Better Homes and Gardens; Dec. 2009: The Return of Shabby Chic

Break out your exposed wood beams and that lacey, doily stuff! It's time to abandon modern minimalist style because Shabby Chic is making a come back! Who needs evenly painted walls and insulation? Rip off that tiled or shingled roof and install a tin one! Got cracks in your wall that you just can't afford to repair? Turn them into a stylish way to store your jewelry! Why not fully commit and do away with indoor plumbing and air conditioning all together!

Embrace the Lace!

Super girly pink and lace curtains, R15/meter for fabric, R12/meter for lace at PEP stores

Fresh and Fruity!

Table Cloth, R15.99/meter at PEP; pink fruit bowl, R10 at Plastic Discounters

flower vase R6 at Pik n Pay Grocery store (comes with free Sprite inside), Book Case, free from our gogo; Ferdinand the Ficus, R4o at Tuinhuis Pet and Plant Shop; yankee candle, free from Tony's mom; lacey doily thing, R5 at PEP

Jewelry Storage: The Ultra Shabby and Ultra Chic Way

Hanger that came with silverware, free; nail wedged into the crack in the wall, free (as long as you can find a nail lying around in the dirt and you have a nice crack in the wall); desk, free when you take it from school and don't tell anyone

Got holes in the cement? Leave Them! It only adds character and it's totally shabby chic (plus cement filler is more expensive than you would think)

hole in the living room, free with a rural SA house that hasn't been lived in for 5 years.

Go Green!!

Green Army issue mosquito net, free when you join the Peace Corps; fan, R110 from the sketchy "China Shop" in town