Design by Paola Navone – Photo by COCO REPUBLIC
Style lovers’ love affair with shabby chic is far from over, and where better to seek inspiration for shabby chic kitchens from than the epitome of rustic charm, timeless sophistication and effortless style – Italy.
At AllÓRA, we are in love with shabby chic styles and accessories for kitchens. It is one of our favourite looks to work with because there is no right or wrong; you can mix and match textures, colours and patterns to complement your own unique sense of style.
Neutral and simple colours can of course look beautiful, but this generic home decor can often lack character. The key to achieving an awe-inspiring home is to incorporate your own personality and sense of style to inject a little charisma and warmth into your living environment.
Shabby chic interior designs allow us to explore our own tastes and styles – and that’s why we love it so much. Shabby chic is all about choosing eclectic furniture, bold appliances and unique furnishings based on their appearance of age and charismatic signs of wear and tear. Or, finding new furniture that has been distressed to achieve an antique and vintage finish; often with a Bohemian influence.
There are four main styles of shabby chic decor: cottage chic, beach cottage chic, French country and Gustavian (Swedish). Cottage chic gives a modern touch to vintage-style farmhouse decor. You may see rustic kitchen cabinets and shelves lined with bright, pastel and/or floral tableware paired with modern appliances and exquisite chandeliers. Beach cottage chic has a similar farmhouse feel but includes visible inspirations from the sea and coastlines. As such, you’re likely to see lots of rich blues and greens, off-white shabby kitchen cabinets and nautical decor.
As the name suggests, French country chic takes plenty of inspiration from the enchanting and rustic styles of the French countryside and its traditional rural farmhouses. This shabby chic style will include vintage accessories, stone floors, large freestanding wooden shelves, glistening chandeliers, warm interiors and neat white linens. On the other hand, a Gustavian kitchen design is characterised by sparse countertops, pale antique furniture with intricate markings and curved lines, large golden mirrors and a traditional wooden Gustavian sofa.
No matter what style of shabby chic you’re opting for, our range of homeware and kitchen decor will allow you to create the shabby chic kitchen of your dreams. Feast your eyes on our top picks of charming home decor inspiration ideas and bring your kitchen to life with our exquisite handmade Italian artisan home accessories.
Ceramic Tableware and Cookware
No shabby chic kitchen is complete without a display of bright and bold or pretty pastel ceramic and porcelain tableware. When researching a shabby chic kitchen design, you’ll often see rustic cabinets stocked with vintage bowls, glasses and dishes. Brightly coloured plates, cups and pots are also a hallmark of shabby chic style. Whether you’re just starting your shabby chic journey or adding to your already farmhouse-inspired decor, ceramic tableware is a must-have.
Not only is ceramic a highly durable and versatile material that makes high-quality cooking effortless, but it also has a certain unique and rustic flair that is extraordinarily stylish. Our ceramic and porcelain tableware is all handmade in Italy, meaning that each piece is truly one-of-a-kind and comes with its own individual markings and finishes. Complete your shabby kitchen interior by displaying some of our brightly-coloured ceramic or porcelain bowls on a well-loved wooden shelving unit, or have our ceramic pie dishes become a cherished centrepiece of your kitchen worktop.
Luxury Italian Linens
Italian linens are renowned for their exceptional quality, durable fabric and silky smooth texture; making them perfect for clothes, bedding and towels. However, linen can look just as chic in your kitchen as it does in your bedroom. Our collection of handmade, hand-printed and hand-painted linen tablecloths, napkins, tea towels, placemats and table runners will make an excellent addition to your shabby chic kitchen and dining table.
If it’s the French country chic style that you’re seeking, just imagine how stunning our navy blue Flora tablecloth would look draped over your farmhouse dining table. And if traditional cottage chic is more your thing? Picture our ornate, organic linen Camellia tea towel tucked into a cupboard door handle in your country kitchen. Simple touches like this truly enliven your kitchen with that sought-after shabby chic spirit.
Hand-Blown Glassware
Another must-have idea for creating your own shabby chic kitchen is to show off stylish glassware. You’ll notice that many shabby chic kitchens adorn their shelves with hanging teacups and rows of glass pantry jars or cups. Upcycled glass bottles filled with pastel pink flowers are also a key feature across many shabby chic interiors.
So why not go one step further and complete your signature shabby look with some hand-blown glass pieces from AllÓRA. Guaranteed to look elegant and eye-catching in your kitchen no matter where they’re placed, our glassware is forged from world-renowned Murano glass. This special glass is hand-blown and decorated on the colourful Italian island of Murano and has been celebrated for its unrivalled quality and stunning appearance for hundreds of years. Whether you’d like to stock your kitchen cabinets with our lavender flower Murano glass tumblers or dine amongst our adorable red heart glass dishes, any item from our unique glassware range will surely capture attention and create a kitchen that oozes shabby chic flare.
Coastal Inspirations
The beach cottage chic style takes inspiration from the coast and, as such, is typified by crisp white cabinetry, glass-front cupboards and the deep, rich hues of ocean blue and coastal green. We have a dedicated coastal home decor collection here at AllÓRA, where you’ll find tablecloths adorned with charming aquatic designs and beautiful blue fabrics that look as if we’ve taken them straight from the Mediterranean ocean.
To accompany your linens and spruce up those all-white kitchen cabinets, make your kitchen truly shabby chic by adding some of our coastal-inspired Murano glass drinkware and tableware pieces. Just imagine serving up your homemade delights on our pastel blue Mediterraneo glass plate – charmingly shaped like a fish. With our coastal-inspired range of kitchen linens, tableware and cookware, you can easily craft the shabby chic kitchen of your dreams.
For even more shabby chic kitchen ideas, take a browse through our collections to see our entire collection of stunning artisanal accessories and luxury Italian pieces that will elevate your home and allow you to craft an always-on-style kitchen.