Relax and put your feet up

Just like putting on your favorite pair of jeans or slipping into a pair of fuzzy slippers, there's something comforting about the Shabby Chic look.

It's casual, well-loved and it's made to be used. It's a little time worn and it's classic.

It was born out of a mother's love for her children and wanting a cozy home where they would all feel comfortable.

"I wouldn't have anything in my home that I'm not able to use to raise my kids and animals or that I was afraid to put my feet up on," said Rachel Ashwell, who launched Shabby Chic in 1989.

The English-born Ashwell reveled in combing through flea markets and antique shops, where she found vintage items that could find new lives with a little help. Among her finds was an overstuffed sofa that she created a slipcover for. Working as a set designer at the time, friends would ask her to find flea market treasures for their homes, which prompted her to open a small retail shop in Santa Monica, Calif., where she sold her slipcovered furnishings, bedding and fabrics among other vintage trinkets.

Her style of deliberately distressed, mismatched imperfection resonated with customers who found the relaxed approach to design both beautiful and achievable.

Ashwell said her mantra is making sure each Shabby Chic piece is beautiful, comfortable and functional.

"We're kind of timeless. We don't consider ourselves a fashion-forward trend," Ashwell said during her recent visit to World Market Center Las Vegas, where she helped launch the rebranded line of furnishings.

Since joining with Brand Sense Partners and establishing Shabby Chic as a brand, the company's offerings have branched into bedding, lighting, rugs and fabrics as well as furnishings.

Today, Shabby Chic now encompasses three Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture stores, which feature highly customizable furnishings; Simply Shabby Chick, a line of bedding and accessories available exclusively at Target; and the Shabby Chic brand.

Ashwell remains heavily involved in the creative direction of the brand, as well as providing inspiration for new designs.

"There is a strong sense of comfort in the line, both in the name and in the products. When things are a little worn, they are more comfortable. They tend to be softer, feel better, and people can be more relaxed using them because they do not have to be concerned about every little nick or scuff. There is also an emotional sense of comfort in found treasures, that the user is preserving a bit of history. From a long-term perspective, as society keeps moving toward more casual lifestyles in work and home life, these qualities are very appealing," said Steve Crowder, president and CEO of GuildMaster, which is producing the line's wooden furnishings. "It is also true that in times of emotional distress, such as the long-lasting economic situation, people have an ever greater need for comfort and turn to food and other indulgences. In a way, this is the same tonic provided by Shabby Chic furnishings."

Teaming with Shabby Chic to produce the new line of furniture was a natural for GuildMaster, whose own line was often described as "shabby chic."

"Shabby chic encompasses a pretty broad path in the marketplace. I think there are thousands of interpretations," Crowder said. "A lot of our products fit that shabby chic look to begin with, so it was not a big stretch for us.

"Honestly, there almost could not have been a better match. Shabby Chic founder Rachel Ashwell is English, and her personal taste runs to time-worn European classics with a modern twist. Virtually the entire GuildMaster product line falls in the vintage European design camp, with incredibly naturalistic distressing on classic frames produced to Old World quality standards. In fact for years, many, many customers referred to our look as 'shabby chic' as a description, not a brand."

Crowder said the biggest difference between GuildMaster and Shabby Chic is that his company focuses on making statement pieces while Shabby Chic is creating a lifestyle.

"If you have a big foyer or need a big colorful piece for your family room or dining room, you'll find that accent with GuildMaster. Shabby Chic creates for a whole room; it could be an occasional collection, a dining collection or a bedroom collection."

That, however, doesn't mean that the furnishings have to be purchased as a whole-room suite. Because of their aged look, the pieces create a feeling of nostalgia and resemble family heirlooms, making them ideal additions to practically any room in the home, Ashwell and Crowder said.

"Nothing is matchy-matchy. Each piece has its own distinctive character and sense of history, and can be incorporated into many different existing rooms," Crowder added.

Their pale color also helps them blend with a room's décor.

Early in her career, Ashwell's designs used a palette of pastel colors. Today, however, she prefers to work in shades of white and gray along with raw woods.

"I did not know before we got involved that there were so many shades of white," Crowder said.

Working with GuildMaster to replicate her signature look has been a learning experience for both Ashwell and the Springfield, Mo.-based company.

"Shabby Chic has a London or Paris flea market look," Crowder said, noting the designs are more feminine than GuildMaster's.

"Rachel has a very focused interpretation. She's definitely passionate about her look and we try to keep that. We both learned that there's a lot of whites and she learned that color is some cases is OK."

While expanding her portfolio of tables, beds and display cases, Ashwell has remained true to her love of overstuffed pieces of slipcovered upholstery.

"I work hard to get fabrics that fall into the beauty, comfort and function criteria," Ashwell said, adding that all of the fabrics have to be machine washable.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's definitely for main use," said Crowder of Shabby Chic furnishings. "The great room, family room or media room is the ideal place for them, as is the casual dining area."