Chairs at our house-sit are not intended to break

@JudyEv (340256)
Rockingham, Australia
December 19, 2023 2:47am CST
We are house-sitting on a farm near Greenhills in Western Australia. It’s a very nice house, very clean and well-organised but much of the furnishings are what I call ‘shabby sh*t’. I have no problem with others having such rustic, basic furniture but it’s not for me. Many of the free-standing cupboards and occasional tables look like they’re been knocked together very quickly and roughly. But they’re functional and would have cost next to nothing to build. In the photo you can see one of the dining room chairs. What I like about it is the metal reinforcing on the legs. The black metal right-angles keep the chair stable. You might be able to see that the chairs were once white but much of the paint has gone, possibly by design.
16 people like this
19 responses
The Fly One
@aureliah (24316)
• Kenya
19 Dec
I love it rustic but in this case, the chairs are not that attractive.
5 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
They are very heavy and not at all comfortable unless you have a cushion. Luckily there are plenty of cushions around.
1 person likes this
Ptrikha_2
@ptrikha_2 (46968)
• India
21 Dec
@JudyEv So the cushions come as saviours !!
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (471468)
• Switzerland
19 Dec
That kind of painting is called "shappy chic" and it's made on purpose to look like that. Those chairs must be heavy to move.
2 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (471468)
• Switzerland
20 Dec
@JudyEv It happens to us to call things with a weird name and then we forget the real name.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
We had a friend who was very keen on shabby chic. I did know that was the correct name but Vin and I always had our own term for it.
2 people like this
Abiodun Adekoya
@septabchips (1141)
• Nigeria
20 Dec
Thanks for letting us know.
2 people like this
dpk262006
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
20 Dec
The chairs look old fashioned and unmaintained. I think most of the guests may not like these chairs, but they somehow make do with it.
1 person likes this
dpk262006
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
22 Dec
@JudyEv I think now it has gone old fashioned.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
This sort of furniture was very popular a few years ago. I don't really like it myself.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
@dpk262006 Yes, these fads go in and out of fashion.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112873)
• El Paso, Texas
19 Dec
To think some rednecks here in the USA would call them antique, go figure.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (112873)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Dec
You're right. Some rednecks in the hotter regions of my country actually put plastic in the cab of their pickup trucks to create crude wading pools.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
@rebelann The kids would love that for sure.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
It's lucky we all like different things, even if we can't understand others' points of view sometimes.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (13037)
• Ireland
19 Dec
@judyev Shabby sh!t for shabby sh!tters.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
I don't think I'll share that with Vince's siblings.
2 people like this
Arunima Singh
@arunima25 (87819)
• Bangalore, India
19 Dec
Oh! I don't like that look. They look durable though. I would have loved them if they were all white. That would have looked so elegant!!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
It's the fashion of shabby chic to look like this. I don't really like it. Almost all the furniture is roughly made and looks like it needs a good paint.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
@arunima25 The thought did cross my mind but I'm not sure it would be appreciated.
1 person likes this
Arunima Singh
@arunima25 (87819)
• Bangalore, India
20 Dec
@JudyEv Such things trigger my OCD. If I stay there for too long, I might end up painting them
1 person likes this
BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (47343)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
19 Dec
Or maybe the white was added in a slap-dash manner to a nice wood finish... doesn't look like normal wear. I like your renaming shabby chic...
1 person likes this
BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (47343)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
20 Dec
@JudyEv Somehow, the do-it-yourself method just doesn't look natural (I don't think).
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
There are dozens of YouTube videos on how to achieve this look. You can do it in a day or two rather than treating them roughly for years and years.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
@BarBaraPrz You're quite right. They really look makeshift in a way although being in a nice house, you know they've chosen these rather than being unable to afford something else.
1 person likes this
snowy
@snowy22315 (180870)
• United States
20 Dec
I agree with Fly One.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
I wouldn't want them for myself. The chairs are as hard as too without cushions.
Ptrikha_2
@ptrikha_2 (46968)
• India
21 Dec
Pretty strong chairs, but not a soothing sight to watch !!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
They look like they need painting.
1 person likes this
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (89870)
• Arvada, Colorado
19 Dec
It is well reinforced Judy. Sounds like a great place for furniture, sturdy and reliable.
1 person likes this
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (89870)
• Arvada, Colorado
20 Dec
@JudyEv Yes..you could have.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
I'd like to know if they bought the pieces or made them. We could have knocked up similar things quite easily but I would have believed they'd sell. Not to worry - it's too late now.
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (106425)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Dec
They will last a long time
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
They certainly will. I wonder if they'll ever get sick of them and want something more modern.
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (106425)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Dec
@JudyEv I know I would want something prettier
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (218931)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Dec
You know where my mind went looking at those.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
Did you feel the need to restore them?
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
19 Dec
It looks like they decorated by design not for shabbiness. I like the reinforcement on the chairs, giving them the look of stability. I've seen this design in stores. The price tag isn't cheap. The design goes well with the farm.
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
20 Dec
@JudyEv Yes, it was. I saw a lot of it for a while. I don't see it as much now.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
Yes, I'm sure they're meant to look like they do. Such a look was very popular for a while.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (178869)
• United States
20 Dec
I don't care for shabby chic. Hope you are having a good time.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
It's not for me either. We're going well here. There isn't a lot to do really.
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
19 Dec
Great support for favorite chairs to keep them together.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
The brackets suit the rustic look, that's for sure.
Amber
@AmbiePam (92864)
• United States
19 Dec
I remember well when shabby chic was all the rage. Now they refer to those chairs as more like farmhouse style, and it’s not quite for me.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
It certainly wouldn't suit every house. I don't know if the folks have made them themselves or if they've paid a small fortune for them.
1 person likes this
Jessica
@JESSY3236 (19941)
• United States
19 Dec
I like the rustic color, but they don't look comfortable and the metal looks bad.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
They are only comfortable if you have a nice, big, fat cushion.
1 person likes this
Abiodun Adekoya
@septabchips (1141)
• Nigeria
20 Dec
The rusty look though!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
Yes, very rustic-looking. And basic.
1 person likes this
M Cheung
@Beestring (14564)
• Hong Kong
19 Dec
Honestly, I don't like the look of the chairs. I prefer they are all white.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec
Almost all the furniture here looks like it needs a good paint but it's meant to look shabby and rough. It's not really my style.
1 person likes this