Think Marie Antoinette in jeans and a cowboy hat – that is Rachel Ashwell's prairie style.

Rachel Ashwell Couture Prairie takes her signature pastels, ruffles and whimsical prettiness right to the heart of cowboy country. This is a journey in pictures and words, following Rachel through the fields of a little town called Round Top, home to one of the largest, most eclectic and vibrant antiques and flea markets in the world, and then back to Rachel’s bed-and-breakfast in Texas. Here Rachel’s inspired finds, her creative imagination, eye for detail and her commitment to beauty, comfort and function have finally come together in one location: The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell – an irresistible destination.

This book takes Rachel in a new direction, bringing her eye for cherished patinas and pastel prettiness into the endless landscapes and diverse architectural styles of Texas. Here you will see how her style adapts to corrugated metal sheeting and weathered timbers and how it brings new life to elegant period mansions. Chapter by chapter, the book leads you through Rachel’s little houses on the prairie, from the Ranger’s Lounge where hearty breakfasts are served, to the Pearl Barn, scene of wedding parties and celebrations, stopping off at the evocatively named guest accommodation: Blue Bonnet Barn, Cornflower Cottage, Meadow Manor, Faith Cottage and Liliput Lodge.

About the Author:

Rachel Ashwell is a self-made businesswoman and creator of the Shabby Chic brand. There are now Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture stores in Los Angeles, New York, Texas, and London. Rachel’s most recent books (published by Cico Books) are 'Rachel Ashwell Couture Prairie', 'Rachel Ashwell: Shabby Chic Interiors' and 'Rachel Ashwell: Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces'. The author is based in Los Angeles, USA.

Discover Rachel Ashwell’s floral inspirations and the unique touch she brings to interiors in her first book dedicated to flowers, a deeply-held passion come to life.

Flowers and floral decoration are at the core of Rachel Ashwell’s world and her designs. From her showcase rose garden in California, she set out with photographer Amy Neunsinger to capture the full-blown romance of the quintessential English country house, the dramatic colourways of northern Europe, and the faded opulence of a Parisian apartment. This is the story of that magical journey, which takes us through a variety of beautiful spaces large and small, some ornate and others simple. Every aspect of floral accents is showcased, from wallpaper to fabrics, floors to ceilings, architectural details, lighting and, of course, flower arrangements, some breathtaking and some simple… but all beautiful in their own right.

About the Author:

Rachel Ashwell is a self-made businesswoman who founded the iconic brand known as Shabby Chic in 1989 when, as a single mother of two young children, she looked to open a small shop where she could sell ‘pretty things’ without spending much time or distance away from her children. Rachel opened her first store on trendy Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California and now has a brand that is known worldwide.

This is a journey in pictures and words, following Rachel through the fields of a little town called Round Top, home to one of the largest, most eclectic and vibrant antiques and flea markets in the world, and then back to Rachel's newly acquired bed-and-breakfast in Texas.

Here Rachel's inspired finds, her creative imagination, eye for detail and her commitment to beauty, comfort and function have finally come together in one location: The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell an irresistible destination.

This book takes Rachel in a new direction, bringing her eye for cherished patinas and pastel prettiness into the endless landscapes and diverse architectural styles of Texas. Here you will see how her style adapts to corrugated metal sheeting and weathered timbers and how it brings new life to elegant period mansions.

Chapter by chapter, the book leads you through Rachel's little houses on the prairie, from the Ranger's Lounge where hearty breakfasts are served, to the Pearl Barn, scene of wedding parties and celebrations, stopping off at the evocatively named guest accommodation: Blue Bonnet Barn, Cornflower Cottage, Meadow Manor, Faith Cottage and Liliput Lodge.

About the Author:

Rachel Ashwell is a self-made businesswoman who founded the iconic brand known as Shabby Chic in 1989 when, as a single mother of two young children, she looked to open a small shop where she could sell ‘pretty things’ without spending much time or distance away from her children. Rachel opened her first store on trendy Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California and now has a brand that is known worldwide.

Welcome to Rachel Ashwell's world: as beautiful as it is comfortable, as inspiring and spontaneous as it is practical and personal. Here Rachel shares her inspirations and her humour, celebrates the charm of the old and demonstrates how interiors touched with her magic transcend fashionable trends. Rachel takes us to homes in the US – from a shabby shack on Malibu's oceanfront to a ranch on the wide, open spaces of Texas, to the wooded hills of the Catskills and to Sharon Osbourne's Hollywood home – and in the UK – from a houseboat and a city townhouse to a centuries old manor house deep in the country, and her own London flat. All the houses, regardless of size or location, embody Rachel's ethos and share the same qualities: a respect for beautiful objects from the past, an extravagant sense of comfort and an eye for the unexpected. All are inviting, artistic, soulful, beautiful and perfectly imperfect.

About the Author:

Rachel Ashwell is a self-made businesswoman who founded the iconic brand known as Shabby Chic in 1989 when, as a single mother of two young children, she looked to open a small shop where she could sell ‘pretty things’ without spending much time or distance away from her children. Rachel opened her first store on trendy Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California and now has a brand that is known worldwide.

Step inside Rachel Ashwell's beautiful world of shabby chic interiors and be guided through stunningly beautiful homes that are bursting with design ideas and sumptuous details.

Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Interiors showcases the many ways that shabby chic design can be applied with gorgeous results. See how Rachel has used grand items, such as crystal chandeliers and aged furnishings, to create a calming, romantic and imaginative retreat. Across numerous stunning locations, you’ll explore colour-schemes of off-whites and discover the power of detail with beautiful shells and flowers. You’ll even visit a gorgeous Spanish hacienda that was once lived in by Marilyn Monroe, and the stylish New York apartment that was lived in by fashion designer Betsey Johnson. In the sixth chapter, Rachel will take you Behind the Scenes where you will delve into her passion for fabric and vintage clothing before teaching you how to mix and match elements to create a perfectly imperfect shabby chic paradise.

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Rachel Ashwell created Shabby Chic: a peaceful, practical way of living that embraces a respect for the things in our lives we hold dear and keeps them at the heart of our homes. Romantic florals reclining against pure white linen, ruffles of muslin skirting a bed base against bleached floorboards, the deep comfort of a simple nest of fluffy towels - This is Rachel Ashwell's signature style that for the past 20 years has been a major influence in our modern lives.

Shabby Chic Interiors - My Rooms, Treasures and Trinkets, an eclectic book of quirky inspiration, falls into chapters according to location and begins with Rachel's breathtaking Los Angeles residence. Next, we wander into a photographer's minimalist mountain-top home in the Hollywood hills before heading to the coast and a beautiful Malibu beach cottage. A truly bohemian hideout in southern California is next on the journey, followed by a peek at celebrity homes, including the house that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe. With rooms combining flea-market finds and objects of pure functionality - an elegant French mirror reflecting a painting, a bejewelled metallic candle holder sitting by a cluster of willow-patterned china, a single faded velvet pillow lounging under the twinkle of a vintage chandelier - this book celebrates all that is wonderfully Shabby Chic.