Shabby Chic Decor

When it comes to interior design, I'm not the most knowledgeable person. Despite this, I find the whole 'shabby chic' trend that has stolen everyone's hearts so adorable. I'm trying to make my little studio flat a little bit more 'shabby chic', except I have the problem of stealing my boyfriend's masculinity! So here's some pictures of things I'd like or have in my flat, that make the home 'relatively' gender netural! I suppose what I was trying to do with it was make it more pretty without making it resemble a Cath Kidston branch (even though I would love that too).

I came across this on the day David and I moved in together, and because these gorgeous owl cushions were half price (and I had wanted one for ages) we managed to purchase one for £7.00 in the mid-season offer sale. They're now at their original price again, but they're so cute and I'd definitely recommend them for making your home a bit more quirky.

The decorative bird cage is not only practical but tres chic. You can place your tea lights inside, and it will keep them safe and looking beautiful.

Floral or pastel coloured letters are essential to the shabby chic home. Whether they're placed on a bookshelf or nailed onto the wall, these can make anyone's home that bit more 'homely'.

 A distressed cream mirror is another staple on the list. The cream colour also means that the accessories in the room aren't too girly.

This duvet set is so cute. It's only £10.00 from Tesco and it can brighten up your room easily. Imagine waking up every morning, being surrounded by flowers! It'd be perfect to schnuggle up on weekends, drinking lots of herbal tea and reading lots of lovely books.

A chalk easel is a cute addition to the home. You can leave your partner messages on it, or use it to remind yourself of necessities for when you need to go shopping.

Bunting is a necessity, however, it is one that I haven't quite mastered yet! It's difficult to pull this one off if you have a boyfriend to think of. Mine mentioned that it would look too 'hippy-ish' when I suggested it, while I was thinking it might look more like a summer fete (which is always fun!). I don't think I will be subjecting my boyfriend to this amount of girliness, otherwise it would be a little unfair!

Egg cabinets are not an entirely unecessary addition to the home. As a vegetarian, I'm always eating eggs! It's cheaper to buy lots of eggs than a fewer amount, for example, six eggs cost £2.50 in Sainsburys whereas in Waitrose nine free range eggs are £1.95 (not sure why this is) so yes, storage is needed! Plus, they're less likely to break, which happens to me a lot. If you didn't know, 'oeufs' means 'eggs' in French. So if you're a Francophile, like me, then this would be perfect!

Material fridge magnets are lovely way of making your home more personalised. Stick some memorable polaroids on your fridge, so that it not only looks cute when you go to it - but it's a way of making you smile every day too.