There is a great appeal to be had from the use of appliques in any type of decor. They provide a cheap and cheerful way to add charm to a room, whilst giving it a touch of soft texture and subtle detailing. The real difficulty with this design style is that you have to match up the pieces very carefully if you are not going to end up with a very pretty design that does not clash with your existing furnishings and items. This article will give you some great pointers on what types of furniture appliques can be used on to give your shabby chic home design a much updated and stylish look.
The first thing you need to think about is the design itself. If you are striving for a shabby chic look then you do not want to commit too much money or energy into your project. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for and shabby chic furniture does not come cheap. If you are looking for a cheap alternative then you can try using rugs and pillows with old world decorative patterns. Oriental and floral designs look particularly good when used in shabby chic rooms as they are both very traditional and very romantic. Remember though, whichever design you decide to go with it should never compete with your existing furnishings otherwise your efforts will be simply wasted.
Once you have decided which bits and pieces you are going to use it is time to move on to the actual installation process. One of the problems with shabby chic furniture is that it tends to be quite delicate so it can sometimes be difficult to work on it without damaging it. One of the best ways to ensure that your shabby chic lighting design will survive for years is to follow the steps of one of the many great DIY guides available. These will show you how to measure your room correctly, as well as showing you some great lighting ideas that can complement your design. You should always remember that installation is important so leave it to the experts if you are unsure of anything.
Most of the time you will be buying your shabby chic lamp shades and cushions from vintage stores or second hand shops in your area. They tend to look just as good as the brand names that you would buy in the high street store but at half the price! The great thing about buying vintage items is that there are lots of different designs available so finding one that suits your tastes should not be too hard. If you decide to buy modern items then you can also find some great bargains online.
Before putting your lamps in the room, you need to think carefully about where you want them to go. If you are aiming to create a shabby chic look then you should probably aim to hang them off the wall as these are much harder to damage. It is also worth trying to hang a shabby chic lamp from a pole as these can look really great hanging on the wall. As with most other interior design styles you will probably want to add some lamps that are under the current design theme. Once you have found your look you can start adding your lamps and you may even find that you will end up replacing some of them.
It is important that you take the time to make sure that the lighting in your room matches the look that you have chosen. In most cases this will be determined by the colours that you have chosen. If you find that a specific shade is not particularly popular then try to stick to white or a pastel shade. You will also need to consider any other furniture in your bedroom such as tables and beds. You could try a shabby chic tablecloth or simply a shabby chic bed frame.
A great way to keep your shabby chic lamps and other items looking great is to protect them. If you find that they are getting too dirty then you can vacuum them or give them a wash with a mild detergent. Linen is also a great material to use as it won’t leave any stains behind and it will dry very quickly. Try to use as little water as possible when cleaning so that your items can dry very quickly. If you do accidentally spill something then using a soft fabric like chamois, which is made from sheepskin, is a great way to remove any stain from your shabby chic pieces.
The best thing about shabby chic is that you can play around with all sorts of different designs. This means that you can have your lamps customised with pictures of your cats or you can have a shabby chic dining table with antiques crockery. You will find that the options are endless. You will also find that it is not too expensive to buy products such as shabby chic lamps. For those of you on a budget there are plenty of thrift stores and yard sales where you can find beautiful old lamps for less than a lot of money.