As a rule, for most people, an interior in the Russian style is associated directly with objects of folk art. It can be clay decorative elements, Gzhel ceramics, an abundance of wood, Khokhloma and so on. In fact, it is, but we decided to expand these traditional frameworks and compiled several options for decorating the premises in the original Russian style. Look for what an interior in Russian style can be, photos, examples and valuable recommendations below.
Things to keep in mind when creating a project
Our ancestors built their huts exclusively from natural materials, and it was from the same raw materials that they made all household items and decorations that were housed in homes. Therefore, in our days, creating an interior in the Russian style, you should adhere to this restraint and simplicity. Perhaps the result will be given asceticism, but this style is characteristic of this.
All this is relevant if you create a rustic design. If your project is an imitation of the boyars' chambers or royal bedrooms that were in the Winter Palace, then the emphasis should be placed exclusively on luxury, pomp and expensive materials. Well, each of these options below we will consider in more detail.
A hut on chicken legs
The simplest and most economical option is an imitation of those huts in which our distant ancestors lived. As a rule, they consisted of one room, less often it was possible to meet two- or three-room apartments (as a rule, such bedrooms were very small). Therefore, creating a rustic interior in the Russian style these days is simple, because you do not need to worry about not having enough free space. There are four main things to consider here:
- The stove is a primordially Russian element that was present in every peasant house. It should be located in the center of the main room, its walls are coated with white clay and painted with Khokhloma or other beautiful ornaments. Note that the stove can become a separator between the living room and the kitchen, and this is an extremely convenient technique in the process of zoning the space.
- Bed-bed. Unfortunately, almost none of our contemporaries no longer bask in the sun. If you create an interior in the Russian folk style, then there is the opportunity to correct this oversight. This bed is very wide, because it is used both as a sleeping place for guests and as a comfortable and warm corner where you can relax at any time.
- Do not forget about the chests. This is a convenient part that simultaneously serves as an ergonomic storage and decoration of the room.
- The interior in the Russian style will be incomplete if you do not decorate the stove with tiles. You can use any patterns for them, the main thing is that you like them.
Chic and cozy towers
Of course, it is inconvenient for a modern family to live on a few square meters in one room, where everyone huddles near the stove. Therefore, now we will consider how to create the style of a Russian estate. In the interior that we create, it will be possible to afford to combine simplicity and light chic.
So, the main material is still natural wood. It is used both in wall construction, ceiling and floor decoration, and in furniture. But now we are supplementing it with carved elements that can simply be mounted on the wall, used as decoration of windows, doorways, railings and furniture.
Textiles that complement such an interior in the Russian style are linen curtains, mainly light, pastel colors. Also embroidered towels, napkins, knitted tablecloths and capes will look actual.
The area near the house
Now we turn to what should be the style of the Russian estate. The main elements in the interior were natural fabrics, wood and clay. Here, we mainly find stone, brick tiles, less commonly metal. When creating the design of the courtyard of a private house, it is worth giving preference to simple forms and straight lines. The paths paved with bricks should be surrounded by bushes, herbs and flowers, which are characteristic of our latitudes. If the estate is large, in the courtyard you can build a gazebo, which in its exterior will be in harmony with the house. If the courtyard is small, then confine yourself to a spacious terrace, on which wooden (not wicker) furniture will fit perfectly.
Unique setting
When we create a rustic interior in the Russian style, we get the opportunity to put pieces of furniture in our house, analogues that will not be anywhere. At the heart of interior design is a tree, and from it you can do everything yourself with it, from a stool to a bed, sofa and wardrobe.
Initially, it is recommended to choose a cabin of a light shade, so that the interior is more transparent and light. When collecting home-made furniture, do not try to make it complicated and artsy. Simple forms and minimalism are much more relevant here. In addition to sofas and armchairs, we also recommend building a bench, which emphasizes the traditional design.
How to equip a kitchen in a hut?
Many people are most worried about what should be the interior of the kitchen in the Russian style, because our ancestors did not have such a room as such. All that the then peasant women were content with was a desktop, a pair of shelves and a stove. A modern woman will not cook in such conditions, therefore we decided to eliminate this problem. Cabinet furniture should be made exclusively of wood. The same applies to the facade of the refrigerator so that it does not stand out. This material must be treated and protected from moisture, grease, temperature changes, etc. Use white or beige ceramics for wall decoration. Dilute it with tiles or paint it yourself with folk patterns.
Analogs in Western houses
If we compare the Russian style in the interior with what has been offered to us by European and American magazines in recent years, a clear relationship can be seen with country. When decorating a room in this style, only natural elements are also used - wood, stone, brick, less commonly metal. All items, accessories and jewelry are not pompous and glossy, on the contrary, they are extremely simple and modest. Also similarities are in the use of textiles. Only if you can find any textures and colors in the western country counterparts, when creating a hut effect in the house, we can choose only snow-white or cream fabrics that are decorated with folk embroideries and ornaments.
Noble chambers
The Russian style in the interior of the house becomes completely different if you look at it through the prism of wealthy landowners who equipped their homes with all the most luxurious and expensive. In such a house, the walls should not be decorated with wood, but with wallpaper with a symmetrical pattern or textiles. The furniture is represented by deep and soft sofas, armchairs, pouffes. Their frames are made of natural wood, and the upholstery is made of brocade, velvet or leather.
A characteristic feature is a typeset parquet, which is waxed so that everything is reflected in it. Also on the floor there should always be expensive woolen carpets that match the wallpaper colors.
Decor of a luxury estate
You can complement such an interior with the following accessories. Firstly, these are lampshades covered in light fabrics. Lamps can be desktop, wall or located under the ceiling. Forged candlesticks, coasters, table clocks and inkwells fit perfectly into the interior. It is also important to decorate the room with paintings, photographs enclosed in wooden carved frames.
This style is also characterized by a mixture of traditions of the West and the East. Rich people of that time could decorate their homes with items brought from Europe. These were jardiniers, couches, elaborate coasters and candlesticks. Along with them were the eastern elements of decor - silk, carpets, hookahs and more.
A much more sophisticated solution
If such luxury, which directly splashes over the edges, is not to your liking, but you do not want to live in an ascetic hut, we suggest that you consider the Russian style in the interior, which appeared back in the boyar era. It developed until the end of the 19th century. This is a Russian Empire. Such a situation is characterized by solemnity, chic, brilliance, but at the same time restraint, unity, harmony is inherent in it. This style was formed on the basis of the notorious Rococo, and since then it has evolved in various states, including the Russian Empire.
How to recognize Russian Empire?
Let's start with the color scheme. Basically, they combine white or beige with pink or red-pink. The main part of the walls is light, parquet is selected for them. Bright accents are doorways, columns, textiles and small accessories.
Furniture is made of dark wood or, conversely, painted in white colors. It is noteworthy that all the legs and other forms of chairs, armchairs and sofas are curved, artsy. It is important to consider that the creation of an interior in the Russian Empire style will not do without biblical and antique motifs. You can use Greek or Roman vases, coasters, paintings that tell us about certain sacred events. Also, the considered style is characterized by the presence of sculptures and stucco. Such accessories should be pompous, but not too bright.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Russian style in the interior can be the most diverse. Some, hearing such a phrase, imagine a cozy tiny hut with a stove, while others are mentally transferred to the royal chambers, decorated with gold and stucco molding. Note that the design of a modern home in a similar spirit depends on its type. For example, in an apartment it would be best to opt for an empire.