SHABBY CHIC JUNKIE
I treated myself last weekend to Rachel Ashwell's newest book, "Shabby Chic Interiors." I have all her books and this one is just like the rest of them but that doesn't matter. I just love to make a cup of coffee (not Rachel Ashwell's choice ... only tea will do) and sit on my big slip covered couch and just thumb my way through her "how to's" of decor.She's bought another new house in this book and took out all the new fixtures and added her shabby chic touches. She even built a barn in the back of her home for guests and overflow work space. Every piece of furniture is overstuffed as usual and the beds never get made. Just big piles of quilts and duvets and rose covered sheets.... like you had a wild passionate time the night before. There is no clutter anywhere .... she has so few clothes and lots of tea cups and pillows.
Now, this is my favorite part of Rachel Ashwell's collections. I too love 1950's prom gowns with all their tulle and ruffles and the most delicious pastel colors. I would too would give up all my clothes if I had a whole rack of these little treats. She doesn't put them in a closet ... they hang on a rail like pieces of art that they are. I would so do this. And Rachel has reconfigured these little treasures so that they can be worn by our larger selves today. She adds little stretchable pieces in the bodice so that if we are so inclined, we can pour ourselves into these wonderful pieces of fluff and prance around the house. I would do that.
I may have been Rachel's older sister in a past life. I too love crinolines and years ago, I hung them in my windows as curtains too. A decorator friend use to roll her eyes when she would see how I decorated my bedroom windows like ballerinas. I loved the way the sun would shine through the tulle and how the wind would make them dance at my windows. Years ago, you could find lovely old crinolines very inexpensively. Today they are the price of gold.
At Christmas, I received an old prom dress from my main man. You can't tell by the picture here but it is a most delicious shade of pistachio. It is laced like a corset in the back and I still can't get in it... I love the sound of tulle and satin swishing. I'm not sure where this little treasure will end up in my home but I love just admiring it. It's terribly girly girl.
Now, this is my favorite part of Rachel Ashwell's collections. I too love 1950's prom gowns with all their tulle and ruffles and the most delicious pastel colors. I would too would give up all my clothes if I had a whole rack of these little treats. She doesn't put them in a closet ... they hang on a rail like pieces of art that they are. I would so do this. And Rachel has reconfigured these little treasures so that they can be worn by our larger selves today. She adds little stretchable pieces in the bodice so that if we are so inclined, we can pour ourselves into these wonderful pieces of fluff and prance around the house. I would do that.
I may have been Rachel's older sister in a past life. I too love crinolines and years ago, I hung them in my windows as curtains too. A decorator friend use to roll her eyes when she would see how I decorated my bedroom windows like ballerinas. I loved the way the sun would shine through the tulle and how the wind would make them dance at my windows. Years ago, you could find lovely old crinolines very inexpensively. Today they are the price of gold.
At Christmas, I received an old prom dress from my main man. You can't tell by the picture here but it is a most delicious shade of pistachio. It is laced like a corset in the back and I still can't get in it... I love the sound of tulle and satin swishing. I'm not sure where this little treasure will end up in my home but I love just admiring it. It's terribly girly girl. I don't have a rack of prom dresses but I do have one. And that's a start. And cheers to Rachel Ashwell ... I'm glad you are back.
