Finally, stand back and admire your work! Remember, shabby-chic pieces continue to age and wear with use, so the “newness” of your dining table chair will begin to soften within a few weeks.

For Rachel Ashwell, founder of the Shabby Chic empire, a new home on the Malibu coast serves as a reminder that perhaps the tide is turning. In the last two years, she closed 15 stores ...