Shabby Chic Tricks....Kitchen/Dining Area

Please welcome guest blogger Jo-ann Fortune from Vintage Brighton.com who shall be writing two posts for my blog on a subject and style I love. In her first post for my blog Jo-ann shall be offering up cheap and easy tricks to help introduce a sprinkling of shabby chic style into your kitchen and dining area. Keep an eye out for Jo-ann's second post, which covers idea's for your living room and bedroom, and where also there shall be the fantastic opportunity to win a Jan Constantine Love cushion from John Lewis. So Jo-ann, over to you....

TABLE DRESSING....Wipe clean vinyl table cloths are not only practical but can help transform your kitchen or dining area at low cost. Look out for cute dog prints, vintage-feel floral fancies and Fifties' polka dots. And if you need a change of scene, simply swap the skin on your tables 

KITSCH 'N CAKE.... Whether you're queen of the home bake tea party, or just love a shop bought cupcake and cuppa, kitsch crockery is key to the shabby chic look. Collect old and new single colour pieces for a clean look - you can't go wrong with country-cottage white - or go eclectic with mix and match vintage style patterns and prints. Cake stands make the perfect showpiece in your kitchen, and when you're not entertaining can be used to hold sweets, keys or anything else lying around! They also make great jewellery stands.

GROW YOUR OWN.... Even the smallest flat can accommodate a herb box, and the introduction of live greenery in your kitchen will instantly soften a modern-day interior. As a general rule with shabby chic style, think vintage or re-worked rather than new, so dig out distressed plant pots with chipped paint, up-cycle pots with pastel paint testers or drill holes in old tins. You can also use taller retro receptacles as flower vases.

SCREW-ON STYLE.... Add fun shabby chic touches to tired chest of drawers, kitchen units or any old furniture with screw-on door handles. At only a few pounds each, you can try out different designs to help decide which one shall work for you.

 PAINT-BOX PRETTY.... Take a leaf out of Cath Kidston's book and update beaten-up chairs with paint tester pots. Sand down, paint the wood or metal supports in bright colour paints or pretty pastels and use these to inform the colour scheme of your room.            


Thanks Jo-ann for these useful tips and shall look forward to your second post highlighting shabby chic tricks for in the bedroom and living room.


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Disclosure: In return for publishing Jo-ann's  guest posts, I received a shopping voucher for John Lewis.