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Tips on vintage styling:
- Use old medicine bottles as vases, clear glass look best.
- Use old french linen as a tablecloth, embroidered edging looks super cute.
- Hang vintage bags on door knobs or if you have one, on the corner of your metal bedstead.
- Shabby chic some old pine chairs, take a look at our guide on ‘How to Shabby Chic furnitre’.
- White metal bird cages are still a firm favourite, try filling one with tea-lights and hang it above your dining table as a feature light.

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The trend for all things shabby chic has been around for a while now, and is showing no signs of leaving. With the recent revival for choosing up-cycled over reproduction furniture, it’s clear that consumer buying habits are changing. We are going back to vintage roots by thrifting and creating, with a make-do-and-mend attitude. I think the reason shabby chic furniture has been so successful is down to its transferrable nature – blending in to most interiors seamlessly.  This is due to the variety of shapes, styles, colours and differing degrees of furniture painting techniques used. Every item of shabby chic furniture looks different and any style of furniture can be up-cycled.  Many of the high street chains cottoned on to the trend over the years and have decreated mass produced reproduction shabby chic furniture which I am not a fan of; it all looks the same, devoid of any character.  The paint is flat, the wood is cheap MDF and the style is unimaginative.  I believe that shabby chic furniture should be up-cycled from antiques or pre-used furniture – you can see the grain of the wood, it distresses authentically and more often than not the furniture is imperfect. It is these imperfections that make great shabby chic furniture – the dents, scratches and uneven surfaces, they all add to the character and individual nature of the piece.  For these reasons, I buy from independent suppliers who up-cycle the furniture in-store and by hand.  Below is a selection of the best shabby chic up-cyclers!

Ruby Rhino

Phoenix on Goldborne

37 Old London Road

Ruby & Betty’s Attic

The following antiques dealers also offer a great selection of beautifully painted, French shabby chic furniture: The French House, A & L Antiques, Maison Artefacts, Belle Epoque, Jensen and Ballantine and for the occasional piece MADE.

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Once you have your chosen piece of furniture, you will need to prep the surfaces to be painted. First be sure to remove any handles, hinges or metalwork. You’re now ready to start stripping the paint or varnish, to do this I tend to use sandpaper or Nitromors. I find both methods are equally effective and take the same amount of time, but when working with heavy detail Nitromors is best. Nitromors is a chemical substance that removes paint, varnish and skin, so do be careful and wear protective clothing & work in a well ventilated area.

Once the item has been stripped and sanded, get rid of any dust by wiping it down with warm water – allow to dry.  A little tip for you; in my photo you will see my dog Ted happily snoozing, make sure when painting that animals stay well away! Their hair will get into the paint and on to your furniture – not a good look!  I also avoid painting outside on a sunny day as bugs find the gleam of the fresh wet paint extremely inviting. Once they bugs have landed they don’t come off without a little help.. this will leave marks.

Primer.. I don’t always use primer but depending on the condition of the wood it is sometimes necessary.  This particular sideboard is in a good condition, so instead of a primer I will be apply two coats of white.  I like to use Farrow & Ball paints; for this sideboard I am using Matchstick White as an undercoat, and an Eggshell Pavilion Grey for the topcoat (oil-based eggshells or matt paints are best as a water-based paint won’t sand as well).  When applying the paint always go in the direction of the wood grain, keeping minimal paint on the paintbrush & with nice thin layer.  It’s quality, not quantity.

Allow each layer of paint to dry properly before adding the next.  This photo is after one layer of Matchstick White. Keep applying even layers.

This sideboard has now had two layers of Matchstick White and two layers of Pavilion grey. I added in some standard black paint to darken the Pavilion grey as it was paler than my client wanted. I tend to leave the piece to thoroughly dry for a minimum of 24 hours before distressing.  Some people do not like the distressed look, so you could always leave it as above and just add a varnish or wax to protect the paint.

When distressing the furniture, there are so many routes and degrees of “aging” that you can do.  As this piece is a commission I’ve been asked to not go too crazy, just highlight on areas where, wear and tear would occur. For instance this would be on raised areas, edges, around drawers, handles & the top of detailing. To distress I use 180 grit sandpaper, the trick is to sand in one direction repeatedly. If you want to create extra damage and bruise the furniture, use metal chain or the edge of metal tools to beat the furniture.  I don’t do this often as I feel it’s fairly sacrilege & most often the antiques I paint are well used and slightly battered.

Once you’re content with the finish, you can either leave as is, or add a coat of beeswax or varnish. This will help protect the wood, but don’t be too overzealous as an overly shiny varnish will not look authentic and shabby chic!

If you have any questions or want further tips, please do not hesitate to email me.

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Jura Lodge – originally The Old Distiller’s house – has been transformed by Paris based, American interior specialist; Bambi Sloan, into a shabby chic, vintage inspired luxurious getaway. Sloan’s quirky display of colour, décor and stylistic touches runs throughout the house; from the curios filled glass cabinets, to the white suit of armour & relics from the past. The White Room {the biggest bedroom} has fresh white walls, antique French linens & lace, ornate mirrors & a central Victorian roll top bath with panoramic sea views. Each room is decorated in it’s own unique style; but ultimately following in Sloan’s creative, eccentric manner.

From the pictures you can see that the decadent interior offers a playful & humerous touch with the collection of trinkets and vast collection of deer antlers. The attention to details is exquisite & appropriate to the rich history on the Isle of Jura, which Sloan took great inspiration from. Unique features include a writers chair made entirely from deer antlers, the kitchen fridge that originated from a Brazilian cafe in the 1950s, and a large bass drum coffee table in the sitting room.

Activities such as shooting, hunting, fishing, fell walking, lobster eating, sailing and whiskey drinking can all be organised upon request.

You can hire on a room-by-room basis but availability is limited – costs start at £625 per room per night for a minimum of three nights. “Trust us, it’s worth every penny” – Jura Lodge Diurachs. For further booking information please visit the Jura Lodge Website.

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A: French style mirrors have become increasingly popular and look fantastic in a modern or shabby chic room. You can buy this style of mirror from a few high street shops including Laura Ashley, Next and Marks and Spencer. Another great place to buy one is a company called Scumble Goosie they make bespoke French and Gustavian style furniture. As they make all of their pieces in their own warehouse, you can opt for a particular paint finish.

Another company that sells gorgeous french furniture is called The French Bedroom company. They are slightly more expensive than the high street but any products bought from here could be seen as an investment purchase. Chose from their large selection of mirrors, beds and accessories.

Why not try Virgin Vie at Home for some French style accessories

Try Graham and Green for venetian style mirrors

TIP: You could create your own bespoke mirror for a fraction of the above price by picking up a second hand wooden mirror from a jumble sale, market or charity shop and paint it yourself. You could pick one up for about £30 – £40.

I would suggest sanding the mirror down and painting it with a quick drying wood primer. Then paint with a coat of cream satin paint and once dry, rub the corners, creases and edges with a candle (or any wax equivalent). Finally, paint with a top coat of white paint and the wax will act as a resist, leaving you the illusion of an antique mirror. For the final touch, gently rub down with fine grain sandpaper.

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