Pink.  Definitely a girl’s color.  It’s soft, feminine, and ideally fits well into the shabby chic decor, especially the romantic country style.  I’ve never really considered it a grown up color, probably because it’s usually paired with layers and oodles of lace and roses and marketed for a young girl’s room.  In my opinion, white on white on white works but pink on pink on pink does not.  But I can’t exclude the color altogether, and I have discovered some inspiring images that prove pink can be pretty and sophisticated at the same time.

The first images use pale pinks mostly as background color and provide a subtle and soft yet serious attitude.

For a bit bolder look, here are some mid-century retro inspired looks using a spot of pink as statement toward a quirky and unique attitude.

And finally here are some more traditional, romantic uses of pink that don’t go overboard, but have just the right amount of pink to stay feminine but not send the males running away!

image sources unknown|Phoebe Howard|unknown|Krista Ewart|Pink Pig|The Bella Cottage

So what do you do when you want to decorate in the shabby chic style, but it’s in opposition to what your partner wants?  Create your own shabby chic cottage that you can visit any time you want!  The couple in this New York Times article found the perfect solution.  His ‘n’ hers getaway cottages.  Take a look at the beautiful design aesthetic that Sandra Foster employed in her cottage.

image sources via New York Times

Floors can have a great impact on the overall design of a room.  For a relatively inexpensive flooring update, consider painting rather than purchasing new floors.  This treatment works especially well for hardwood floors.  Using pale colors that are typical to shabby chic decor softens the look of wood and often creates a comfortable, relaxing mood.  As you’ll see in the following photos, painting the floor can work well in any room.

When patterns are painted onto the floor they create interest and can be used to direct attention to where you want.   The use of high gloss versus low gloss paint also gives a different feel to a room.

Before painting your own floors you may want to visit the guide on This Old House.

I’ve never painted my own floors, but I used to watch Debbie Travis paint them on her television shows and she looked like she was having so much fun!  She painted EVERYTHING!  You can check out her book Debbie Travis’ Painted House: More than 35 Quick and Easy Finishes for Walls, Floors, and Furniture.

image sources:  1. and 2.  Junk Garden Girl 3.  Admiring Pretty Things 4. Travel for Design 5. Coastal Living 6. Sunny Goode

The settee, what we might call sofa or perhaps couch here in the U.S., functions as visual and style anchor for a living or family room.  In an otherwise light and bright atmosphere, a black settee adds depth, mystery, and even a bit of sensuality.  Here are some vintage and vintage reproduction settees that caught my eye:

This one is definitely a throne fit for a queen!  I could handle this.  Image from emmas designblogg.

Fancy sette above from Style Estate Blog and casual settee below from Treehugger.

Here, more chocolate brown than black, is an image from Kaboodle.  And below is a very similar one  from Apartment Therapy used in the bedroom.

I’m liking the the Victorian and French styles with the high backs and scrolling wood detail.  But as you’ll see in the photo below from Vintage Chic Furniture, this more  modern black sectional sofa looks very comfy and inviting.

Baskets, boxes, and containers of all shapes and sizes.  Somehow I’m always drawn to these as the answer to my untidiness.  It’s a lovely way to hold on to all my stuff that I just can’t part with.  For functionality and aesthetics you just can’t beat wire baskets.  They have the perfect aged look and allow visibility of it’s contents.  Because sometimes you do want to show it off.  Here’s some great wire basket ideas from Wisteria.

wire baskets

Light, color, form, details. These are all important elements of photography. They’re also important elements of the shabby chic design style. Photographer Sandra Lane has an excellent eye for these things and captures the essence of shabby chic in her photographs.

Sandra Lane

Sandra Lane

Sandra Lane

Sandra Lane

Sandra Lane

Sandra’s photos can be viewed in a number of home decor and vintage collection books.  I can’t find too much information about her, but she is represented by this site Sarah Kaye  Represents.