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The shabby chic style is almost synonymous with old and distressed vintage decor. Shabby chic items are heavily painted through the years and display their wear and tears with pride.
This particular style was first introduced in the 1980s. It is characterized by a soft, romantic, and lived-in look. It consists of faded and muted colors, floral designs, earthy tones and lots of linen!
The shabby chic style is mostly regarded as a cottage decor or a farmhouse look. Two of its core elements are in fact affordability and comfort.
Being affordable and accessible also differentiates this style from the proper decor of the classical time period that it takes inspiration upon.
Shabby chic style is greatly appreciated by interior designers nowadays. It creates charming and cute accent pieces, especially when it comes to shabby chic area rugs.
What Is a Shabby Chic Style Area Rug?
|A shabby chic area rug is also referred to as a cottage rug. These are comfortable and lived-in pieces of textile, characterized by bleached colors, vintage designs, soft materials, and a little bit of wear or tear here and there.
Here are some of the main characteristics that define an old or vintage rug as shabby chic.
Color
Most shabby chic area rugs come in pale blues or grays. You can also find them in earthly hues such as beige or brown, mint greens, and last but not least, pink. Pastel colors are main features of shabby chic area rugs as well.
Texture
In terms of texture and patterns, shabby chic rugs feature floral patterns as old Victorian decor. These include leaves, branches, and a distinctive symmetry throughout the design.
Some of these rugs also display geometric shapes. The most distinctive look of a shabby chic rug however is an almost messy pattern where the shapes blend into one another.
Material
Shabby chic rugs come in many materials. Wool is the best one to go for. As such, wool rugs are also more expensive as they are warm, durable, resistant, and quite soft to the touch.
More natural and pricy options include jute, bamboo, cotton, and silk.
Alternatively, shabby chic area rugs also come in synthetic fibers which display the same designs as natural ones but are considerably cheaper.
Shabby chic area rugs in polyester propylene are the most common choices. They offer charming floral patterns within a budget and provide a good lifespan if kept out of sunlight.
The good news with shabby chic rugs however is that small tears and color fading is not a big deal as it is part of the design by default.
All in all, a shabby chic rug is indeed chic and charming, with a feminine feel to it.
Shabby Chic Living Room Rugs
Living rooms are typically the most used spaces in the house, also experiencing more foot traffic than any other room. This is why a good quality shabby chic rug is a better choice in these spaces.
Since living rooms do not get many liquids spilled on the floor, a wool shabby chic area rug would just be a perfect choice to add warmth and style to the place, without compromising its durability.
A floral shabby chic rug is a good choice for an all-white living room. You can have a blue or gray rug to make a statement or a muted pastel rug to create a more subtle layer that serves as an anchor point for old-looking furniture pieces.
The most common shabby chic rug for a living room is an 8’ by 10’ rug that covers a great deal of floor area. It works best with couches and tables being placed over it, as it creates a soft landing for the feet while not overwhelming the room due to its muted color tones.
Alternatively, you can use a smaller curved shabby chic rug with slightly brighter colors to become an accent point in the living room.
This type of rug allows it to relate to other shabby chic details in adjacent rooms such as a rustic table in the kitchen or a vanity in the bedroom, without having an all-shabby chic themed living room.
Shabby Chic Bedroom Rugs
Shabby chic area rugs work perfectly in bedrooms as they are soft and charming pieces of textile that can be easily matched with other shabby chic elements such as pillows and linen curtains.
A shabby chic rug has muted and blending patterns which is easy on the eyes and allows the bedroom to maintain a peaceful and restful character despite the color of the rug itself. As a result, even a darker shade can work in a bedroom.
An 8’ by 10’ shabby chic rug placed underneath the bed can create a complete look for a bedroom by also adding much-needed cushion for the feet around the bed itself.
Pink shabby chic rugs are a perfect solution for a girl’s bedroom, especially for young adults who want to express their creativity through interior design.
These rugs allow the bedroom to feel feminine without becoming too girly. A good choice in this case would be a white floral small area rug with curved edges.
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Shabby Chic Kitchen Rugs
Shabby chic area rugs are a good addition to your kitchen if you want to achieve that cottage look without having to change the cabinets.
All you need is a distressed shabby chic runner rug to complete the aisles between the kitchen cabinets and the kitchen island. Alternatively, you can use a small area rug to go underneath the dining table.
Complete the shabby chic rug by adding overly painted and old-looking kitchen pots, rustic trays, painted vases, and linen table clothes that match the colors and texture of the runners or rug. You can also accentuate the look with a rustic dining table and wooden chairs.
Choose your shabby chic rug design depending on the color of your kitchen. Opt for earthly or neutral tones if you have a dark kitchen such as black or navy blue. These rugs will brighten the space, even if you have dark hardwood floors.
If you want to make a statement, however, you can use a floral shabby chic rug with hints of red and orange to match a white kitchen. Pull colors from the rug to add other details in the room such as pillow pads or curtains.
Shabby chic rugs will give your kitchen a 1940s feel within a contemporary look.
Shabby Chic Bathroom Rugs
|The shabby chic look is quite appreciated nowadays, whether in private homes as well as tourist accommodations such as hotels or Airbnbs. These spaces add character to their designs by inserting shabby chic furniture in certain areas, and especially in the bathroom.
Shabby chic bathrooms are interesting and fun. They typically have brass or old-looking faucets as well as overly designed vanities, sinks, mirrors, and bathtubs. What completes the look is the addition of a rug.
The best shabby chic rugs to be used in a bathroom are synthetic ones that are water-resistant. These could be a small runner or bathroom mats that display a shabby chic pattern.
Choose your rug according to the bathroom tiles, as well as how much you want to be immersed in the shabby chic look. Opt for a small runner with muted colors if you have a colorful bathroom to balance out the look.
If you want to make a bolder statement, place a small area rug in a dark color or heavy floral motifs to intensify the 1940s feel of the room.
Shabby Chic Decorative Accent Rug
|Sometimes having the same theme throughout the entire house can be overwhelming. Other times jumping and immersing yourself into a specific time period by choosing every piece to match that period can make the room look flat.
But what can you do when you find yourself attracted to a style and you need to express it in your home? There is a solution that will help you achieve a great look without compromising the entire room: using an accent rug.
You can use shabby chic decorative accent rugs to accentuate your style. In addition, these rugs help create a cozy romantic corner in your home. You can place them in the kitchen close to a rustic table or even an old looking cupboard.
You can use a small round or elliptical shabby chic rug next to a vintage armchair in the living room. This will create a new favourite reading nook in your home.
Accent rugs can also elevate the level of design in a hallway when positioned next to rustic long benches. You can even place them in a patio to achieve that warm cottage summer look.
Design Ideas with Shabby Chic Rugs
Here are some interesting shabby chic looks that you can pull inspiration from.
White and Bright Shabby Chic Living Room
|An all-white living room can seem plain and boring. But this image proves that a white shabby chic room is anything but flat. This living room is comfortable and feminine, with a very chic look achieved through a mix of vintage furniture.
Shabby chic style is indeed quite curated and complete. The area rug supports the entire look through washed-out tones of gray that add a level of depth to the entire ensemble.
Edgy Shabby Chic Bedroom
|Shabby chic does not mean rural. You can achieve this style even in a more modern and urban-like setting. This bedroom is a great example of how you can create a shabby chic feel within a contemporary and edgy room.
The white runner rug in this bedroom creates a very interesting feature as used in a quite out-of-the-box way.
The room introduces soft natural colors with a splash of vivid hues in a few soft textiles. The rug compliments the floors as well as the bed headboard.
Mix and Match Dining Room
|Mixing and matching different colors and materials has created a very playful look for this dining room. The pink floral shabby chic rug adds a hint of romance and femininity.
It looks like a perfect cottage dining space where you can spend a nice weekend away from big city life. Just, imagine yourself enjoying your meals slowly and in good company in this shabby chic dining table.
Vintage Shabby Chic Bathroom
|The shabby chic style is very appealing for bathrooms as well. It gives them a much-deserved importance in terms of design and decor.
This shabby chic rug with a floral pattern in a faded blue creates a good link between the white bottom part of the bathroom and the dark blue walls at the top.
The rug adds enough detail to make the bathroom look curated without being too obvious and immersed in a cottage look.
FAQ
What is the difference between boho rug and shabby chic rug?
People tend to confuse shabby chic area rugs with boho rugs. The two are quite different, however.
A boho rug preserves a mid-century hippie look with a hint of Marocco exotic feel. A shabby chic area rug on the other hand is a comfortable and worn out looking rug that aligns itself with a cottage style.
The color schemes and textures in these rugs are different as well. Shabby chic area rugs display muted and faded pastel shades with mainly floral textures.
Boho rugs feature more exotic colors such as orange, yellow, green and red. They also contain as geometric shapes within a beige background.
What is the difference between masculine and feminine shabby chic style?
Shabby chic style is often seen as a romantic and feminine one. But masculine shabby chic style also exists. Its main features include denim, rust, wood, and darker shades.
A feminine shabby chic style features white-out surroundings and area rugs in warm tones such as pink or peach.
A masculine shabby chic look on the other hand, is more rustic than soft. Masculine shabby chic style is composed of plain wooden furniture as well as copper, brass, and iron items, anchored by area rugs in bold colors such as blue and gray.
What can you match with a shabby chic rug?
The most common décor items you can match with a shabby chic area rug include vintage pillows and pillow covers. Also linen curtains, jute runners, soft fabric chandeliers, floral bedspreads, and paintings with flowers on them.
In addition, you can match any kind of furniture with metal frames, especially if they are rusted or made of iron.
Avoid plastic as most shabby chic decor items are made of natural and raw elements. You can also match your shabby chic rug with a vintage wallpaper.
What is a distressed shabby chic rug?
There is a big difference between a distressed and an abused rug, which is what most people get confused about.
A distressed rug is made to look as old through various techniques. It could be brand new and still look like it has been used for years and years due to its design, texture, color and its threadwork.
An abused rug on the other hand has signs or tears or burns that can neither be fixed nor ignored.