It helps the healthiness both of body and soul to live among beautiful things. —William Morris, 1882Shabby Chic—the rich, practical, and time-worn style created by one of the world"s top designers, Rachel Ashwell, mixes new and gently used items to create original, refined designs. In Rachel Ashwell"s Shabby Chic Treasure Hunting & Decorating Guide, Rachel takes you on a tour of flea markets and secondhand shops to give you a behind-the-scenes look at her process for finding vintage treasures—materials, furniture, and decorations—so that you can design a Shabby Chic home.As Rachel reveals, the Shabby Chic principles—comfort, function, and beauty—mixed with a dash of imagination and courage, and an understanding of how to spot a fabulous buy, will allow you to create a home that is beautiful, comfortable, and inviting. A place where children"s dinners are served on mix-and-match antique plates at a table covered with lace from a renovated curtain set. A space where fresh flowers stand in antique jugs, complementing furniture covered in soft white denim.This gorgeous volume will teach you how to recognize beauty in often overlooked places. The photographs and step-by-step guidance featured inside make it easy, fun, and affordable to create the kind of breathtaking, practical home you"ve always dreamed of.