10 Decorative Items for Your Shabby Chic Kitchen

Shabby Chic kitchens may not be quite as popular as perhaps farmhouse kitchens or vintage kitchens, but they do appeal to a large number of homeowners. Particularly popular with the younger, artsy set, these kitchens boast what many designers call “high-low fashion”; that is, mixing pieces that are simple and worn (or look worn) with items that are much more upscale or glamorous. Hence, the former is the “shabby” part and the latter is the “chic” element.

Shabby Chic kitchens are fun to put together. For example, you can install cabinets that are quite glamorous and lovely and mix them up with pieces you found at antique shops or flea markets or online at stores that specifically sell Shabby Chic merchandise.

The large elements, of course, will be the most important choices you need to make when designing your shabby chic kitchen, but often it’s the small details that really provide the shabby chic vibe. Here we’ve listed some of those little things you might search for to make your shabby chic kitchen exactly as you intended it to look.

• Ruffled seat covers – Whether you have a table with chairs or an island with bar stools, covering the cushions with ruffled seat covers makes them uniquely shabby chic. You can choose for them to be the same color as most of your other elements (like cream or blush) or you can opt for something in a different pastel. (No bright colors here!) Make them yourself or shop for them at online stores like Etsy, which has many vendors that make ruffled seat covers for shabby chic kitchens.

• Decorative plates – As in vintage kitchens, decorative plates are ideal for display in your shabby chic kitchen. Again, however, you need them to match the shabby chic vibe, so they should be pastel-colored, perhaps with a delicate floral pattern of some sort. Display them on pretty open shelving.

• Floating shelves – Speaking of shelving, floating shelves are quite the rage for shabby chic kitchens. On them you can display decorative items OR you can use them for your everyday dishes and glassware. Just be sure to keep them neat and tidy because they’ll always be in sight.

• DIY decorated vases – It’s fun to collect pre-made vases for your shabby chic kitchen, but if you’re crafty, you might have even more fun making your own. Choose wine bottles, mason jars, or other clear vessels and decorate them with lace, pearls, rope, flowers, and anything else that fits the vibe. Display them on your countertops or your floating shelves.

• Decorative drying rack – This might be hard to find, but in days-gone-by, drying racks for your dishes were decorative and handsomely made of cast iron or a similar material. Scrounge around a little and maybe you can find on to place on the countertop beside your antique sink. Paint it white or cream to match your cabinets. You can even leave some of your vintage dishes in the rack for display purposes.

• Metal pitchers – Unlike the drying rack, it isn’t too difficult to find old metal pitchers or new ones that look old. That’s the epitome of shabby chic! Galvanized metal pitchers and jugs were staples of the kitchen for a long time and can be repurposed by you and used as vases and utensil holders for your shabby chic kitchen. They’ll look great on your tabletop, island, or floating shelves.

• China racks – Dish racks for your lovely shabby chic plates and cups can sometimes be found intact or you can even build one from a wood plank, some L brackets, and a bunch of hooks. Traditional racks like this let you display your dishes standing up and allowed you to hang cups from the bottom of the display. Paint yours to match your shabby chic kitchen or use a distressed plank you’ve found in the garage or at a yard sale.

• Antique scales and other kitchen items – Locate your local antique store and look for kitchen items that might look perfect in your shabby chic kitchen. Old food scales are always a good choice as are other items that were often found in kitchens of long ago. Buy a few and display them together. No need to refinish them either, but you can enhance them by adding flowers or other decorative items.

• Spice racks – Look for a simple countertop spice rack that holds glass jars and decorate it to match your color scheme. You can easily line the glass jars with colored paper (like scrapbook paper from the craft store) that matches your shabby chic kitchen. It needn’t actually function as a spice rack but just a decoration.

• The perfect chandelier – Finally, you’ll need an eye-catching opulent centerpiece that draws everyone’s attention when they enter your shabby chic kitchen. A crystal chandelier is the perfect piece! Look for something that’s super ornate, preferably in gold and dripping with crystal pendants.

Ready to get started on your shabby chic kitchen? We’ll leave the little details to you, but Mr. Cabinet Care can help you with the big stuff! For more information on designing a shabby chic kitchen, call us for a no-obligation consultation today!