Ideas & Inspiration
Shabby Chic

Get inspiration for decorating your home in this soft and dreamy style. There's no need to upscale anything here; we've got you covered with a range of characterful, shabby chic picture frames.

Shop Shabby Chic

Frame your art using a shabby chic frame to add character to your walls and art. They make an affordable, non-permanent feature piece, allowing you to play around with styles and moods without breaking the bank.

Thanks to our range of aged mouldings, you don't need to dedicate an entire afternoon to upscaling old frames.

"For a sophisticated take on shabby chic, stick to a palette of off-white and cream, adding white-washed and distressed wood for interest."

"Golds accentuate nicely the shabby chic style. They are so opposite - one purposefully fancy, the other purposefully humble."

Shabby chic wall paint colours

Get The Look

Colours

A quintessential shabby chic interior uses off-white, cream and ivory. However, try to stay clear of pure white as it can sometimes appear too modern against the backdrop of worn antique accessories.

For a more colourful take, try using soft pinks, pastel blues and faded greens to bring some life to your designs without appearing overwhelming.

Textures & Patterns

Soft faded materials and fresh flowers lend a peaceful, quiet air whilst salvaged wooden furniture, a patterned table lamp, and white candles add relaxed glamour. Framed art can be created at home using odd bits and materials from shops like The Works. Think of a cross-stitch (you can get somebeautiful kits online) or a DIY photo collage.

Art Styles

The art form of Shabby Chic typically consists of items worn by father time; it could be an image of a derelict house or an ageing accessory like a chest of draws. Alternatively, the premise of Shabby Chic may conjure up the image of an old bicycle decomposing. If you go authentic, you could even purchase a piece of artwork which has been moulded and affected by the passage of time, thus framing it to preserve the artwork.

Floral Paintings

Floral paintings remain a fundamental part of the shabby chic movement; floral designs will work nicely within any of our shabby chic picture frames. King and McGaw provide a range of excellent floral prints that enhance any home.

Cowslips Yellow Print Framed
Summer memories floral poster
Lilac purple rose vintage floral canvas

Cross Stitches

Cross stitch is part of the sewing family, and it is currently enjoying an almighty resurgence. It is a form of counted thread embroidery in which x shaped stitches in a tiled, raster-like pattern are used to create a picture. The art of cross stitch is one of the oldest types of embroidery, which traces back to the middle ages. It is a popular pastime for many individuals. Once completed, you can frame it. You may want to learn more about framing cross stitches.

Rabbit cross stitch kit
Crossing the river tapestry canvas
Portrait of a young girl by albert lynch
Old World of Interiors Magazine Cover

History

Shabby Chic is one of the most popular interior design trends today. It was first coined by "World of Interiors" magazine in the 1980s, finding its origins in Great Britain.

The Americans heavily adopted the style, and it became prevalent in the United States during the 1990s. During this time, vintage floral patterns with pastel colours or linen in earth tones all became typical of the trend.