Is Shabby Chic still trendy or has this interior design aesthetic had its day?

1. Is shabby chic still trendy?
Oct 29, 2014
by Eileen O'Sullivan Follow
Or has this aesthetic had its day?
From SheKnows UK
Coined way back in the '80s, the design term "shabby chic" evolved to
become a massively popular trans-Atlantic brand. The expression first
appeared in British glossy The World of Interiors and it has been credited to
English interior designer, Rachel Ashwell.
Emerging from the relative opulence of the 1980s, when many interior design
trends evolved from the splendour of English stately homes, shabby chic

2. stood the test of time and even went global. After leaving the U.K. to go
Stateside, its originator Rachel Ashwell opened her first Shabby Chic store in
Santa Monica in 1989. As Oprah Winfrey says on her website, "Rachel
Ashwell single-handedly turned shabby into chic and it caught on like wildfire!"
In 2009, and twenty years after setting up her first home furnishings company,
Ashwell's brand filed for bankruptcy. So what of shabby chic now?
Revamp and recondition
Ashwell was soon opening a new store in New York to introduce her modern
version of shabby chic. Its simpler lines are outlined in this Shelterpop
article: Can Shabby Chic survive in modern times? Seems the design ethic
was still alive and kicking — it was the business model that was in need of a
makeover and this ingenious attitude is quintessential shabby chic. Revamp
and recondition, mix and match, make do and mend. Shabby chic recycles
vintage or reproduction items of furniture and objet d'arts and introduces them
into a clean and uplifting environment with a natural, neutral palette. This now
incorporates a simple or rustic design ethic, like the pared down American-
Shaker look or 18th century Swedish paint finishes.
Sign of the times
Can shabby still be chic in hard times? By combing flea markets and charity
shops, you can source well loved and vintage furniture and knick-knacks that
lend themselves to a new lease of life. Paint finishes can be applied to
suggest age — either by "distressing" the existing paint layers to show those
underneath or by applying a paint finish that suggests wear and tear, like this
— how to create a rustic distressed finish on new wood.
Recycle new from old
When money is thin on the ground it can only be good news that you can
reuse and recycle. Team old with new or fresh and pretty florals with antique
lace. Shabby chic is a peculiarly English invention and you can even use good

3. old British tea to stain new linens and make them look ‘vintage’. After all, the
organic nature of shabby chic is still sound today. Why throw out an old chair
when you can paint it to look even older?
Author: Eileen O’Sullivan