Chic Country Design French Style

Chic Country Design French Style

Chic Country Design French Style

Popularized in Britain after the second war, the shabby chic look - otherwise known as the 'country house look' has become one of the most sought-after themes since being promoted by Rachel Ashwell of New York in the early nineties.

It's a study in contrasts between casual and elegant, fresh and traditional, simple and ornate, plain and patterned, rumpled and tidy. Scratches, marks and peeling paint are okay – in fact they are encouraged.

If you love to collect mismatched teacups, vintage lacy linens, soft floral fabrics, painted furniture, crystal chandeliers, and lots of white accessories, this may be the style for you. Like "comfort food" it seems to appeal to our "grandmother's house" sense of beauty and belonging.