One of the hottest trends right now in bedroom design is shabby chic. It’s a style that has made the rounds before, but now there is a lot more emphasis on blending different fabrics and textures. Because shabby chic items can be rather hard to find, we're going to break down the must-have items to look for. These will help to transform your bedroom into the trendy look that you’ve been seeing in all the home magazines.

Before you start looking for the key essentials, it can be helpful to get an idea of what shabby chic is. Nothing beats visuals, which is exactly why the DIY Formula webpage on how to create a shabby chic bedroom can be so helpful. Here you’ll find a number of pictures showing different items that are classed as shabby chic.

As far as a definition goes, shabby chic refers to furnishings, furniture, and decor that has signs of wear to it. It's meant to look old, used, worn in, and distressed even if it's a brand new item. Shopping for shabby chic items can be done in big box stores or local second-hand shops, vintage stores, and even yard sales. It’s important to have an open-mind and vision when looking for shabby chic items.

There are all kinds of shabby chic bedding styles such as French, romantic, floral, and more. One thing that these styles tend to have in common is the abundance of ruffles. Think ruffled pillow shams or ruffled edges on a duvet or comforter; ruffles that have that “old” feel to them that is so dominant in shabby chic designs.

One of the key elements in shabby chic design is to be sure things don't look too overly matched. A mismatched look is what creates shabby chic design. At the same time the items all need to flow and work with each other, so there needs to be some thought put into it. Ideally you want to look for pieces that complement each other. They could be the same stain of wood, the same style, or have complementary colors.

Because shabby chic design usually involves distressed or worn-pieces, you may find it’s best to get in there and do the work yourself. Take for example that new stark white bedside table you have just purchased from a big box store. You can do a little sanding, staining, and change out the hardware and suddenly you’ll have a piece that looks like an antique and works with the décor.

Doing the work yourself allows you to customize the pieces and it typically ends up being a huge cost savings.

These tips will help you to create the perfect shabby chic bedroom that is as trendy as it is comfortable. Shabby chic is all about using your own creativity and personality to put together a unique look.