to grandma standards.