The kitchen is often the hub of the home, the room where people come together to cook and eat every day. The shabby chic kitchen is especially warm and inviting, a place to relax and chat – and I hope that these 36 shabby chic kitchen ideas (with many to suit even a shoestring budget) will inspire you to add some beautiful cosy touches to your own kitchen.
Please note: All product prices on this page are served via an API and are therefore believed to be accurate as of the viewing date. However, any price and availability information displayed on the supplier website at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
1. WINDOW BOTTLES
Source and tutorial: Fluff That Nest
Above: Here’s a very simple but really effective idea for the shabby chic kitchen – use cup hooks above the window and hang small glass containers from them to hold flowers. You’ll need to wrap some wire or strong string around the lip of each container to give you something to attach to and for some, you might want to then add one or two loops from one side to the other before stringing it up, so they hang fairly evenly (like the container with the tulip in, above). These vintage bottles would be perfect to create the same display – priced at $34.99, they offer great value for money:
2. VINTAGE OVEN
Above: A vintage oven is a beautiful feature for a shabby chic home, but not easy to get hold of! Look for vintage AGAs as you know you’re buying quality – I managed to hunt down this vintage AGA for just £100 in Powys on preloved.co.uk and it’s still in good working order (below). Source: Ladydeco.fr
No room for a vintage oven? Why not splash out on a vintage microwave? is highly rated and priced at just for the green option pictured, it’s great value:
3. GARDEN FURNITURE
Source: Calenzani Design
Above: This pretty metal table is undoubtedly meant for outside but makes a beautiful addition to this shabby chic kitchen. (I love the pretty coloured paper that adds interest to the sugary pink kitchen units behind – and the retro stool too!)
Here’s an absolutely gorgeous version I found with matching chairs included, for just Price not available. Far too nice to put in the garden!
PRETTY SHABBY CHIC KITCHEN ACCESSORIES:
4. OUTDOOR SHELF BRACKETS
Source: Rosaria Amorim
Above: These pretty metal shelf brackets were likely meant for outdoors but with a coat of white paint, they look beautiful in the kitchen. I found some , priced at :
Or, if you want to create the more traditional cast iron look, check out these beautiful ornate iron brackets in Antique White.
Another lovely touch in this kitchen is the painted, stamped crate used for storing bottles (spot it tucked underneath the pastel painted table). I found this gorgeous set of three priced at a very reasonable $36.99 which would be a beautiful addition to your kitchen storage:
5. VINTAGE CUPBOARD
Above: This lovely wall cupboard adds a delightful shabby chic look to this otherwise quite smart kitchen. Here’s the inside view:
Source (and more pictures): My Rustic Farmhouse
You can of course paint up an old wood cupboard and add the distressed effect yourself – here’s how.
6. CUP RACKS AND BOWL STACKS
Source: Love is speed
Above: The less matching that china is in a shabby chic kitchen, the better. I love the simple cup racks under the window to hold the cups, and under the shelf for extra storage room. The stacks of mismatched plates and bowls on the window ledge are another lovely touch. Here are some of my favourite ditsy designs for ‘mismatched’ china in the Shabby chic kitchen – first, the incredibly well priced Ditsy Floral set from Katie Alice for just Price not available:
Second, the absolutely beautiful porcelain British Royal Series 6-cup service with cups saucers, teapot, sugar bowl, cream pitcher, teaspoons and tea strainer. Priced slightly higher at $69.99, it’s worth treating yourself.
7. OLD STORAGE SHELF
Source: Living Vintage Co
Above: This quaint storage shelf looks more like it belongs in the garage than in the kitchen – but loaded up with plates and mismatched pots, it makes a perfect addition to the shabby chic kitchen. If you’ve not got the time (or the wood) to make your own, here are some lovely ‘shabby’ shelves I’ve found which have a similar vibe – first, this ridiculously quaint rustic ‘crate’ shelf which is handmade in Kent:
Secondly, these sturdy reclaimed wood shelves have a simple and clean rustic feel.
8. PLATE SHELF
Source: Mobile Home Living
Above: A simple plate shelf on the edge of the two levels of this room provides an opportunity to show off more mismatched china. The duck egg blue wall shelves which match the breakfast bar are a nice airy alternative to bulky wall cabinets.
9. CROCHET EDGED SHELF
Source: Simply Crochet
Above: This very simple addition of a crochet trim turns a boring shelf unit into a shabby chic kitchen masterpiece. I also love the mismatched tiles underneath – you can add this look to plain tiles yourself using mixed floral tile decals. If your tiles aren’t a good color to start with, try painting them first with white tile paint. Ecru 100% Cotton Cluny Crochet Scallop Lace Trim 2 Yard Lots 25mm Wide Picot Edge Unbleached Yardage Antique White (20 Yards) mKET343.
10. CUBBY
Source (and more lovely racks to daydream about): Cream and cosy
Above: This adorable cubbie has been filled with pots, timers, teapots, egg cups and all sorts of mismatched china to make a lovely addition to the shabby chic kitchen. Here’s a similar one I found priced at $29.99 which would make an equally lovely little cubby for the kitchen:
11. HIDEAWAY CURTAIN
Source: found on Pinterest, Kitchen and Dining Room Ideas
Above: This clever hideaway curtain keeps mess tidily hidden away and adds a nice soft touch to the shabby chic kitchen. I love the white theme of this kitchen which has been achieved by painting up and aging old wood furniture (the chair, side unit, table, wall units etc).
Here’s another lovely example of the same used around a table:
Source: Indulgy.com
12. DRESSER & SWEET JARS
Source: found on Pinterest, Cottage Charm.
Above: What shabby chic kitchen would be complete without an aged dresser? This gorgeous dresser has been painted up in sherbet pink. The acrylic handles are perhaps not a typical shabby chic choice but they work really well nonetheless. The lovely sweetie style storage jars and a few vintage knick knacks really set off this look. Unorganised, slightly cluttered arrangements of pots and knick knacks in white or pastels are perfect for the shabby chic look.
Don’t feel like you have to stick with plain old drawer and door handles if you find the right piece – there are hundreds of vintage-style options, such as this set of hand-painted ceramic drawer pulls. We got lost looking through beautiful hand-made options, too.
You could display these pretty tins (which are super affordable at Price not available) :
Or fill up these lovely vintage class sweet jars priced at Price not available with your favorite candies for a mouth-watering display:
13. WALL RACK
Source: Decoration Ideas
Above: This wall rack above a gorgeous vintage oven keeps the oven gloves, pot stands and other useful bits and bobs at hand. The mixed prints and slightly untidy look to it give it that shabby chic appearance that we all love (did you spot how many Hello Kitty things are in this kitchen?!) Here’s an absolutely awesome distressed copper version I found for $25.88:
14. APRON RACK
Source: found on Pinterest, For the Home.
Above: This gorgeous rack is quite simple if you look at what it’s made from – definitely a project I’d be happy to take on. The rack is made ever charming by the addition of the three frames holding different vintage prints. The lovely aprons in all different fabrics make it a beautiful feature for the shabby chic kitchen. Here’s another delicious example:
Source: Living Vintage Co
…and Here’s a lovely little shelf I found for a mere Price not available that would work perfectly as the start of your apron display:
15.ARMCHAIR
Source (and many more lovely pics): A Mermaid’s Tale.
Above: Who could resist sinking into this pretty floral armchair in the corner of the kitchen, giving the room a really inviting cosy feel. Looks like a place someone loves to go to sew and knit! Here’s another lovely example from the same website:
Tracking down a similar armchair to recommend wasn’t easy – but I did find two bold designs which absolutely scream ‘Granny’s kitchen’. First, this wonderful patchwork offering, It’s currently unavailable, but they do exist!
Secondly (and this is without doubt my favorite), we have an heirloom in the making with this rich, beautifully patterned chair, also currently out of stock unfortunately:
Finally, I came across this absolutely adorable stool, perfect for adding a quaint seating area in the smaller kitchen.
16. KITCHEN BUNTING IDEAS
Source: Tell me the whole plan
Above: The addition of bunting gives a shabby chic feel to any room but always gives a lovely homely look to kitchen shelves. I love the little hearts hung on the cupboard handles too. There’s no shortage of bunting for sale on the web but I find a lot can be a bit big for interior decorating. his gorgeous paper bunting is better sized, easy to cut and use around the house; and at $19.25, it’s super good value too:
17. APRON CURTAINS
Source: MSK Interior
Above: A completely original and oh-so-quaint window dressing, I love these apron ‘curtains’ that have been pinned up to add a little privacy without blocking any of the light.
18. LANTERN
Source: Love This Pic.
Above: I love the choice of light in this shabby chic style kitchen – a beautiful Victorian style lantern. Here’s another great example that uses old nautical-style lantern lights the breakfast bar and a really pretty vintage lantern light in front of the window. The chair covers are also adorable:
Source: Mermaid Cottages, Richard Leo Johnson
I found this fantastic lantern priced at $70.35 with a similar vibe, has beautiful hand blown glass. The great thing about this lantern is that it’s actually meant for outdoors so there’s no problem installing it in the kitchen (an otherwise ‘wet’ zone for electricity purposes). Please do use a qualified electrician for installation!
19. FLORAL PANEL CUPBOARDS
Source: found on Pinterest.
Above: These incredibly pretty floral panels add a lovely shabby chic touch to this country-style cupboard – although I think I would have distressed the paint a little if using this in my kitchen. You could use wallpaper, fabric or printed paper to line panels like these.
Here’s another example that uses fabric for the panels, on the main kitchen units:
Source: Roomzaar
…And Here’s quite literally the most PERFECT shabby chic fabric to get the look, priced at $16.95 per yard.
20. OLD WATER PUMP
Source: MSN Living
Above: This old water pump makes an incredible feature for the kitchen. I’m not actually sure if it’s functional or not but found a few more like this where the pump’s just been put on the side of the sink which has regular taps as well.
Here’s another lovely one:
Source: Little House on the Farm
…and another – this one is definitely functioning (although I’m cheating a little as this is in fact in the bathroom!) I love the idea of having this next to the sink for filling up buckets and containers like here:
Source and more pumps: Unica.
21. OLD FENCE POT RACK
Source: Thoughts Words and Small Tips
Above: This charming pot rack is made from old rusty fence panels. I adore the style but I think I’d want to strip it down and repaint before using this – there’s a bit too much rust for me! I DID however find this gem of a pot rack that is wall-mounted and handmade from wine barrel staves:
22. OLD SHOP SCALES
Source (and lots of other lovely examples): Naver.com
Above: These gorgeous scales hung above the window make a captivating feature for the shabby chic kitchen.
23. SPOON AND LADLE COLLECTION
Source (and many more lovely pictures for inspiration): Panoply
Above: I found this shelf and brilliant spoon and ladle collection on a blog which contrasts three styles of decor in three sisters’ homes. The author writes “Sister J thinks she was a servant in a former life, as her passion is authentic primitives – especially kitchen utensils. She has a nice collection of crockery & tools, and has a particular fondness for small, architectural salvage. Here’s a glimpse of her kitchen wall. It’s like “Where’s Waldo?” when you’re looking for the phone. 🙂
24. BLACKBOARD
Above: Who wouldn’t love this awesome blackboard that has been slipped into the frame of a shabby chic kitchen. A beautiful touch. This is actually made from an old screen door – you can find out more on Robomargo.com. Here’s another blackboard that makes a fantastic kitchen addition:
Source: Lauren Leonard Interiors – I think this was originally on Cottage Living but I couldn’t find the link.
25. OLD DOOR
Source: Robomargo.com
Above: This old door is the epitome of shabby chic with its distressed white paint and lovely accessories. A fantastic use for an unwanted door. Leaned up in one corner of the kitchen, this would make a great rack for teatowels or spoons, ladles and cooking instruments.
26. TRAY OF SHAKERS
Source: Country Living.
Above: This simple tray of old salt and pepper shakers makes a lovely accessory for a shelf in the shabby chic kitchen. These are in fact silver top shakers and will set you back a pretty penny, but you can pick up vintage alternatives without the silver quite cheaply on ebay.
27. GRAND LIGHT
Source: It’s all in the detail
Above: Another incredible lighting idea for the shabby chic kitchen, this light adds a definite touch of grandeur to a cosy kitchen – both the aged farmhouse table and shabby chic bench are also just splendid. Of course, chandeliers are not too difficult to come by, but finding a cute shabby chic-style chandelier is more tricky.
28. FABRIC COVERED MAGNETS
Source: Live Life Love
Above: These sweet shabby chic fabric magnets make a gorgeous little simple touch for the kitchen fridge or notice board and at just £3.95, they’re just as cheap to buy as to make yourself.
29. RECLAIMED WOOD WINE RACK
Source: Del Hutson Designs on Etsy
Above: I absolutely love this gorgeous wine rack made from reclaimed wood. The creator of this awesome rack says “We use reclaimed wood from a variety of sources to create what we like to like call rustic chic home decor. Rustic functionality is how we like to describe most of our items, charming pieces that not only look great but are entirely functional”. No kidding – they are stunning!
30. DECOUPAGE CHAIR
Above: These decoupage chairs are an incredibly pretty addition for any shabby chic kitchen. Source: found on Pinterest. If you’ve never tried decoupage before, it’s really easy to do – check out this simple video showing how to decoupage a table using napkins:
31. SPOON CHANDELIER
Above: This really cool chandelier is a brilliant alternative to an ordinary light in a shabby chic kitchen, and you can make it yourself – full instructions are in the It’s the Weekend magazine but if you click on each of the images below, I’ve saved them for you to make it a bit easier:
Spoon chandelier instructions – page one
Spoon chandelier instructions – page two
(when you click on an image, you’ll then have to click again on the image to view the full size instructions
32. GARDEN WALL BASKETS
Above: So many garden wall baskets meant for flowers have a lovely shabby chic-esque design. Why not pick up a couple and spray with a light spray of white paint, before mounting on the kitchen wall as attractive storage? I spotted these two on eBay, and the pair went for just over a tenner. If you’re not lucky enough to stumble across a bargain, there’s always this drop-dead-gorgeous wrought-iron basket with an antique effect, priced at $85.45:
33. RECLAIMED WOOD WALL CLOCK
Above: Every kitchen needs a clock so you can keep tabs on your cooking but with these clever quartz movements, you can turn virtually anything into a clock for just a few dollars. The above is an example of a made-up clock from eBay but you can easily make your own from any reclaimed wood or sign. Here’s another lovely example:
Source: Cherished Vintage
34. SHABBY CHIC KITCHEN FLOOR
Above: An easy way to give your kitchen a shabby chic look is to strip back to bare floorboards. They’re a cheap way to create a beautiful floor without spending a fortune. Make sure you finish them with good quality vanish so that they stand up to wear, tear and spills. You might also want to consider buying a floor scrubber which will make cleaning up mess on this durable surface a piece of cake.
35. PRETTY FLORAL LIGHT SWITCH
Above: Sure, it’s a small touch – but that’s the beauty of this style of decor, lots of little details for people to notice. This pretty light switch cover is just one of a range of designs that the seller offers, so you can mix and match with each costing around $10.
36. DISTRESSED SIDEBOARD
You might think think that kitchen units have always been fitted but in fact, these didn’t appear until the 1920s. So for a true vintage look in your kitchen, free standing furniture is a must – and what could be more beautiful than a distressed sideboard? I stumbled across this absolutely beautiful piece of furniture, which I think would make an amazing addition to any vintage or shabby chic kitchen. It’s the perfect place to arrange mis-matched china or display beautiful sweet jars, glass jars and other vintage-style knick-knacks, bringing charm and warmth to your kitchen.
You may also like our article ‘19 cheap shabby chic accessories you need in your kitchen‘ or find your perfect kitchen wallpaper here!