Get Boho Vibes With A Shabby Chic Dining Room

18th May 2022

Posted by Alice Ewens on 18th May 2022

The Shabby Chic dining room is still in and still full of soft, dreamy, laid-back vibes. A touch of French elegance, some rustic charm & lots of texture. We've got styling inspo for you in this week's blog!

What Is Shabby Chic?

Shabby Chic is a style trend that's been knocking around since the mid-80s but gained popularity in the early 00's. As the name suggests, it's a style that's elegant with an air of well-loved and worn down charm, often comprising of worn-out chintz and florals, old paintwork, and faded chinaware. As the style gained mainstream popularity, it now overlaps with cottagecore, rustic, boho and farmhouse design styles but does like to include more exposed and distressed surfaces.

Elements of the modern shabby chic look include distressed surfaces including wood and white paint, pastel shades, layered rustic and soft textures, and lots of light. Accessories often include lace and aged-elegant touches through candlesticks, scroll-work and florals.

shabby chic textures image features dusky blue dinner plate, aged silver tableware, lace, pearls, natural decor and white snowflake decorations — shutterstock. Examples of Shabby Chic textures

shabby chic accessories image features wooden tray with ceramic jar and cork lid, dried flowers, oat biscuits, china tea cup and saucer on white linen sheet. — shutterstock. Examples of Shabby Chic accessories & styling

In terms of dining rooms, this style often translates into farmhouse style rustic tables in natural or white effects, with bare floorboards and an artsy whimsical vibe.

shabby chic dining room with rustic table, white bleached wood and exposed brickwork, white paper lanterns and soft pastel shade accessories — shutterstock

The Modern Shabby Chic Dining Room

The lovely thing about this style is that you don't have to lean the whole way in with it and start painting all your wooden surfaces then rubbing them back. Who else remembers the dawn of Pinterest when everything was shabby-chic and every home blog seemed to be about slapping a load of chalk paint on a gorgeous antique dresser and then sanding it back to make it look artistically distressed... and a bit naff...

You can take a few elements of the shabby chic style and incorporate them into your modern dining room. Think - softening the harsh edges of things. Neutral but warm tones. Wood and white combinations. Old mixed with new. Draped rustic fabrics and chunky knits. All the pampas your heart desires.

Customer Examples

glass rectangular dining table with gold nested starburst legs, and 6 high back dining chairs in oatmeal coloured fabric chair covers. 2 white pillar candlesticks, a wicker basket with ceramic jug vas and dried flower arrangement on table with hessian table runner. — **@gillianhelen_**

@gillianhelen_ has dressed her glass dining table and our Milan dining chairs in soft neutral fabrics, and some lovely rustic shabby chic ornaments that add elegance.

modern dining area with white hihg-gloss dining table and 4 faux leather chairs with cantilever legs, and rustic cream console table to one side, with 2 wicker storage baskets underneath. — **@homewiththedarlings**

@homewiththedarlings have added this lovely wood console table to their dining area that has a softly distressed look. Those wicker storage baskets are a lovely (and practical!) addition. That's our Imperia white high-gloss pillar table and 4 cappuccino beige Lorenzo chairs too.

white gloss dining table with 2 pillar legs and 4 beige upholstered fabric chairs, with grey table ware, ceramic vase with drief flowers — **@homeofshadeyah**

@homeofshadeyah has added a few little details to give our Imperia white gloss dining table a softer shabby chic look here, with the beige upholstered chairs and their white legs and the lovely dried flower arrangement as the centrepiece.

dark old wooden farmhouse table with white faux leather dining chairs and white accessories on tabletop — **@lor.of.the.shire**

@lor.of.the.shire has got that whole new meets old thing down pat, with this stunning aged wooden dining table paired with our Corona white faux leather dining chairs with gold legs. This lovely dining area gets to the essence of the original Shabby Chic style.

glass rectangular dining table with gold nested starburst legs and 4 grey faux leather dining chairs with shabby chic candlestick on table, heart-shaped mirror on wall in scrolled frame and pampas grass — **@rebeccasglamhome**

@rebeccasglamhome has taken our Leonardo modern glass and gold dining table with 4 grey faux leather tall back chairs and bought the shabby chic elements with the accessories.

white high gloss dining table with trestle table inspiration, with gold geometric frame legs, and 6 white faux leather dining chairs with gold legs, in dining room with wood floor and gold baroque scroll pattern wallpaper, candlesticks and chandelier style light fixing. — Charmaine B

Our customer Charmaine submitted this photo as part of the review! This is our Taranto white high gloss dining table, which has gold legs, paired with 6 gold legged white faux leather Milan chairs. The French-inspired lighting and baroque gold patterned wallpaper and the sweet white plant pot give a few little nods to the Shabby Chic style.

Some Of Our Other Dining Sets That Could Be Shabby Chic'd

Our wood effect and white dining tables do well for this style! Here are some of our faves:

Our Taranto Oak Effect Dining Table and 6 Corona Gold Leg Chairs, here with the chairs in Cappucino Beige.

round wood effect table with black metal structural legs and 4 beige faux leather chairs with blck legs.

Our Santorini brown round dining table with black metal legs will suit smaller spaces, or if you want to go for that maximalist cluttered shabby chic vibe with more pieces in your room. Here's our Santorini brown with 4 cappuccino beige Corona chairs.

Mood Boards - Shabby Chic Dining Room Styling Inspo

The finishing touches, accessories and colour palettes are what will really seal the shabby chic deal. Here are some mood board ideas featuring our fave tables to show you what we mean. Modern dining tables can easily fit into a boho, rustic or shabby chic design!

shabby chic mood board with white panel wall, pale wood flooring, distressed pattern rug, white wooden farmhouse chair, wood trestle table with gold legs, wicker basket and pampas grass, round window style wall mirror

A purposefully distressed rug and rustic mirror can help get the look! This is our Vintage Timeless Shabby-Chic Floral Distressed Rug in Beige and Julien White Metal Round Wall Mirror.

shabby chic inspired dining room mood board - white table with gold legs, white velvet chair with gold legs, bleached pale wood flooring, macrame wall hanging, wood slice table centrepiece with dried flowers, birdcage candle holder, vintage tea set and lanterns.

Mix up your fabrics! Try a hessian tablecloth with a macrame wall hanging and velvet chairs - these are our stunning Pesaro white velvet and gold leg chairs which would look great with the Taranto table!

shabby chic dining room mood board - round wood table and beige faux leather chair, lace table cloth, dried flowers and books, old wooden floor with paint streaks, white wood wall with empty photo frames, wicker wooden heart, rattan moon chair with pink chunky knit blanket.

Adding lace and soft colours in throws or dried flowers, with wood flooring will get the shabby chic look down! Here, we've suggested adding one of our rattan Moon chairs with a chunky knit throw into the mix to get that laid back boho vibe in with the lace and soft pastel shades.

Is A Shabby Chic Dining Room For You?

mobile phone on desk showing Furniturebox UK Instagram feed

We love seeing how our customers interpret all the latest home style trends, so be sure to give us a follow over on Insta and tag us in your product pics for a chance to be featured! We've got heaps of inspiration over on our Pinterest too!

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