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Ashwell sparked a craze for slipcovered sofas and flea-market finds when she launched Shabby Chic 22 years ago. Today, she oversees two furniture lines, as well as a collection for Target.
Her take on white decor? Pretty, but far from precious.
Think rumpled linens and chipped paint gussied up by crystal chandeliers and fresh flowers.
"My motto is 'beauty and comfort,'" Ashwell says.
"If you can embrace the lived-in look, white is very practical."
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What I Know About Decorating with White, tips from Rachel Ashwell ...
WHITE IS NEVER BORING.
Beige can be boring, but not white. It's a very dramatic color. That's proven over and over again by weddings — we never tire of looking at them.
WHITE CAN BE COZY.
People think of it as cold, because they believe a white room must be neat and uniform with chairs lined up like good little soldiers. I avoid hard, modern pieces and use fluffy cushions and distressed finishes — so you still get that airy feeling, but with warmth to it.
WHITE MAKES FOR A FLEXIBLE AND FORGIVING FIRST STEP.
Paint a room white, and you have a blank canvas for anything. Start with bold wallpaper, and you're already committed.
Beige can be boring, but not white. It's a very dramatic color. That's proven over and over again by weddings — we never tire of looking at them.
WHITE CAN BE COZY.
People think of it as cold, because they believe a white room must be neat and uniform with chairs lined up like good little soldiers. I avoid hard, modern pieces and use fluffy cushions and distressed finishes — so you still get that airy feeling, but with warmth to it.
WHITE MAKES FOR A FLEXIBLE AND FORGIVING FIRST STEP.
Paint a room white, and you have a blank canvas for anything. Start with bold wallpaper, and you're already committed.
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WHITE IS EASY TO CARE FOR.
There's nothing worse than seeing someone go with an all-white room, then fear it. Let the white be lived in! I've raised two children in my homes, so all of my Shabby Chic slipcovers are preshrunk and machine washable. Of course, it helps to like the crumpled, imperfect look. I don't iron. If you're a human being and have a life, that gets old very quickly.
PAIR WHITE WITH PASTELS, BUT PROCEED CAREFULLY.
PAIR WHITE WITH PASTELS, BUT PROCEED CAREFULLY.
They can read as baby colors, so I choose mellow shades that impart just a whisper of smoky pink, blue, or green.
i do fear white but that just looks so gorgeous.. i feel i may be looking at dulux trade white in a whole new way from now on!!!
ReplyDeletei want her to come and redecorate my house for me!!
charl
x
Well I'm a fan of the white too although my sofa covers do get very messy quickly even with just me so they get thrown into the washing machine often!!
ReplyDeleteVictoria xx
Lovely! Rachel Ashwell is one of the reasons we started our business! Love her style! ( I do love colour too though!!!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on this....I have three children and I decorate with a lot of white and have heard nothing but negativity about having so much white and that it will get too dirty, but I have yet to have a problem and I LOVE the lived-in look! Xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteAll good tips about using white. I rarely use pastels with white because the whole room floats, other deeper tones grounds it.
ReplyDelete*love* all things white...I dream in vintage whites!
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