Shagreen Accessories

As an interior designer, I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting product ranges, trends, and finishes – anything that could enhance current and future projects to bring the creative vision to life. One aspect of interior design that can often get overlooked until the last minute is styling and home accessories.

We are seeing Shagreen Accessories pop up everywhere, and we are loving how easily they bring texture into any space! In this Shop the Look feature, I’m going to share my top tips and ideas on how you can use Shagreen Accessories successfully in your home!

How to Recognize Shagreen Accessories

You will have seen lots of home accessories made out of wood, metal, and fabric, but Shagreen is a super luxurious finish that adds a layer of sophistication to any styling set up.

So, what is Shagreen?

Shagreen is a natural hide – similar to leather in softness, but has an almost dotted pattern to it. It’s typically taken from shark, stingray or dogfish, though man-made faux alternatives are now widely used instead.

You may have seen small pieces of furniture like nightstands, or console tables that have a leather-like look or texture to them. This is likely to be shagreen!

Many home accessories are now available in a shagreen finish (either real or faux) and inject a sense of luxury to any arrangement.

Fun Facts:

The use of Shagreen dates back as early as the 2nd Century in China, while it has been widely used in Japan from the 13th Century. Some of the earliest examples of using shagreen were for Japanese Samurai swords and sword grips.

It wasn’t until the 16th Century that the use of shagreen or sting-ray leather made its way into Europe and the rest of the world. Shagreen furniture was imported from Japan, in the form of chests and trunks with this never-seen before leather-like texture.

Real shagreen is water resistant and can be used in bathrooms. Items like tissue box holders and trays can add texture and visual interest to bathroom environments.

Style Clues

This style often includes:

• Textured trays
• Textured table lamps
• Textured tissue box holders
• Shagreen textured small furniture pieces

You may also like… Shop the Look – Fall Cozy Accessories and Trend Alert – Wood Accents!

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