One of the first aspects that you will need to decide upon is the colour scheme. Shabby chic kitchens often have a cosy, country feel to them. To achieve this look, pale colours such as white and pastel shades can be used. However, with shabby chic, colours do not have to match so you don’t have to stick to a strict colour scheme. Look at our Bella range of kitchen doors for plenty of cream and pastel shades.

When choosing furniture, items such as rustic wooden tables and chairs will help to create the shabby chic look. These can either be left as they are, or painted in various colours. As shabby chic furniture is meant to have a worn look, second hand items can be used without refurbishing. If the item is already painted but you want a different colour, you can paint over it, then sand it lightly so show the layers of colour. This distressed look is currently very fashionable and can be easily edited as colour trends go by.

Accessories such as old fashioned mason jars and vintage biscuit tins can be displayed on the work surface, along with traditional style hand towels and oven gloves in patterns such as floral or gingham. You may also want to browse antique shops or car boot sales for old kitchen gadgets which will add to the shabby chic style of your kitchen. Department stores also sell “vintage style” reproductions of classic gadgets. Accessories such as cut glass vases and chandelier lighting will add a chic touch to your kitchen.

When shopping for items to use in your shabby chic kitchen, second hand shops, vintage fairs and car boot sales could be ideal. Using second hand items to decorate your kitchen will add to the shabby chic look, as well as giving it a truly unique appearance.