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I love Ikea because it is an affordable alternative for furnishings without compromising on style and who doesn't love style? I have had my eye on a few pieces for months, I have gone into the store a few times placed them together added accents so it was easier to picture what it would look like in my home. It made it easier to work a little overtime and cut back here and there and put the extra in my decorating fund. Well yesterday I picked up my new dining room table and chairs and today I am putting them together. ♥

Docksta table in white and two Tobias chairs in clear

I have been on the hunt for a suitable coffee table and hitting all the yard sales, estate sales and thrift stores and I have to tell you 80's oak isn't my thing and that seems to be what everyone is getting rid of right now, so if I can't find one soon I spotted one in Ikea I might be bringing home.

I know you are probably thinking not very shabby, but it is very chic. I have this great ornate 70's dresser/cabinet that I painted white and did a tiny bit of distressing that I have turned into my buffet/bar in the dining room and my new table and chairs are the perfect compliment. Shabby chic can look a little old or stuffy but when you mix it up with new things it gives your rooms a fresh, updated shabby chic style. 

And that is how I like my shabby chic style..... what do you do to keep your style fresh?

Color Your Home..

Guest post by Sarah Price, Managing Director of Hunters at Home, an online furniture store specializing in French style Shabby Chic.

Color has always fascinated me; the psychology of it is so interesting. From the color wheel to rainbows; color is incredible, mesmerizes and can be used in so many ways. But why do we feel the need to use color? Even as cavemen we felt the urge to transform those lifeless walls with color.

I love how you can make a room look completely different depending on the color you select and how it can affect our mood, along with our perception of space. Below I’ve compiled what different colors can do to your living space, which ones best suit your living space and also what colors complement most suitably.

Neutrals and Naturals are really popular now, however, they can be bland and uninspiring if left unchallenged by more positive colors. I do like to use some black upholstered items with neutrals, it’s very powerful.  White (which contains the full spectrum) is often used to create a sterile appearance and looks amazing if not only the walls but the furniture are all white too!

Red is a stimulating, attention-grabbing color that can speeds things up; however, used in the wrong context red can heighten anxiety. Having said that, I love using reds in color schemes, I think it is so easy to use and will brighten up the dullest of rooms. The red-striped cabinet from Hunters at Home is one of my favorite pieces of furniture and is the ideal dramatic feature in any room.

Pink has strong associations with the feminine principle and with nurturing. Delicate, flattering and luxurious when used properly, pink is having a revival with the interest in Shabby Chic in glamorous restaurants, homes and boutique hotels currently.

Orange is the first color babies learn to distinguish and fosters an innate sense of well-being. A warm, sensual color, orange really is the marmite color, but like red can be so dramatic when used properly; burnt oranges are so easy to use in the home, adding warmth making it the perfect ‘cuddle up’ color. As well as in the home, orange also looks ravishing in the garden.

Yellow is the color of optimism and is inherently uplifting, radiating a sunny cheerfulness. Deeper yellows are warm and rich. Yellow breeds positivity and can provide you with a knockout blow of refreshment when you enter a room.

Green heals, soothes and refreshes - the color of fertility and growth. It is the complementary color to red, and is widely used in operating rooms to provide a restful environment for surgery. Cottages and period homes can’t be without green, and is so easy to use this color in any room in the house.

Blue signifies mental activity and reason. It is an airy, distancing color, which enhances the sense of space; at the same time, too much blue can be cold, authoritarian and unfriendly. Blue is also associated with moodiness, sorrow and depression. I like putting various shades of blues together; dark blue adds drama, whilst powder blue is a timeless favorite.

Purple evokes richness and quality. Deep purple is an imperial shade and wearing purple was once a privilege restricted only to monarchs and the nobility, with lighter shades of violet suggest refinement. I love to put purple with gold, it can be so glamorous.

As you can see, colors can be used in an eclectic array of forms to bring life to your home. What are your favorite colors for the home?

Thank you Sarah!