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Today’s little girls have grown up surrounded by Disney and Barbie princesses. So it’s no surprise that so many request a princess themed bedroom so they can feel like Cinderella in their own bedrooms. Instead, of going with a generic themed princess design turn to Shabby Chic furniture and bedding for a romantic, uncluttered and unique looking princess theme. Even adult woman can jazz up a princess theme with a Shabby Chic dresser, desk or chair for a home office or bedroom that offers a calming oasis to come home too.

“Shabby chic” means a type of design for your home that is comfortable and functional. Usually, “shabby chic” furniture is white, and antique or gently used furniture can be painted white to give it a clean, functional, fashionable look. However, “shabby chic” when it comes to a bed or dresser doesn’t just mean one thing. You can combine shabby chic with Victorian, country or romantic themes for a unique style. You can also take vintage furniture, paint it white, and use vintage lace for a comfortable, “lived in” quaint quality. As a furniture line, shabby chic uses quality wooden white furniture that’s both well made and of the highest workmanship, but is also still affordable and comes in many stylish designs.

Many shabby chic rooms have as their central focus of vintage, old-fashioned, ornate mirrors. These types of large mirrors can be very feminine, can make a small room look larger and give it more depth. If your daughter is small, make sure you anchor a large merchant wall for safety, then create a fantasy world by giving her a dress up corner fit for a princess. Some wall hooks by the mirror can display your daughter’s favorite costumes, and you can put small wooden bins by the mirror to hold costume jewelry, crowns, feather boas and other accessories fit for a princess.

A central feature of many Shabby Chic rooms with a vintage theme is the use of large old fashioned, embellished mirrors. Large mirrors are feminine and give a room more depth. For young children anchor a large mirror to the wall for safety purposes and give your little princess a fairy tale dress up corner. Add hooks to the wall by the mirror to display your daughter’s princess dresses. Then place several small wooden bins by the mirror to hold various crowns, costume jewelry, feather boas and other princess themed clothing items for role playing.

If the room is for an adult, a small secretary mirror can add to the decor in that they are handy to go on the vanity table, or on a matching secretary desk or “shabby chic” dresser. All of these things will make room look much more elegant.

The next thing to consider for a shabby chic bedroom is the bed. A large ornate headboard for the bed is one popular shabby chic choice, but make sure that the bed and dresser will go together. One of the most popular items for a “shabby chic” princess themed bed is a canopy. A canopy can make a bed look luxurious and royal, and will certainly make your daughter feel like a princess indeed. If you choose a shabby chic bed and it doesn’t already have a canopy, you can make your own with tulle material and chandelier hooks. Glitter, rhinestones, or sequins can add the final touches.

Painting a room with a fresh coat of paint is a good start when you begin to redesign your child’s bedroom. The perfect princess room may have a softly pink or purple-backed fairy tale design, although you can use any color you want, including soft yellow, off-white, or pastels. If you wish, you can start with white and then add colorful borders, murals, butterfly or star wall hangings, peel and stick decals — anything goes. Use a large banner with a fairytale scene and inscribed with your child’s name hung up over the bed for a personal touch.

Before you begin, make sure you put a fresh coat of paint up so that the walls are fresh and clean when you design your child’s bedroom. What color of paint should you choose? That depends on your preferences. Many “princess themed” rooms look good with soft purple or pink, although just about any pastel color will do, such as soft yellow; off-white, too, is another option. If you do paint the walls white, you can add a colorful border for accents. You can make murals on the walls themselves, or you can add a border with lots of color. You can also do wall hangings that are star or butterfly themed, and you can also use peel and stick decals for a more personal option. To make it a little girl’s dream, a large banner depicting princesses, fairytale castles, and other fairytale themes can be hung up over the bed; for really personal option, put your daughter’s name on it.

Though Shabby Chic works great with a light colored carpet for a truly authentic princess look go with hardwood floors. Area rugs featuring a floral design can be placed in front of a Shabby Chic dresser or by the bed. Lighting also matters in a Shabby Chic design. A chandelier, desk lamp or floor lamp with teardrop chains or glass beading can be the focal point in a room. Fairy lights can also be hung over the wall for added detail.

Although shabby chic is a design, it doesn’t just mean finding explicitly designed “shabby chic” furniture. Instead, you can take old items and give them a fresh new look; find pieces at flea markets, yard sales, attics, estate sales, and more. If you’re buying old furniture items, make sure you buy those that have been cared for well. If they’re too damaged, they may not be salvageable. And although most furniture with the shabby chic theme is white, you can also add some dark pieces. Cream-colored furniture, too, goes well with the shabby chic, princess-themed look you’re going for.

Written by: Laura Barnhardts works in fashion and interior design plus knows all about shopping saddles for sale and owns a web design company.