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Embracing Contemporary Beauty in a Shabby-Chic Home

Ever-popular, the shabby-chic look could be the perfect choice for those seeking ideas to freshen up their home’s style.

Ever-popular, the shabby-chic look could be the perfect choice for those seeking ideas to freshen up their home’s style: visually striking without being overwhelming and simple to create following just a few easy tips.

Implementing the aesthetic guidelines of this style is actually very easy. This is true even for those who aren’t professional interior designers, but who simply enjoy living in beautiful spaces. From the kitchen to the bathroom, from the living room to the bedroom, a shabby-chic home is versatile and can be adapted to any lifestyle.

In this article we will explore the typical shabby-chic colours and guidelines for creating new, cosy and romantic spaces, showing you some “easy-chic” tricks. Let’s get started!

What is Shabby-Chic Style?

To talk about shabby chic, a blend of elegant and casual elements (more ostentatious than authentic to be honest), we must take a trip into the past, to the quintessential décor of English country homes. It was here, in fact, that, starting in the 1980s, the taste for a slower-paced lifestyle saw a resurgence; a lifestyle typical of country living, which, however, was not without its touch of class.

In these elegantly renovated cottages, full of decorations and light colours, the golden rule was to be shabby, but tastefully so.  Like being effortlessly fashionable, the desired level of sophistication conveys an informal elegance and even an appreciation for imperfections.

From the English countryside, this style then travelled far, absorbing influences from around the world, including Provence, Scandinavia, and America.  An amalgamation of cultures and interior design styles that make it truly unique, as is typical for any highly successful aesthetic. Having been influenced by many different elements, it ended up becoming even more versatile and universal.

In recent years, the style has branched out in a new direction, thanks to new materials that make it even simpler to realise, in particular shabby-chic ceramic tiles. These have brought a breath of fresh air and innovation to the modern shabby-chic style.

Are you ready to find out how to introduce this trendy look in your home? Let’s dive in!

Why Should You Choose Stoneware for Shabby-Chic Flooring and Cladding?

When selecting flooring and cladding materials in the shabby-chic style, it is fundamental not only to establish consistency between environments, but also to evaluate practicality.  Thanks to technological advancements, porcelain stoneware is able to recreate the aesthetics of English cottage surfaces down to the millimetre.

Wood takes centre stage in this décor. With its warm tones, natural veining, and a look that is both rustic and elegant, it conveys the true essence of this style.

Today wood-look porcelain stoneware in the shabby-chic style effortlessly recreates every nuance of this look. To the untrained eye, its appearance is practically identical to that of natural wood. Furthermore, it offers a range of outstanding practical benefits, like resistance to scratches, impact, and moisture, making it perfect for shabby-chic kitchens and bathrooms.

Its versatility is another advantage. Stoneware tiles, available in a wide range of formats, can easily adapt to any space, whether large and regularly shaped or small and irregularly shaped.

And then there is the aesthetic aspect. Thanks to advanced ceramic printing technology, it is possible to faithfully replicate the wood grain of even the finest woods, thus eliminating the difficulty of finding them.

As an example, let’s take the Wood Plank collection, which preserves the rustic charm of oak. This is then integrated in an innovative ceramic project inspired by the most sophisticated mountain settings. Knots, veining, and filled cracks blend with precise graphic patterns that evoke a welcoming sense of authenticity, characteristic of the natural material.

Decorating a Bathroom in the Shabby-Chic Style: Elegance and Practicality

Porcelain stoneware is the ideal choice for the

An essential element, as always for this style, is wood-look ceramic, extending even to the bathroom. Not just for the floor, but also for the furniture and wall cladding. Consider, for instance, the Country collection, which features a deliberately old, live-in, and extremely natural appearance.  The detailed graphics and advanced production technology make this a high-performance choice, perfect for a damp environment like the bathroom

For those with bolder tastes, the decorative options are endless: from floral patterns to geometric designs, all the way to urban bricks which evoke the charm of 19th century interiors. In a shabby-chic masonry bathroom, laying the tiles halfway up the walls is a stylish and functional choice. This leaves space to create either chromatic contrast or continuity with the upper, unclad portion of the bathroom.

Embracing Everyday Beauty in a Shabby-Chic Bedroom

If you are thinking about transforming your bedroom into a shabby-chic sanctuary, you have made the right choice for creating an oasis of relaxation and serenity. The soft colours and inviting textures of this style will wrap you in a peaceful and comforting embrace, offering respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Picture a floor without rugs, with a weathered wood-look that captures the essence of times gone by. For the furniture, opt for wood for the bedside tables and closet, paired with wrought iron details and natural fabrics, perhaps with a touch of sage green. This blend of materials and textures creates a relaxing and inviting environment, perfect for daydreaming.

This is the case for the Arborea collection, inspired by the most classic and elegant woods and available in four different colours. The technology developed by the Panariagroup Research Centre makes it possible to seamlessly combine the natural beauty of wood with the durability of the best porcelain stoneware for floors.

Trendy and Contemporary Solutions for a Shabby-Chic Kitchen

A shabby-chic kitchen is the heart of the home. This bright and welcoming sanctuary exudes a warm and comforting atmosphere. Imagine enveloping yourself in soft and reassuring tones, like beige and light brown, as you immerse yourself in the enchanting vintage charm of this space.

Wood-look stoneware is perfect for cladding a shabby-chic kitchen, adding a touch of rustic country style while maintaining a timeless elegance. Wood-look stoneware floors perfectly capture the authentic essence of wood, be it oak, walnut, pine, or larch. A blend of fine woods that evokes the magical atmosphere of prestigious vineyards and wineries, a fitting inspiration for a kitchen designed for living and entertaining.

But it doesn’t end here. If you want to add a touch of Provence-style, shabby-chic kitchen tiles are the ideal solution, perfect for both floors, where they can replace traditional rugs, and cladding worktops, adding a splash of character and originality.

For a stylish finishing touch, consider decorative tiles with geometric or floral patterns, which will add an element of country aesthetics to your kitchen.

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