I remember a time when people went to furniture stores and picked out “sets.” Yes, entire rooms that perfectly matched. Every…single…piece.
Hard to believe now, isn’t it? It was boring. Bordering on staid and provincial. You didn’t have to gaze curiously into every nook and cranny when you visited a friend’s home for the first time. You walked in, saw one end table, and knew what every piece in the room would look like. Indeed. Boring.
That is, until Rachel Ashwell appeared on the scene. And forever changed the way women decorated their homes. Suddenly this casual yet elegant style banished the matching sets to near obscurity.
There was a name for this new era in decorating: Shabby Chic. We embraced it like a long lost friend. The decorating world buzzed. We bought up her books and blossomed under her charming tutelage.
Shabby Chic became more than a brand. The woman behind it turned it into an evolution. Informal and soft was in. Slipcovers reigned supreme. Decorating took off in a direction we had never seen before.
She brought romance and intrigue to everyday items.
We women shunned the typical furniture stores. And learned to traffic flea markets and tag sales in droves. Searching for just the right accessory to go with her style. We learned the proper etiquette for bargaining. And what shoes were best to wear for a full day of scouting treasures.
Finally we had soft and plushy furniture with slipcovers we didn’t wince over when something was spilled on them. Why, they were washable of course!
Creativity is the essence of what Shabby Chic is all about. It makes us think and dream, and turn odd items into magnificent pieces. Merely by just “looking outside the box.” We became artists in our very own homes with the concepts and resourcefulness Rachel Ashwell instilled in us.
Rachel Ashwell continues to influence us. She is a culture unto herself. Her mantra has always been: Beauty, comfort & function. Her first Shabby Chic store opened in August of 1989 in Santa Monica, California. Selling machine washable slip covered furniture and vintage accessories. She has stayed true to her core values and the beauty of imperfection. Which we now idealize and emulate.
Her new collection is Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture. And it includes someone near and dear to us. Our very own Dusty Lu, a talented photographer, who is quite involved in this exciting new venture.
A sampling of this wondrous collection…
Shabby chic elegance…
Linens and such…
Sumptuous fabrics and soft colors…
Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture is sponsoring two giveaways. The lucky winners will receive their choice of one of these two wonderful books, worthy of any coffee table. And signed by the author herself.
Won’t you sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and go visit the website. You will be so very glad you did. Follow Rachel Ashwell’s blog, (at the top of her blog) where we can be kept abreast of the everyday world of shabby chic. Sign up to follow Dusty Lu’s blog, who bestows us with such magnificent photographs and elements of interior design. Post about the giveaway or place it in your sidebar for an additional chance. Or you might add your own post to help spread the word.
The giveaway ends June 30 at 12 noon Pacific Standard time. To win one of these lovely and timeless books, leave a comment on Dusty Lu's blog post about this event. And follow the directions above. Good luck to all. And congratulations to our Dusty Lu for being an integral part of this momentous event!
(All photos taken from the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture website.)
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