How Do You Make Shabby Chic Furniture?
Rachel Ashwell started the shabby chic craze in her Santa Monica boutique in 1989. While you can purchase ready-made “shabby chic” pieces, the true joy of the style comes from creating your own. Turning a worn piece of furniture into a shabby chic special requires a few tools and no special skills. Wooden Furniture Step 1 Rescue occasional pieces, like wooden chairs and side tables, that get kicked to the curb on trash day. Browse flea markets and junk stores. Look for sturdy pieces with no missing components and no great structural or surface damage. Step 2 Clean dirty wooden furniture with trisodium phosphate, or TSP, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Use a scrub brush, sponge, toothpicks and old toothbrushes to clean the piece. Scrap off any loose paint and apply a paint stripper as needed. Step 3 Sand the item well and apply a good paint sealer, then paint the item whatever color you like. Add several thin coats of paint, allowing each one to dry before applying another.
