IF you find that you start to tire of the shiny, monochrome stainless steel and neon-bright plastic elements in your life maybe it’s time to embrace some Shabby Chic accessories!

It’s not hard and it needn’t be expensive but it may require a little time and inspiration to create the desired effect.

But what exactly is the look and where do you get it?

Start with the prettiest of pastel shades, some deep, comfy chairs covered in washed out floral fabrics (they needn’t match), wooden furniture painted in the palest of hues, wrought-iron curtain rods, picture rails, floaty curtains that billow gently in a soft summer breeze and vases full of fresh, cottage garden flowers.

OK, I know it sounds like a TV advert for old-fashioned cake mixes like your granny used to make – or probably didn’t because she was busy trying to bring up 11 kids on sixpence a week in a council flat – but, done with some restraint, the idea behind Shabby Chic can be gorgeous.

Imagine the faded glory of a crumbling French chateau and transplant it into the traditional setting of an Edwardian English country house; bathe it in natural light and warm it up with discreetly camouflaged 21^st century heating and you’ll start to get the idea how Shabby Chic can be created, without freezing to death in a draughty old ruin.

Shabby Chic is all about vintage accessories so if you are lucky enough to have any family heirlooms or antiques now’s your chance to show them off. If your only legacy is a broken video recorder or a receding hairline then start searching through those charity shops, jumble or car boot sales.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got an odd assortment of stuff – it’s what you do with it and the overall feel that counts.

The Shabby Chic palette is made up of warm, soft, delicate colours: white, gray, pink, light green, light purple and sky blue shades all glow with a delicate luminosity.

Vintage, floral wallpaper is right on trend as are natural wooden floorboards painted cream or white  - unpainted, they will look just too farmhouse rustic. Unfitted carpets or rugs are fashionably retro and will cover a multitude of modern style sins.

Authentic Shabby Chic interior design will incorporate vintage furniture embellished with carved details and artistically distressed marks. Search out old furniture in flea markets, auction rooms, car boot sales etc, take it home, get out the sugar soap or Nitromorze and get stuck into refurbishing mode.

Shabby Chic furniture is chosen for its age or its wear and tear so choose anything that looks antique to you. Anything from a chest of drawers, a dressing -table, a stool, a telephone  table - once it’s stripped down, paint it white or any other pretty pastel colour. If you have the space a big, comfortable settee covered with a throw and piled up with colourful tapestry cushions will make a wonderful cosy retreat.

Combining stripes, check and floral patterns may seem like a right royal mishmash but in the world of Shabby Chic, you can mix and match using soft, fuzzy plush, cotton or silk fabrics and it will work.

Add the final touches with Shabby Chic accessories that match your individual décor. Retro chandeliers, old paintings, flower vases, coffee and tea sets, candles, mirrors … in the end it’s all down to what you have to hand and, more importantly, what you like.

The most common decorative elements are various size and pattern cushions. As long as they fit the color palette, the possibilities are endless.

Shabby Chic addresses all senses and the olfaction one is of great importance. Either coming from fresh flowers, an odorant or from the rose and lavender oils, your home should be bathed in distinctive scents.

Having sensual motifs like fresh flowers, candles and soft fabrics, Shabby Chic embraces elegant old elements, silver accessories, painted wood pieces, fuzzy carpets and transparent drapery. Therefore, an interior setting defined by Shabby Chic elements is as refreshing and comfortable as familiar scenery.