In design, Provence is considered one of the branches of the rustic style. Specifically, it is classified as a French country. Provence style in the interior very accurately conveys all the charm of rural life and the warmth of the climate of the south of France. The rooms decorated in this style are endowed with a unique charm. They have everything for a comfortable stay, and the atmosphere is filled with comfort and light intimacy. There is a place for romance and sophistication in Provence. Such interiors are a demonstration of impeccable taste, maybe that's why you want to get to know them better.
- Spaciousness and cozy lightness
- Provence style in the interior: main features
- Provence color schemes
- Furniture in Provence
- Textiles for Provence
- Lighting, decor and accessories in Provence
- Bedroom and living room in the spirit of Provence
- Kitchen in Provence
- Photo gallery - Provence style in the interior:
Spaciousness and cozy lightness
The south of France is an incredibly picturesque corner, and Provence managed to convey all its nuances very accurately. White sliding doors, painted walls with floral patterns, wooden furniture with a clear hint of antiques - all this is a real Provence. And in general, everything that appears in such an interior should bear a certain “time stamp”. Do not try to introduce something trendy and ultra-modern into the atmosphere.
A frank remake will simply kill all the charm. On the furniture surface, scuffs, chips, a network of cracks must certainly be clearly visible. Provence style will gladly accept in your interior:
- Wicker furniture.
- Wardrobes.
- Carved sideboards.
- Bookshelves.
- Vintage dressers.
There is a lot of openwork forging in the stylistic decor. She lives on the backs of beds and in the legs of tables, in candlesticks, sconces, chandeliers, mirror frames. But the main highlight of the French interior was the huge window openings, leaving the base to the floor, decorated with the thinnest curtains.
Another interior refinement characteristic of Provence is the presence of a stove in the setting. Mind you, not a fireplace - a real stove with an open fire and cast-iron burner rings. The body of this design is decorated with glazed brick or lined with stone, and an exhaust hood is attached above it.
back to index ↑Provence style in the interior: main features
“Provence style in the interior of houses is motivated by curved shapes and lines, as well as floral designs”
There are many varieties of country music, but most of all, the inhabitants fell in love with Provence. And all because it exudes not only the village, but also the freshness of the sea, the smell of flowering meadows. Its atmosphere is full of sunshine and is fully associated with being in the bosom of nature. Each of these lines can be clearly traced in the aesthetics of the style: as if the walls burned out in the rays of the sun, indoor plants and ikebanas from dried flowers, the natural simplicity of the furnishings and the uncomplicated lines.
Another feature, without which country music in general and Provence in particular, is unthinkable, is archaic. Village life is measured.She slowly flows according to some laws known only to her. Changes in it, if they occur, are very slow, so new trends take root here last.
Provence style is good in the interior and city apartments, and cottages. Let's try to summarize what is required in order to reproduce in a popular style in modern settings. Provincial Provence has a specific set of characteristics, including sets of preferred colors, the shape of furniture, decoration elements, as well as specific ornaments and unique curves.
The style is famous for its restraint of mood, but this does not mean that it is ascetic, just its wealth is presented in a modest, unobtrusive form. The scope of luxury interior decoration is medium. Color solutions in Provence are mostly light, but there are always painted details. Keyholes and metal hinges, as well as marquetry, can be seen in the ornamentation. They furnish the interior with simple, practical forms of furniture, and all accessories associated with it must also correspond to these characteristics.
Textiles in this decor are different, most often it is velvet. It can be plain or with stripes. Motivation of the Provence style in the interior of houses is provided by curved shapes and lines, as well as floral designs. Of the decor accessories, watches are most impressed, although in principle they can be completely different. If you look at examples of Provencal interiors, you will notice that they are quite typical and they certainly contain copies of items and expensive elements from the Empire, Louis XV, Louis XIV.
List of basic elements of Provence:
- The most light interior with light floors.
- Decor with "peeling paint" and other elements of aging.
- The presence on the walls of inclusions of a brick finish or imitation of masonry.
- presence of plaster. Wallpaper in Provence is not at all in price.
- Use in work only natural materials.
- Fragmentation of walls with wooden and fabric inserts.
- The presence of forged elements in the decor.
- Exceptionally wooden furniture.
- The presence of beams on the ceiling.
- The greatest number of decorative elements in this style is present in the kitchen, the rest of the rooms are made more calm in this regard.
As for the layout, due to its simplicity, the Provence style wonderfully takes root in the interior of even small apartments that are not pleasing with their areas. The designed space should be zoned. For these purposes, any methods can be used. conditional partitions screens, shelving, wrought iron lattices, decorated with large planters with green plants, as well as beads or light curtains can become. The center of the rooms should be free, and the ceilings should not overhang. In Provence there is no place for built-in lamps and very large windows should take part in its natural light.
back to index ↑Provence color schemes
Creating the Provence style, designers are in awe of all its aspects, but they still pay special attention to the correct selection of color schemes. In this decor, all global surfaces should have muted pastel shades. Provence is ideal for beige, white and cream colors. Enliven the interior with bright accents, the basis of which can be orange and yellow shades or the colors of lavender, sky blue, sea waves.
In the design of the walls, however, as well as the floor with the ceiling, they use natural materials and do it in the simplest ways. Finishing is done by plastering (both simple and decorative), wood paneling or stone lining. At the same time, if the materials chosen for work are light enough, the Provence style in the interior will perceive them in their original form, without additional processing, otherwise the surfaces are repainted in more suitable shades..
Finishing floors in Provence with carpet, linoleum, parquet or laminate is considered nonsense. The right decision can be called the use of processed boards or terracotta tiles, regular or with cut corners.
In the Provence style, the ceiling surface in the interior of a room for any purpose is almost always snow-white and contains decor in the form of wooden beams. The latter can be made to match the ceiling, or you can contrast them with a dark color, which will make the beams massive. This technique is good in rooms with high ceilings.
French Provence in the room is present in everything. It doesn't even let windows and doors through. They must also be white, but if you want to somehow decorate the surfaces of frames and canvases, they are artificially aged or covered with floral ornaments. If you create your house "from scratch" or have the opportunity to overhaul it, and you are sure that the decoration of the rooms of this house will be done in the spirit of Provence, then by all means expand the openings of windows and doors, and the first can be done in the entire wall. This approach will be especially correct if a magnificent panoramic view opens outside the windows.
back to index ↑Furniture in Provence
Despite the complexity of modern life in financial terms and the apparent simplicity of the Provence style, furniture made of PVC, MDF, chipboard and other modern materials should never appear in its interior. There should not be in such an environment the brilliance of chrome and nickel, as well as sparkling glass.
If it is impossible to furnish the house with real solid wood furniture, look in the closets and attics for old cabinets, tables, chairs and other items. Often, such furniture can be purchased for a pittance through newspaper ads. Furniture that is not quite suitable in color can be redecorated, and surfaces that are too peeling can be slightly restored. While doing this process, remember that in such an interior everything should be light, including furniture surfaces, so forget about stains and polishing.
Do not seek to completely restore the integrity of the surfaces, let it remain small chips, areas of peeling paint, scuffs and cracks. It's all quite in the spirit of Provence.
The style of French Provence in its interior requires, of course, rough and rustic furniture, because this is typical of country music in general.
However, this line needs less cumbersome elements than, say, traditional German or American country. The most popular furniture is:
- Cabinets with mezzanines, distinguished by their small height.
- Buffets.
- Bookshelves.
- Shops.
- Benches.
- Cabinets with multiple drawers.
- Bulky dining tables.
The color of the facades is cream, lavender, pale green, white, brownish and light wood. Floral paintings can be painted on the surface of the furniture.
On upholstered furniture, plain upholstery is rare. Basically, it is covered with fabric in a flower, stripe or cage. Sofas can have a rustic exterior or look sophisticated, pampering the eye with the roundness of the armrests and the “skirt”. But whatever the decor of the sofa, there are always a lot of pillows on it. Provence style armchairs that appear in the interior are most often wicker, but they may well be leather or identical to the decor of the sofa.
If this is a bedroom, then a “royal bed” should certainly appear in it, with luxurious forged or wooden legs and a headboard.Forging is generally the strong point of Provence, so it is an integral part of many interior designs.
back to index ↑Textiles for Provence
In decoration, bleached linen, coarse cotton, and plain chintz are used. The most common prints are floral, less often on fabrics you can see a strip and a cage. Sofa cushions are made from floral fabrics and curtains, napkins, tablecloths are sewn. Cute ruffles are often sewn on curtains. Sometimes curtains are originally draped and picked up with ribbons. The beds are covered with quilted bedspreads with the same floral motifs.
In addition, the Provence style will delight you with the presence of decorative lace elements in your interior. You can crochet them yourself, or you can buy ready-made covers, napkins, etc. in free sale or order to craftswomen-homeworkers. In the latter case, you have a great chance to acquire an exclusive.
back to index ↑Lighting, decor and accessories in Provence
Chandeliers play a leading role in lighting Provencal interiors. Chic crystal lamps, complete with vintage furniture and rough-textured walls, give the banal rustic country a truly French chic. Chandeliers, however, like sconces, floor lamps and table lamps, have forged frames and floral fabric lampshades.
Of the Provence-style accessories in the interior, you can find:
- Pottery of simple forms from fireclay or terracotta.
- Lavender and spices in pots.
- Ceramic panels with painted motifs.
- Pictures with unpretentious plots on the theme of animals, vegetation, landscapes, framed by simple frames.
- Small vignettes or forged sockets to decorate the walls.
- Furniture on high legs.
- Rocking chair in a wicker version.
- Pouches or sachets embroidered with silks and beads with fragrant filling.
- The cart wheel, which serves as a kind of panel.
- Original flower pots with small patterns on a light background.
- Boxes in fabric design.
- Painted dressers.
- A stylized stove lined with ceramic mosaics in white and blue tones.
- Embroidered covers.
- Handmade rugs.
- Wooden blinds decorated with tulle and lace.
You can try to add a marine theme to the decor - it is also relevant for the Provence style. Decorate the room with fishing nets, seabirds, shells, starfish. The Provencal interior with a nautical slant uses striped white and blue textiles. This solution is especially relevant for bathrooms.
back to index ↑Bedroom and living room in the spirit of Provence
“The Provence style does not recognize lacquered surfaces in its interior, so the furniture in the rooms should have matte facades”
The interiors of the bedroom and living room in the Provencal design delight, first of all, with their originality and original atmosphere, with a touch of nostalgia for bygone times. The general background in these rooms is made in yellow, white-blue, terracotta and pastel colors. Wall decoration is the main issue. They are usually roughly plastered or painted and decorated with flower paintings. In the setting of the bedroom, a massive bed, wooden cabinets of rough work, natural fabrics like muslin, chintz, linen, cotton are required. The interior of Provence is the domain of forged products. But the Provence style does not recognize lacquered surfaces in its interior, so the furniture in the rooms should have matte facades. Accessories are also important in Provence. An abundance of vases, figurines, caskets, candlesticks and photographs in antique frames will not be superfluous in any of these rooms.
The rooms, interpreted in Provence style, are always full of live plants and flowers growing in tubs and pots.On tables and furniture, there can be both freshly cut flowers and compositions from dead wood. In such an environment, there is always a place for a figurine of a rooster, which serves as a symbol of France.
Of all the home rooms, the bathroom is the one with the least expense and attention. In it, the style does not look romantic or sophisticated, it is rather practical. Roughly painted white walls (other color delights are rarely practiced here), a plank floor, a modest window - this is a typical view of a hygiene room in this direction. Provence style shows its presence exclusively in accessories. Old shelves, porcelain jugs, towels and napkins laid out right on the shelves speak of it.
Provence is a longing for the past, so only things endowed with a historical past can be present in its decor. Any item from our time will look alien and ugly in the interior.
back to index ↑Kitchen in Provence
Of all the home spaces decorated in the spirit of Provence, the kitchen is probably the prettiest. Its interior never looks dull and featureless, although the walls are still rough texture finish, and the set is striking in its uncouthness. Give real piquancy to the atmosphere Roman curtains, on the surface of which a floral ornament or fruit pattern flows, and decorative elements in the form of copper utensils, arranged on forged shelves. But the most striking impression and touch of the Provence style in the kitchen interior will be a stove stylized as an old hearth with a hood in the same old form. The kitchen turns out to be so cozy that you don’t want to leave it at all even when there is no need to cook anything.
Conclusion
If you want to fill the room with fresh breath and home comfort, try to balance the benefits of city life with the beauty of rural life. For this, several elements in the characteristic features of Provence are enough for you. The feeling of absolute unity with nature is guaranteed to you.
Original, completely different from others, the Provence style in the interior simply captivates in French style with elegant coloring, romanticism and slight naivety. This is a style for those who find laconic modernity too soulless and detached. For residents of megacities, Provence, with its regularity, generally becomes a breath of fresh air. In addition, the Provencal house is always full of delicious smells and is literally permeated with a cozy and warm atmosphere. Here you can really relax your soul, so decide whether you are ready to lead a leisurely lifestyle and enjoy serenity, or you will remain in disharmony with yourself!
back to index ↑Photo gallery - Provence style in the interior: