Interior references
Shabby Chic has an unusual origin among decorating styles: it can be dated precisely. In 1989, stylist Rachel Ashwell opened a small shop in Santa Monica, California, selling vintage pieces and slipcovered furniture with washable covers. The name and aesthetic spread quickly, and over the 1990s became an internationally recognised vocabulary.
Rachel Ashwell described her philosophy as beauty, comfort and function, valuing the marks of time over perfection. The repertoire brings together faded floral prints, washed fabrics, plump upholstery with loose, removable covers, painted or intentionally chipped furniture, and a soft palette dominated by whites, pinks and dusty blues. The central idea is to create rooms that feel lived-in, not staged for display.
In a project, Shabby Chic can be concentrated in upholstered pieces with removable, washable covers, lighting with a touch of sparkle — such as chandeliers —, and foraged or intentionally aged objects. Intensity can be adjusted to a family's routine: rooms heavily used by children or pets, for example, benefit from the practical logic of washable fabrics that was part of the style's original proposal.
Shabby Chic is not tied to a specific architecture: it began as a shop and product proposal, not as the companion to one façade. It can complement more traditional or country-style homes, but can also be incorporated, in measured doses, into more contemporary projects. It should not be assumed to be the mandatory match for any architectural style.
It is relatively recent and well documented: it began in 1989, with Rachel Ashwell's shop in Santa Monica, and spread through the 1990s.
No. The style depends on curation: the wear is intentional and paired with comfort, soft fabrics and a carefully soft palette — it is not a synonym for neglect.
No. It is an interior style that can be adapted to different architectures, with no fixed matching façade.
FROM INSPIRATION TO PROJECT
This is a development approach. The scope of each stage is defined in the contracted proposal.
Understand routines, preferences, the site and the planned investment.
Define the concept and relationship between architecture and interiors.
Adapt siting, spaces, materials and openings to local conditions.
Develop and detail the project according to the contracted scope.
Shares floral fabrics and soft tones, rooted in rural French life rather than Californian fashion.
Explore this styleClose in light palette and relaxed atmosphere, with less emphasis on intentionally worn pieces.
Explore this styleA rural architecture that can host Shabby Chic's cosy informality, without being the only option.
Explore this style