Shabby Chic: furniture, decoration and tips – romance at home

Shabby chic is not much different from vintage/retro or country style. Here, the focus is on old furniture that is repainted or new furniture that is trimmed to look old. Real wood furniture, which can be given a new coat of paint, is particularly suitable for this.

Why add quirks to new furniture? If you want to implement Shabby Chic in your interior design, that’s exactly what you need to do. Because the wear and tear of the furniture, i.e. the used look, is exactly what gives Shabby Chic its charm.

Where does Shabby Chic come from: Origin of the romantic interior style

The Shabby Chic style originated in the 1980s in the UK and was used to revive the flair and charm of old country homes. Restoring old furniture or downcycling mint condition furniture was a great way to avoid having to purchase expensive Victorian style furniture.

Through the English stylist Rachel Ashwell, the style got more attention. In California, she opened a store that specialized in flea market items. While dealing with the original flea market items, she founded the brand Shabby Chic. Her brand makes furniture and accessories herself and pursues the ideal: projecting the aesthetic of a pair of jeans onto furniture.

Most important pieces in a Shabby Chic interior according to interior designer Rachel Ashwell:

• Chandelier: it looks romantic and glamorous at the same time
• Pastel coloured vintage sofa with cosy cushions
• Fresh cut flowers: immediately bring something alive into any room

Materials and colours: cream tones, pastel colours & natural materials

As with the Scandinavian or country house style, here too much revolves around nude tones. Strong or flashy colors do not find their way into a Shabby Chic interior. White, beige, light grey or pastel tones are what you need to bring the Shabby style home. To give your home that glamorous touch, combine the soft colours with decorations in silver tones, with crystals or sequins.

Natural materials are especially important for Shabby Chic. For example, you can sand down old real wood furniture and give them a new color. New wooden furniture can be further trimmed next to the vintage furniture, specifically to the used look. In addition to wooden furniture, materials such as leather or linen, which already show signs of wear, are also popular. In order to preserve the tradition of Shabby Chic, a lot of value is placed on materials that have been produced by craftsmanship. Here we are talking about materials such as lace, crochet, knitted, etc..

Implementation: Shabby chic furnishings – heirlooms, flea markets, upcycling & Co.

When you talk about Shabby Chic, you’re talking about attention to detail. In every corner you can find cute, handmade parts that make up the Shabby Chic. In a Shabby Chic interior, there is usually a lot of work, because the people who want to decorate their home in this style, usually put a lot of emphasis on DIY or handmade things.

A typical piece of furniture in Shabby Chic is a chest of drawers, which is in country style and made of real wood. This chest of drawers is then first thoroughly sanded and then painted in the appropriate color. Here you then choose white, cream tones or powdery soft pastel tones. The paint doesn’t have to be perfectly applied either, it’s exactly the imperfect that makes the style, as it’s all about the beauty of the imperfect. After the paint has dried, you can decide whether to leave the furniture as it is or add a few artificial quirks to make it look as if it has been around for decades.

Wallpapers & patterns: Traditional patterns in delicate pastel & cream tones

Can the pattern you use tell a story or do you associate something traditional with the pattern? If yes, then you have chosen exactly the right pattern for Shabby Chic. With Shabby Chic it is always important that something can tell a story and that they remind of the interior design of yesteryear. Especially “cute” and feminine motifs and patterns are popular in Shabby Chic. So dots, floral wallpaper, but also checks and stripes fit perfectly into a Shabby Chic interior.

Not only the typical patterned wallpapers fit to Shabby Chic, but also oriental patterns that embody a lot of tradition, such as paisley patterns or Persian rugs in vintage style. The controversial oriental patterns ensure that the interior is loosened up a little. The only important thing is that the patterns all match in terms of color. So they should all be in Aude or pastel tones to fit the overall concept.

Furnish a room: Living room & bedroom – Shabby Chic design

To furnish the apartment in Shabby Chic you need a good sense of vintage and the style of times gone by. The mixture of old lovers’ pieces and new, romantic furniture is especially important. The interior must create a harmonious interplay and should not look restless, but cozy and romantic. You should feel as if you are in the footsteps of the 19th and early 20th century. The interior should be reminiscent of the interior of a dreamy country house, as you know it from the stories.

Living room: Dreamy with embroidered cushions, sofas & pastel tones

Here again, the classic colors of Shabby Chic are taken up. A couch in cream or delicate pastel shades fits perfectly into the interior of the living room in Shabby Chic style. With the sofa, however, it is not so important whether traces of use can be seen. The part will take over other components in the living room. On the sofa you should put pillows in pastel shades or with print (see the typical patterns listed above) – as you can see in the picture.

You can also gladly add a cotton blanket. The interplay of the sofa with cushions in powdery pastel colors and cozy blanket, creates a romantic and feminine image. Add to this a living room table, which should preferably be in a typical Shabby Chic look. So a wooden or metal table with traces of use. On the table you should arrange beautiful decorations. Flowers with a beautiful vase in a matching look, or decoration with pearls or natural materials are always welcome. A country cabinet or a chest of drawers in Shabby Chic look is also essential for a living room with Shabby Chic flair.

Special accents are set with a chandelier, which embodies the “chic” component in Shabby Chic and brings splendor into the interior. In addition to a chandelier as an eye-catcher, a Persian rug or a carpet with a matching, romantic pattern provides the right look.

Bedroom: wooden bed, with flounce bedding, lamp & candlelight

Sleep like a 19th century estate owner. This is exactly how one imagines the magnificent sleeping quarters of past times. To be able to sleep in such a bedroom yourself, you don’t need a lot of hand movements but only the right feeling for a Shabby Chic interior.

A wooden bed that exudes warmth and, in the best case scenario, has cute patterns or details is just the thing. You have 2 options:

• Buy a wooden bed made of real wood and paint it in the color you want and trim it to old (usually the cheaper option).
• Or buy a new bed, which is already in Shabby Chic look, but could be high priced

Besides the bed, accessories are especially important. Again, a chandelier is suitable for the right atmosphere. In combination with candlelight you achieve the romantic flair in the bedroom. An imposing top bed with sweet details is also important, as this is exactly what you used to find in the bedrooms of well-heeled people. A vintage look rug is not only important in the living room but also m bedroom. This not only ensures that you do not get cold feet, but also brings the right flair in the room. If you now add matching pictures, flowers and candles, you have the perfect bedroom in Shabby Chic look.

Dining room: Dining with Shabby Chic flair with vintage table and chairs

Besides the living room and the bedroom, the dining room is also an important room in a Shabby Chic interior. Here you come together with the whole family and enjoy a good dinner or play games. Therefore, it is also particularly important to stay true to the style in the dining room.

The dining table should be a classic dining table in shabby chic, so made of wood or metal and traces of use. The legs of the dining table can be squiggly, because that’s what gives the whole thing a romantic flair. The chairs should be typical vintage chairs: either completely made of wood, with a woven seat or a mixture of fabric and wood. Again, traces of use on the wood are welcome, which give the whole the Shabby Chic look.

If you now also place matching flowers in pastel or cream tones on the table and add a few small accessories, such as candles, you have a dining room in the trendy Shabby Chic look.

Decoration with romance: lace cushions, crystals, chandeliers & Co.

Especially a matching decoration is important when you talk about Shabby Chic. A lot of attention to detail is required here and each decoration gives the interior in Shabby Chic, its very own, playful and romantic charm. A great emphasis is placed on natural materials, as the interior should be reminiscent of a country house from the 19th and early 20th century. That’s why they decorate a lot with flowers and pastel tones or cream colours. In the past, everything was handmade, so lace or crocheted decorations are a must. Self-blown glass flower vases are also a real eye-catcher in the interior.

To consider the chic in shabby, a lot of emphasis is placed on pomp and elegance in addition to homemade decoration. This can be achieved by putting in chandeliers that are studded with glass or crystals. You can also make these on your own in a DIY process. Beautiful tableware is also super important when talking about Shabby Chic decor. The tableware should be silver or gold in color to make it look classy and precious. An ornate and romantic shape is also important.

Dining Room Furnishings: Benches, chests of drawers and chairs

If you’re lucky enough to have your dining area in a separate room, it’s best to place your dining table in the middle of the room. You should use all the space available! A display cabinet can hold all of your decorative objects.

Storage space is also needed in the dining room: With a low chest of drawers you have a place for dishes and other things and still have a clear view of the wall, where you can hang pictures, for example. Alternatively, you can also use a sideboard. You can be very flexible with a serving trolley. Shelves on the wall offer you the possibility to place the right utensils.

Tip! Popular and luxurious interior brands and furniture are presented here: Interior Brands XXL!

Dining room favourite: bench – classic and space miracle

Whether the classic model or a corner bench. Benches enjoy great popularity in the dining room. With or without backrests, these can be placed anywhere and can be spruced up with cushions. The seats can often be folded up and have an empty space that can be wonderfully used to store items.

Chairs: wicker, plastic or upholstered? Countless possibilities

The chairs in a dining room not only influence the look and atmosphere of a dining room to a large extent, but they also have a very practical purpose: seating comfort. So the motto “form follows function” is not too easy to follow in this case. When choosing chairs for your dining room, you should first and foremost have the plan of the “big picture” in mind, i.e. how you want your dining room to look in the end. It doesn’t matter if you want it to be charmingly colourful or if the dining table, decorations and chairs should match exactly – there are no limits to your creativity. However, you should never choose chairs only for their appearance, but also for their comfort, because no one likes to sit on an uncomfortable chair.

Materials: Indoor and outdoor – wood, marble, plastic, glass & co.

Wood is probably the most popular material in the dining room. In various surface designs, it convinces with its warm appearance and pleasant feel. Other materials that would be a popular choice for your dining room are chrome or plastic. Plastic is particularly well suited for outdoor use. Chairs made of plastic are a good choice for the garden or the terrace due to their high weather resistance.

Flooring: Tiles – floor and wall in different patterns

With their high resistance, tiles are ideal for withstanding the stresses of everyday life. They blend in perfectly with the décor of the dining room. Floor tiles or wall tiles? Or both? How do you want to furnish your dining room? Easy to clean, the tiles do not require time-consuming maintenance.

Tile types: Optics, material & Co.

Whether wood decor or stone look, different types of tiles are waiting to be discovered by you. Wall tiles can be applied as colour gradients or murals. The size of the room should not be ignored when choosing the tiles. While large rooms can also be wonderfully equipped with dark tiles, small rooms are best set in scene with light tiles.

Lighting: Lamps for the right light

To ensure that you have everything in view in the dining room and can admire your food in the right light, the dining area should always be well lit. A pendant lamp that also functions as a ceiling light should be mounted directly above the dining table. The best solution is to choose a height-adjustable lamp.

It becomes particularly noble with a chandelier. Large rooms can be decorated by this and give this a royal ambience. Dark corners in the dining room are best illuminated by floor lamps with warm light.

If you have integrated the dining area into the living room or kitchen, make sure you have dedicated lighting for it. Dedicated lighting makes the area look inviting and the table can also be used for other activities.

Colours and wall design: red, blue or green?

Red, orange, blue – the right choice of colour is also of enormous importance in the dining room. Red is a particularly popular choice when it comes to the wall design of your dining room. The color of passion and pleasure has an appetizing effect and thus promises a particularly delicious taste experience.

Have you ever paid attention to this? A lot of the restaurants are painted in red. Red is not only a feast for the eyes, it is also supposed to make the food taste better. You should counter the exciting and stimulating color with calm elements. An example of this would be plain seat cushions in white, grey, black or silver.

The classic interior design is the red salon. Inspired by the baroque style, the deep red and berry-coloured walls are complemented by flowers, curtains, paintings and mirrors. Velvet, damask or crystal are particularly popular due to their unique texture and feel. Those who prefer something lighter but still strong should opt for a radiant orange.

Appetite suppressant and fresh tones – effect of blue and green in the dining room

Blue and purple, on the other hand, have an appetite suppressing effect. Dark blue gives your dining room a dramatic and glamorous look. This look can be accentuated with velvet upholstery, silver and candles. The whole thing is harmonized by light wood furniture and bring a modern contrast.

Fresh and natural, you get this look with green tones. While yellowish green tones have a vitalizing effect, bluish tones appear balancing. Dining in this dining room can become a picnic in your own 4 walls. The green walls can be combined with wooden furniture and accessories in muted or more striking colours such as orange or red.

If your dining area is in the same room as the living room or kitchen, you can separate this area by colour. The harmony should be taken into account here: this depends on the cut of the room and the lighting.

Our tip: The less natural light falls into the room, the lighter the wall colour should be.

Decoration: Setting highlights – With flowers, candles and more

To make the dining room your ultimate feel-good area, it’s important not to forget the right decorations. The accessories and decoration is an area that you should design according to your individual taste. Murals, photos, vases and bowls will complete the look of your dining area.

Nevertheless, the rule also applies here: More is not always more. Even if decoration has a soothing effect, it can also quickly make your dining room look cluttered.

Do you still have precious heirlooms from your family at home? Then showcase them in the dining room! In showcases, antique pieces can be placed clearly visible and become a real highlight.

Table decoration: candles, flowers or Christmas decoration

The heart of the dining room is the table. When eating, the rule is: The eye eats with you! Accordingly, the right tablecloth can also sweeten the meal. Linen and damask are particularly popular materials when it comes to the tablecloth. For everyday use, table coverings made of cotton can embellish the table. Floral decor in all sorts of colors will add a festive touch to your menu. Candlesticks will make your room homely. Round off your decor with a tray. Various decorative items will find their place here.

Seasonal decorations such as Christmas market or Easter decorations are particularly popular. Advent wreaths at Christmas time and colourful eggs at Easter time.

Carpets: functional decoration under your feet

A carpet serves not only as a soft base for the feet, but also as a beautiful decorative element. It makes the room appear warmer and can act wonderfully as a splash of colour. However, especially in the dining room, an easy-care carpet should be purchased, which is easy to clean. Crumbs, stains and food residue should be easy to remove. Along the way, this can also act as a sound barrier: Noises caused by moving chairs are dampened by the fabric.

Tips for small dining rooms: space-saving, but stylish!

Especially the owners of small dining rooms or people who only use a small niche in the apartment as a dining area are faced with a challenge when it comes to skilfully setting the scene in this area. Which furniture and accessories should you go for and what should you do without? We now present the ideal solutions for the feel-good factor at the dining table.

Rectangular tables to fold out for several people

The dining table is usually the central point of the dining room, so it should be chosen wisely. To make the room look bigger, you should choose light materials. Oak, beech or pine are the best examples. Glass tables seem weightless and spacious. Rectangular tables take up as little space as possible, while round and oval tables take up much more space. Fold-out tables can be folded up again if required.

As a rule, a table for 2 people should be 80cm long, for 4 people 120cm and for 6 people 180cm. The table should always be placed with one side against the wall, 20cm space should be left between this and the table. The long edge of the table should always be parallel to the long side of the room.

Chairs or bench? This is how you save space!

Dining room chairs should be flexible and efficient. How about an upholstered bench, compact stools or high-quality folding chairs? Another alternative are filigree chairs without backrests with slim legs and an open back. Chairs based on this design look as if they disappear into the room.

Add light to your dining room: Corner lights, ceiling lamps and more

The more light that falls into the room, the larger the room appears. To create as much light as possible, you should proceed according to the following lighting concept: First, you should provide direct area lighting, perfect would be a pendant light above the dining table. The next step would be a matching ceiling light. Accent lighting such as corner lights will round out the lighting concept of the room. The light should be chosen in a warm white.

Bright colors and contrasts for optical magnification

How do you make a room look bigger? The answer: with bright colors! Rustic and cosy? You can achieve this style with yellow or orange tones. Another tip to give the room optical width are mirrors. A framed mirror behind the dining table breaks up the colour scheme, the refracted light makes the room look more open and brighter.

But also light-dark contrasts are best suited for a small dining room. Light walls with dark furniture can become a real highlight in the apartment. Delicate pastel shades such as pastel yellow or a soft orange set dark furniture wonderfully in scene.

Monochrome floor coverings: Carpet, tiles and co.

The flooring of a small room should ideally be plain. Large short pile carpets form an even base. If plain colours are too boring for you, you can also resort to small patterns, such as a fish or mosaic parquet.

Bedroom: beds, wardrobes, pictures and decoration

You are just about to fulfill your dream of owning your own home or want to give your own four walls a makeover? The furnishing of your bedroom should play an important role here. This is the room that you see first thing in the day and in which you close your eyes again. It is not for nothing that the saying – “A smile in the morning drives away sorrow and worries” applies. And what, if not an aesthetic living style with a modern bed, luxurious furniture pieces and stylish accessories will put a smile on your face? But a bedroom can do much more. It is not uncommon for it to be used as a dressing room and a retreat. See for yourself why it is essential that you feel comfortable in your bedroom!

Tip! Popular and luxurious interior brands and furniture are presented here: Interior Brands XXL!

Retreat: bedroom as an oasis of well-being and

Whether you live in a luxurious penthouse in New York, a detached house in Provence, or a villa in the Hamptons, as cozy as your entire home may be, you often crave a retreat just for yourself. What better place to do that than your bedroom! A room where your privacy and well-being are a top priority. Now it’s time to transform this retreat into a feel-good oasis. Maybe you like to relax with a good book. Maybe you prefer to watch an exciting thriller on Netflix. Maybe your daily beauty routine relaxes you. The only thing that matters is that you set up a little sitting aka relaxing corner. This can be anything from a small sofa to a hammock to a stylish beanbag chair. In the course of this article, we will introduce you to the most essential and stylish pieces of furniture for your feel-good oasis!

Wardrobe: dressing room and bedroom combined

Dreaming of having your own dressing room? If not since you can remember, then definitely since you saw Carrie’s walk-in closet in Sex & the City! Unfortunately, not every home, whether it’s a loft apartment or a bungalow, has room for an entire dressing room. Luckily, with a few tips and tricks, you can conjure up the feel of a walk-in closet in your bedroom. With the right wardrobe furniture, stylish clothes rails and modern storage boxes, there’s nothing standing in the way of your walk-in wardrobe atmosphere in the bedroom!

Bedroom Furnishing Styles: Features & Comparison

A house or an apartment alone is by no means a home – the right furnishings with furniture and decorative items can work wonders. Interior tastes are as versatile as people are. Therefore, the first step is to get to know your personal preferences. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect interior style for your home:

• Create Pinterest folder
• Generate mood boards
• Advice from family and friends
• Visit furniture stores and showrooms
• Search for sources of inspiration of all kinds
• Do not rush
• Ask the question, “What pieces of furniture make me happy?”
• Agree on a style
• Create wish list
• The search can begin
• Happy Shopping!

Minimalist design: furniture, accessories and co. in clear lines

Clean lines and shapes create space and room for a purist lifestyle. Geometric shapes often find a place in minimalist design and let decorative items shine in their aesthetics. In terms of colour, the minimalist style also keeps a very low profile – black, white and grey are preferred. If you don’t want to make your home completely colourless, the use of splashes of colour is very popular. A colour tone can run consistently like a red thread through the entire furnishing style. Isolated murals in large formats, warm light sources and colour accents in the form of carpets and straight decorative items bring charm into your consciously reduced home!

• Minimalist furnishings

Skandi style in the bedroom: bed, decorative items and more in Scandinavian look

Less is more is also the motto of the Scandinavian interior style. Wood, natural materials and clear shapes have established themselves as the distinguishing features of this interior style. The closeness to nature, a pleasant aura and clarity create a pleasant ambience. The light, cosy and clear style of living brings clarity and peace into the bedroom, so that nothing stands in the way of a peaceful night and beautiful dreams. Studies prove not for nothing that a lot of light and a friendly ambience can increase the quality of life. Furniture with a matt white finish is particularly popular. But the use of natural woods such as birch, pine or spruce is also very popular. In terms of design, the Scandinavian living style likes to use candlesticks, decorative cushions and wall decorations, which optimize the living style as eye-catchers.

• Skandi style

Statement furnishings for the bold: opulence, splashes of colour and pattern mix in stylish aesthetics

Do bright pink, radiant yellow and lush green make your interior heart beat faster? Animal print on the decorative cushions and flower power on the bedspread describe your interior style perfectly? Gold ornaments, opulent decorative items and kitschy wall decorations can’t be in excess? If all of the above applies to you, the following interior brands will already make you feel at home in their showrooms. Aesthetic masterpieces mingle with opulent embellishments and splashes of color in the form of furniture pieces, decorative items, and more. See for yourself!

• Versace Home
• Roberto Cavalli Home
• Gucci Décor

Country style: Idyllic, rustic and cozy in the bedroom

If you associate country style only with the old wood paneling in your grandparents’ house, you thought wrong. The country style enjoys great popularity within Generation Z in big cities. Traditional pieces of furniture such as old farm cabinets and beds made of natural wood inspire with their rustic charm. The close-to-nature and cosy living style is complemented by textures such as cotton and linen. Detailed handicrafts with carved highlights make interior hearts beat faster. In terms of colour, a muted colour palette is used, whereby the use of brown and pastel shades is particularly popular.

• Country style

Bed: center of every bedroom – types & selection

A calm and healthy sleep rhythm is the basis for your well-being and a balanced life. That’s why it’s even more important that you take your time when choosing your bed. A bed is usually an investment for several years, in which your day both starts and ends. Below we have summarized the most popular types of beds for you:

Solid wood bed: timeless, durable natural look made of wood

Are you a fan of natural and warm living styles? Have you taken a liking to the typical country house style? Then you have found your dream come true in the luxurious solid wood bed. This high-quality bed frame impresses with its durability, easy maintenance and natural aesthetics. You can choose between oak, beech and pine wood to create your dream bed.

Disadvantages:

• Durable
• Warm, homely material

Disadvantages:

• Expensive to buy
• Often does not fit with the rest of the furnishings

Futon bed: minimalist aesthetics from Japan in the bedroom

Are you dreaming of a purist, clear line in your bedroom, which extends through to the design of your bed? Then you are exactly right with the futon bed. The bed type originally from Japan shines with its flexible futon mattress, which is only 14 cm high and can be rolled up easily. Characteristic for the futon bed is the simple design, the low construction and the missing headboard. Minimalism in its most beautiful form. Convince yourself!

Pros:

• Space-saving
• Minimalist aesthetics
• Mattress easily stowable

Disadvantages:

• Signs of use easily visible (scratches etc.)
• Can seem uncomfortable

Box spring bed: The king among beds

Do you associate the box spring bed with luxury, comfort and cosiness? – You’re right on the money. Originally from the USA, this type of bed delights interior lovers with its uniformly upholstered frame and its three-layer structure. The base, the heart of the bed, with its spring core is the basis for the dreamlike comfort. The spring mattress on top creates the actual sleeping comfort. The whole thing is literally topped off with a topper. This narrow mattress provides the ultimate comfort and sleeping experience.

Pros:

• High comfort
• Creates a cosy ambience
• KeyPiece in the bedroom

Disadvantages:

• High price
• No storage space

Waterbed: Sleep like on clouds or on an air mattress

Is your sleep worth its weight in gold? You want to adjust the firmness of your bed individually? You want to sleep like on clouds? Then a waterbed should be perfect for you. This luxurious type of bed differs from all other types of beds in its construction. Instead of sleeping on a mattress, you sleep on water. Individual chambers filled with water create the ultimate and customized comfort experience. The bed literally adapts to your body. Only in its purchase, the waterbed is somewhat more expensive compared to its competitors.

Pros:

• Individually adjustable degree of hardness
• Exquisite sleeping experience

Disadvantages:

• Very expensive
• Maintenance partly complicated

Wardrobe: clothes, accessories and co. in the bedroom

In addition to the classic function as a bedroom, it must, as already mentioned, usually also offer space for the wardrobe. You have long wanted to realize the dream of a dressing room, but your home does not offer enough space for this luxury? Don’t worry, with the right tips and tricks you can create enough space in your bedroom to make your dressing room dream come true in a modern way. See for yourself!

Tip. Wardrobe planning & furnishing.

Sliding door: space miracle in the bedroom

Optimal room layout is often not given enough attention – this should not happen to your bedroom. Especially in the bedroom, which often can not inspire with its size, cabinets with sliding doors can establish themselves as true space wonders. A big plus point is that there is no need to consider an extra swing area when opening the wardrobe. In addition to its functionality, the sliding door wardrobe also shines in terms of its appearance. This cabinet variant usually impresses with a modern look, whereby mirror fronts are very often incorporated into the doors. This in turn can also visually enlarge the room – a win-win situation. Many variations also do without handles, which gives the cabinet an elegant look. We like!

Bedside table: lamp and scented candle for falling asleep

Your first move in the morning and your last move in the evening is often to the nightstand. No matter if you put your book on the nightstand before sleeping or if you reach for your mobile phone placed on the nightstand in the morning – the nightstand takes on a very important task in your bedroom. Accordingly, it is worth paying attention to an aesthetic design and the appropriate functionality here as well. Are you dreaming of a country-style bedside table with engraved details in pastel shades? On your wish list is a metallic bedside table in minimalist style? Here are the most important points to consider when buying your bedside table:

• Which living style do I want to meet?
• What material should he have?
• What height must it not exceed?
• What does the nightstand need to accommodate? (Books, laptop, etc.?)

Ambience: light intensity, colour choice and more

No matter how good the quality and comfort of your bed, if the ambience in your bedroom isn’t right, even the most expensive mattress won’t give you a good night’s sleep. Fortunately, there are now enough tools that create the perfect ambience for you.

Suitable blackout & noise protection for your beauty sleep

What is often forgotten or not given enough attention when designing the bedroom is the light & noise situation in the room. Is your bedroom right next to a busy main road? Does a train pass by your window every 30 minutes? Or is your window illuminated by a street lamp all night long? In order to avoid wasting energy on these disturbing factors, you should already pay attention to them when planning your room. Soundproof curtains are very popular, especially in big cities. Of course, we do not want to leave out the aesthetic factor. Accordingly, we present you below a few curtains, which master both their functional and aesthetic task brilliantly:

• Velvet curtains
• Curtains made from strong linen
• Blinds in metallic look
• Monochronous soundproof curtains
• Soundproof curtains as a splash of colour or pattern

Bedside lamp, ceiling lamp and co.: light fills the room

From geometric design masterpieces to artfully arranged lamp creations and unspectacular lampshades with a minimalist look – the lighting design in your bedroom can be individually adapted to your lighting and design wishes. You can choose the number of lamps according to whether you prefer a light-flooded or gloomy room. You can find particularly luxurious, aesthetic and stylish lamp creations from the following interior brands:

• Moooi Interior (luxurious lamp creations)
• Roche Bobois (elegant & colourful lamps)

Wall color: beauty sleep thanks to the right choice of color

On average, we spend around a third of our lives in our bedroom. All the more reason to fully exploit the slumbering potential in your bedroom. To ensure that nothing gets in the way of your well-being within your four walls, it is advisable to pay particular attention to the choice of colours for the walls. Some colours can bring unrest into the room, while others create a relaxed atmosphere. In the following we present you colors, which are recommended in the bedroom:

• Cream-white (neutral, calming effect)
• Tinted yellow (soft, not too aggressive)
• Forest green (special, but cozy and calming effect)
• Powder grey (radiates calm and serenity)
• Textured plaster (natural effect)
• Pastel colours (radiates pleasant warmth)

Accessories: decorative items, textiles and plants for that personal touch

The final touch to transform your bedroom into an optimal oasis of well-being is the selection of matching decorative items. A finishing touch that can be extended over a long period of time. With the right accessories, you can give your bedroom your own personal touch. Whether it’s art objects, creative photo montages or abstract artworks from your last visit to the gallery – this is where your personal taste comes in. In addition to classic decorative items, don’t forget the importance of textiles. Whether carpets, decorative cushions or curtains, different materials add the finishing touch to any room. Plants are also very often included in the bedroom. Comfort, aesthetics and cosiness inspire the interior world! The following interior brands create exquisite and luxurious home accessories among others! Happy Shopping:

• Off-white homeware
• Armani Casa (minimalist, exquisite decoration)

Furnishing in vintage / retro style: colourful lamps, furniture & carpets

Vintage is the combination of different styles, which still looks coherent despite many colors and shapes. Old pieces of furniture from the 20th century are particularly in demand. However, the older the cooler and more iconic. They give every room that special touch and look exclusive. The special thing about vintage style is that it can easily be mixed with other furnishing styles. Vintage is even considered the forerunner of Shabby Chic, which means that a new type of interior design can be derived from the vintage style.

Here are examples of how to combine vintage with another style:

• Vintage x Skandi style
• Vintage x Boho Style
• Vintage x Retro
• Vintage x country style

Are you interested in furniture & interior design? Then take a look at our guide for furniture brands & interior design!

Color Choices & Wall Colors: Colorful, wild & design without borders

With vintage style, there are no real colour families that have to be adhered to or observed. Here, we don’t look at pantone colours to see which colour the furniture should have, but rather the individual piece of furniture is in the foreground. Each decade has its own trend colours and specific shapes, from which you can tell approximately which year the furniture comes from. With bright and flashy colors, one usually starts from the 70s to the 90s, from the 2000s, the choice of colors became more dignified and modernity came to the fore. Vintage pieces are usually brought into a room as an eye-catcher, because each vintage piece is individual and unique, especially by design and the degree of wear.

Individuality: furniture from several decades – unique pieces & highlights

Every vintage piece has its own effect. Behind every piece of vintage furniture is its own individual story. For this reason, each piece is something very special and unique. The more vintage furniture you include in your interior design, the more exciting it becomes. You are a little bit on the trail of time and could almost title it a museum walk if you knew the history of each furnishing component. The peculiarity is that although some furniture was made in series at the time, they have all been owned in different ways and each piece has its own signs of wear and tear.

Flea markets: Vintage Shopping – Treasure hunt for lamps, porcelain & Co.

Nothing to do on Sunday? Then why not stroll through a flea market? At a flea market, if you have the eye and the patience for it, you can find cool clothes as well as real treasures for your interior. Besides no name brands you can also find designer classics. Since several years there are extra vintage flea markets where you can find a whole range of different vintage pieces. These vintage flea markets are next to antique dealers your first port of call if you are looking for matching and unique vintage pieces. Unfortunately, there are no flea markets in Corona times, so now what? For this reason, many have made it their business to sell their vintage pieces online. So that at the moment you can easily shop for fancy vintage furniture online.

Since vintage furniture is so popular, some furniture manufacturers trim their furniture to vintage. However, according to the definition, this is not original vintage furniture, but furniture in the so-called “Shabby Chic”.

DIY / Do it yourself: Retro furnishing with recycling and upcycling

Often, individual vintage components are also combined with new ones. So quasi: from old to new. You buy individual parts and combine them with new ones, so that an exciting and unique piece of furniture is created. DIY is very important when you talk about vintage. You bought an old cabinet because it seems more robust than some new cabinets, but you don’t like the wood? Then you can work on the wood with simple instructions from the Internet or simply paint it with a suitable wood paint. This way you have an old piece with history upgraded and individually adapted to your interior – this is how real furniture lovers are created.

Vintage furniture: time travel with wallpaper, armchair & cabinet

Furniture from the 20th century, especially from the 20s to the 70s, stands for craftsmanship and therefore also for quality. For this reason, many fall back on vintage furniture. At that time, there was no machine assembly line production, but it was still created by hand. Furthermore, mostly high-quality and robust materials were used, which contribute to the stability of the furniture,

Eye-catching vintage style armchairs: sitting on retro fabrics such as velvet or corduroy

When people talk about vintage armchairs, they immediately think of an armchair with a deep seat, wood, chord and a cool upholstery in an eye-catching color or print. Vintage furniture does stand out for its wear and tear, but an upholstery with wear marks does not fall under a nice vintage piece. Unless it is an old leather chair, where wear marks cannot be avoided. Wear and tear on wood, however, is not a bad thing, as it does not affect the comfort of the seat.

Cult sideboard made of wood: cherry wood, oak wood & Co.

As you can see in the first picture, vintage sideboards are real eye-catchers. They radiate quality and cult factor. Since they are mostly made of wood, they also bring besides the style, warmth into a room. You can trim the sideboard with trendy decoration to modern or let it shine with a few retro accessories – there are no limits to creativity in the implementation of vintage.

Ornate lamps as eye-catchers

Vintage style lamps are particularly trendy in interior design. They give every room that certain something. Old lamps pay off mostly by your squiggles, which can be used especially in the country house style or even in the Skandi style. Mostly vintage lamps are in gold (the trend at the moment), made of wood or have a cool lampshade. Through the individuality, a lamp, which is usually only a means to an end, becomes the it-piece of a room.

Retro/Vintage Refrigerator: A lasting trend

Vintage refrigerators are totally on trend, but not just since yesterday, but for a long period of time. When you think of a vintage looking refrigerator, you imagine a refrigerator in eye-catching colors that will enhance any kitchen. Vintage refrigerators are definitely considered modern and not “stale”, so many manufacturers specialize in making vintage refrigerators, making the vintage refrigerator a retro refrigerator. However, new fridges are much more expensive than fridges you would buy from a vintage flea market, however, with a new vintage fridge you are guaranteed that it will work perfectly.

Decades at a glance: 50s, 60s, 70s style

Each decade has its own colours and shapes, shaped by historical events, from which you can later tell which decade the piece of furniture comes from. It is exciting to see how the shapes and colours have developed over the years. The 50’s to 70’s are considered the years in which cult and therefore retro came into being. Do you feel like taking a little trip back in time to the homes of the 50s to 70s? Then read on.

50s furnishings: kidney tables, cocktail chairs & bag lamps

The pageantry of the 1920s was over. The 1950s are considered the post-war period of the 2nd World War. This post-war period can also be reflected in the interior design. Mostly small apartments had to be furnished, because many things were destroyed by the war. In addition, much emphasis was placed on craftsmanship, as the industry had to recover from World War 2. For this reason, robust materials were used, which were handcrafted into furniture. Particular emphasis was placed on the usefulness of the furniture, as it was not allowed to take up too much space, but should still have plenty of storage space. Through patterned, colorful wallpaper was then brought a little life into the drab furnishings.

Egon Eiermann initiated the first series production of furniture in Germany. His popular classics include, for example: tubular steel chair “SE 68”, wicker chair “E 10”, wooden folding chair “SE 18”, or the table frame “Eiermann 1”.

However, these pieces of furniture that shaped the 50s are seen as true classics:

• “Lounge Chair” by Charles and Ray Eames, a combination of leather and wood
• Kidney Tables
• Bag Lamps
• Tulip Lamp

60s furnishings: striking colours & clear shapes

The 1960s were marked by the unimaginable: Germany was divided into two parts, North and West, by the construction of the Wall. In addition to the construction of the wall, but also the Beatles and the raw Stones were on the rise, which shaped the mentality of the people from then on. Due to the establishment of rock, more and more eye-catching colors were used. There was more and more emphasis on interior design, because people could afford it again. In addition, from the 1960s onwards, a new piece of furniture also moved into every living room: The television. Because of this, people spent much more time in their own homes and the comfort in their own homes became more and more important. Orange, brown and olive tones characterized the 60s and became a must in every interior. Among the absolute classics of the 60s are:

• The Panton Chair
• The Ball Chair
• The beanbag “Sacco

70s furnishings: love, peace, bright colours and “weird” furniture

The 70s were marked by the hippies, Saturday Night Fevers and the peace movement: Love, Peace and Freedom. In the 70s flower power was brought into the living room – the shriller, the better. From colorful wallpaper and shrill colors to fancy carpets, more was simply more in the 70s. Inspired by the first moon landing of Apollo 11, many designers relied on spacey and futuristic shapes that gave the home a very special touch.

Since there was a lot going on in interior design in the 70s, you should only go for single eye-catchers in your own decor – unless you want your home to look like old family photo albums.

Famous & Popular Designers of the 50’s-70’s: Top List

The decades were shaped by designers who discovered and implemented new trends. Many of the top interior designers of that time still exist today or are still on everyone’s lips when you think about that time:

• Charles and Ray Eames (Lounge Chair)
• Vitra Founders: Willi and Erika Fehlbaum
• George Nelson
• Verner Panton (Panton Chair)

Combining retro and vintage: Ideas & Tips

If you are brave and like it particularly cult, you can opt for a mixture of retro and vintage. Here you combine eye-catching vintage furniture and accessories with each other, so that a colorful mixture of colors, shapes and patterns is created. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing is for sure: if you want to stand out from the crowd with your interior design, this is the way to do it.

That’s what retro furnishings are all about:

• Carpet or dark wooden floor
• Wall color in orange, red or yellow in combination with a pattern wallpaper
• Furniture, with striking colors and patterns (important, the pattern must not be the same as the wallpaper).
• Decoration in bright colors and with patterns
• Use of a lot of wood

Retro…what is it actually? Features, furniture & meaning

In order to know how to properly combine retro and vintage, you first need to understand what exactly is the difference between the two styles.

Retro furniture is not as trendy as vintage furniture at the moment, as the focus is currently on nude colours and the use of wood in interior design. In Latin, retro means “backwards”, so retro is basically everything that was once hip: “thinking backwards”. Anything where our parents or grandparents say: that’s exactly what I used to wear, or: that’s exactly the sofa we had in our apartment back then. So it’s a throwback to the old days and a revitalization of past trends. Retro goods, however, are not old goods, but new ones. So an old armchair from 1960 is not retro, but vintage. However, if you buy an armchair that is reminiscent of a trend from back then, it is now called retro because you are reviving an old trend. So retro furniture is not found in flea markets, but to buy retro furniture you have to go to a furniture store or shop online.

“The trend toward retro or the classics certainly has something to do with the fact that consumers find it easier to fall back on the familiar than to embrace the new,” says Richard Lampert (design publisher)

Understanding Vintage: Design & Furniture from a bygone era – Charm & History

The term vintage this time does not come from the Latin but from the English and means: venerable, old, exquisite or even excellent. The translation alludes to the fact that vintage refers to old goods that are in good condition, but also show wear and tear. Vintage goods are those that were manufactured between the 1920s and 1970s. However, this period is debatable, many now see goods from the 80s or 90s also as vintage goods.

So the distinction between retro and vintage is easier than you think. Vintage refers exclusively to old goods, which through new use appear again in their former glory, and retro allows old trends to be revived with the help of new goods. So vintage is the precursor to retro. Everything that is called vintage could also be called retro, as far as the goods were produced in modern times oriented to vintage design.

Trend: Mirrored chest of drawers

If you value a glamorous interior style, mirrored furniture has certainly not passed you by. They turn a functional piece of furniture into an eye-catcher. But unfortunately, mirrored furniture is a costly affair. If you can spare a little time, you can easily fulfill the dream yourself.

Video: Do It Yourself- create your own dresser!

You want to embellish your dresser? Try it yourself with this tutorial!

Trend: DIY macramé

Do you like the current boho chic trend? A beautiful DIY macramé is easy to make! Step-by-step you can get the summery wall hanging at home. But not only classic on the wall makes a macramé much, also as a rug or pillowcase!

Video: Do It Yourself- Decoration for your living room

Try it out yourself and create your own individual interior. Have fun with the tutorial!

Wow Effect: DIY Floral Wall

Instead of an expensive wallpaper, maybe a unique floral wall? With a little effort, a great wall motif succeeds and according to your own taste! If you change your mind, you can always paint over it without any problems.

Video: Do It Yourself- new patterns for your walls

Bring pattern and color to your walls and try out the new trend. Here you will find the instructions!