iCafe Woman Moderne: Say it isn't So... Shabby Chic...Filing for Bankruptcy Protection?

(Shabby Chic's Bloomsbury Sectional)

Some blame the loss of sales and diminished popularity of Shabby Chic to the rise of the Mid-Century Modern design craze. Well, as a lover of both styles, I wouldn't declare Shabby Chic as over, or name the design trend, the Rubik's Cube of the Nineties. I also wouldn't call Mid-Century Modern... a craze. Neither design trend are going anywhere, anytime soon if my iCafe Woman Moderne Divas and I have anything to say about it. Thanks to you, we do.

But first a message from our sponsor...

From eternity to eternity, I am God.

No one can oppose what I do.

Isaiah 43:13

Miracles and Blessings... Gigi here... thanks for stopping by iCafe Woman Moderne, our virtual cafe for inter-generational women and girls. But fellas, the door is always open for you too. I know it's been more than a minute since we last hit the cyber-waves. Outside, the trees were barren.

Now, the flowers are blooming... our cyber patrons can't get enough of our chilled delights in a glass and our Spring wraps are bursting with exciting new ingredients.

Welcome to our text webisode: Say it isn't So... It Isn't So! Shabby Chic... We Say, Welcome Back! Our three divas... Television Producer Tempest (54), Fashion Photographer Baldwin (30) and Model, Actress, Cartoonist Cocoe Dominique (15)... can't wait to tell you why Shabby Chic is back and here to stay. They're not only our regulars, they're also related.

Tempest and Baldwin are sisters, and Cocoe is their very talented, precocious niece and fraternal twin to Christiane Kennedy. Stare at them close, they almost look identical. Unfortunately, Christiane couldn't join us, she had a prior engagement.

(New York City)

We're so glad they escaped the Big Apple and stopped by, which they do at the start of every new season. Unfortunately, their busy schedules delayed them at the start of Spring, but they're making up for lost time. Our humble region is where another sister, a few great aunts, uncles, more nieces and cousins live. So of course we've claimed them as iCafe Woman Moderne divas.

Shall we get started?

Don't worry Ms. Ashwell... your diehard
fans and iCafe Woman Moderne divas have your home decor back.

(Apartment Therapy)

EXT. ICAFE WOMAN MODERNE - AFTERNOON

Two men and two women over forty enter our virtual cafe housed inside a Mid-Century Modern home, (Art Moderne) carrying Happy Birthday balloons with four twenty-something young women.

INT. GREAT ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The forty-something women and young adults are pleasantly surprised when they enter the great room.

On the television monitors a photo of the great room's usual decor appears. The authentic Mid-Century Modern sectional is now replaced by live footage of a beautiful white slip-covered sectional in a Mid-Century Modern design with Shabby Chic and Asian accessories on the bookshelves, chairs and coffee table.

GIGI

(to the patrons)

Now you see it, now you don't. You're in the right place. We've switched out our sectional. But guess what?(turns to web camera)It's not just any white, slip-covered sectional. It's a Shabby Chic SoHo slip-covered sectional in a modern design. This is our Spring and Summer decor for the cafe. We'll switch back in the Fall. So yes, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Southwestern, Asian and Traditional home design fans... Shabby Chic pieces can fit in all of these designs. My iCafe Woman Moderne divas will show you how by using three Shabby Chic room styles.

Gigi joins Tempest, Baldwin and Cocoe seated on the white sectional. They're all wearing perfect little pink dresses in honor of May's National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Their Perfect Little Pink Dresses (PLBDs) were supplied by Nordstrom's.

BALDWIN

As far as I'm concerned, Shabby Chic never left the building. But now it's easier to find her, and fantastic on the pocketbook. Who doesn't know where there's a Target? That's one of the places you'll find Rachel Ashwell's Simply Shabby Chic. (she faces camera) I'm sure there's a store near where you live.

TEMPEST

Right, girl... a lot of people don't know that her collection is at Target until they see the Simply Shabby Chic aisle. I just picked up this cute vanity for my play niece's Sweet Sixteen birthday party. It's also easy to find on your smart phone.

(Design Darling)

COCOE

I guess your real niece will be expecting

hers on her 16th birthday in July.

TEMPEST

And you'll put it right next to the French Provincial antique vanity you've inherited from your great grandmother. (facing camera) Girlfriend here, doesn't have your typical fifteen-year-old's bedroom. It's authentically French Shabby Chic. As you can see from her pink Sixties baby doll dress,

my favorite niece loves Mod Design and Vintage.

(Carrocel Restorations)

COCOE

My twin better not hear you call me your favorite. (winking) Okay, so you'll be sending that cute Target vanity to my dressing room at the set of my new series coming out in the Fall on NBC.

A MID-CENTURY MODERN/CONTEMPORARY AND SHABBY CHIC ROOM

BALDWIN

Are we done decorating your dressing room... nice plug by the way. I'm sure our Web viewers want to see how Shabby Chic can go Mid-Century Modern. Here's how we're designing our first room with Shabby Chic furniture and accessories in a modern/contemporary style. We're taking Shabby Chic's SoHo sectional and chair, the Portobella Chair and 1/2 (purple chair), and the tufted Lilliput Cube Ottoman that looks like something Marcia and Jan Brady would watch TV on.

TEMPEST

How would you know, the show was cancelled

by the time you showed up.

BALDWIN

Their reruns were on forever.

COCOE

I've got their DVD compilations. I can recite most of their lines, especially the one where Marcia got that huge zit. Anyway, Shabby Chic's Light Feather Chandelier looks like something Rhoda Morgenstern would have hanging in her loft above Mary Richards' sweet apartment. I have those DVDs too.

ECLECTIC MEETS SHABBY CHIC

GIGI

I'm impressed. But some people might need a little more convincing that Shabby Chic and modern can work together. Check out this kitchen. The proof is in the pudding!

GIGI CONT'D.

It's Shabby Chic, Urban, Rustic Modern

with Traditional touches in a room where family magic happens.

Television monitors throughout iCafe Woman Moderne now show a traditional living room with Shabby Chic touches.

(shabbychic.com)

COCOE

There are really no design rules when it comes to your personal style. Why can't you mix Modern, Traditional and Asian in a
Shabby Chic bowl? I read online that Rachel Ashwell defined Shabby Chic in the late Eighties as this: ...the balance of elegant things with old and worn, shiny accessories with painted wooden tables and soft throw rugs with old rough lace. silkroadcollection.com)

ASIAN DESIGN MEETS SHABBY CHIC

(interior-design-it-yourself.com)

COCOE

These Oriental chairs could totally be Shabby Chic. They could work with this traditional Tuscany Belvedere dining table.

(Ethan Allen)

TEMPEST

Some designer pros may say, no way. But that's what makes Shabby Chic so special... no design rules. I'm so proud of you grasshopper. Let's add two white slip-covered padded chairs, tea-stained antique lace place mats, a milk pale with pink hydrangeas and a larger version of the red cabinet
on your screen to store dishes. Watson, I think we just designed an Asian designed room in a Shabby Chic style.

(interior-design-it-yourself.com)

Gigi

Check out this living room. It's designed with an Asian motif, but has those couches that say comfortable, casual and elegant, which seems to be the Shabby Chic motto. (frowning) Hmm ...I think we stand corrected.

BALDWIN

Did we make a mistake?

GIGI

We did. In order for Shabby Chic to be welcomed back, it would have to be gone. We can see from the rooms and styles we visited that Shabby Chic never left the building. Sure, something shiny and different captured our eye for a minute, while Rachel Ashwell waited patiently for our second gaze. But that didn't stop her from doing what she does best, creating beautiful
Shabby Chic home decor.

Gigi eyes their empty glasses and cups, as the divas nod at what she just said. The web camera follows her as she leaves the divas and head for the open concept kitchen where they often have food demos. She addresses the viewers at the coffee bar, as a barrista finishes a smoothy and hands it to her.