This style got its name from one of the southern provinces of France. Using the direction of Provence in the interior implies creating an atmosphere in the premises of the house or apartment that leaves a feeling of cosiness and quiet provincial life.
Style Features
This sunny region of France is associated in all people with the beauty of lavender fields, odorous aromas of spices and herbs, the sea wind and bright light. The main features of the Provence style in the interior are the creation of a certain atmosphere in the room, recreating the ancient traditions and lifestyle of the French province of the 19th century. It is distinguished by simplicity, proximity to nature, dull “faded” colors in the design. All this helps to add the romance and charm that came from past centuries.
The main characteristics of the style:
- elegant antique furniture;
- light pastel shades in the decor;
- original, almost fabulous patterns, ruffles and embroidery;
- light curtains or curtains, pillows on sofas;
- the presence of living plants in the form of bouquets or planted in pots;
- an abundance of accessories: various trinkets, sculpture, dishes and textiles.
Color spectrum
When using the Provence style in the interior of the apartment, only light, soothing tones with the complete absence of bright colors are used. Pastel shades give the impression of as if the surface of the walls, things and decor burnt out in the sun.
The accent color is often white, which can be used in the design of the kitchen or bathroom. However, it is not snow-white cold that is chosen, but its warm shades: baked milk, egg white, vanilla.
The most popular calm tones: wheat, beige, cream, light blue, lavender, lemon, olive, aquamarine, sky, greens, dry clay, etc. It is recommended to use elements of artificial aging of furniture and things.
Wall, floor and ceiling decoration
A distinctive feature of the Provence style interior is the use of only natural materials in the design of walls and ceilings and the complete absence of wallpaper. The latter are allowed only as an exception and are selected monophonic or with a stylized pattern.
Preference is given to textured plastering or painting the surface with paint. Moreover, small irregularities, streaks or bald spots in the coating will look more original. Often used in brick or decorative stone trim, which is then painted in bright colors.
For a living room, the ideal material for the floor is an unprocessed board painted in various brown or terracotta shades. Sometimes it is allowed to use a laminate, the pattern of which imitates a wooden coating. For the kitchen, it is recommended to choose a tile of pastel colors or terracotta shades.
The ceiling is necessarily light, it is also possible to decorate it with wooden beams of dark color, hand-carved. Such a contrast is one of the features of the Provence style in the interior of the house. Moreover, beam systems can be used in the interiors of various rooms: living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.
Window and door decoration
An ideal option for decorating windows in an interior in the Provence style (photo below) would be high openings of the “French” type, starting from floor to ceiling, you can also add a crate, divide it into sections or binders. Frames are best selected from natural material, but for example, metal-plastic, which is made to match the color and pattern of the tree.
Tall windows look ideal for a private house, and in a city apartment there is the possibility of using similar motifs in the interior: buffet doors, partitions or interior doors.
Curtains or curtains are necessarily hung on the windows, the fabric for which is selected light, airy from natural linen or cotton. Very popular floral arrangements for textiles in the form of small flowers. Moreover, the floral theme is also used on furniture upholstery, curtains, sofa cushions, napkins, etc. You can hang curtains from glass beads. However, one should not get carried away with this, it is better to observe the measure - a large number of prints can become redundant.
It is recommended that the interior doors be painted white and the surface is patinated, which will give the room a country touch. Such "aged" doors on top can be painted.
Zoning and decor
Zoning of a room in the interior of a Provence-style house is done using various materials for the floor, creating partitions from shelves, forged metal gratings, and installing large decorative flowerpots with plants.
The provincial style of southern France is characterized by an abundance of decor items, especially handmade ones. To emphasize the features of Provence in the interior of an apartment will help:
- embroidered napkins and lace;
- dried and fresh flowers and their compositions;
- decorative pillows;
- paintings and baguettes, mirrors;
- pottery for the kitchen;
- forged elements (headboard, lamps), painted in black and white with delicate patterns;
- porcelain figurines on the theme of provence, caskets, etc.
Furniture
The provincial features of the Provence style are also reflected in the selection of furniture that must fulfill not only its functional purpose, but also be emphasized by decorators. In no case should you install modern sliding wardrobes. Instead, old painted chiffoniers and cupboards, chests of drawers and cabinets, armchairs and chairs with slightly worn legs, ancient chests, antique frames with photographs are ideal.
It is advisable to choose furniture from light varieties: oak, ash, walnut or chestnut. To create the effect of wear on the front sides make a special "aging". The option of using family relics that have lived for more than a dozen years in the interior will be optimal: an antique clock, grandmother's textiles and dishes, an ancient chest of drawers that have lost their former color. Another option is furniture made of twigs or rattan.
As a rule, in the middle of the living room, a massive round table is set, covered with a tablecloth with a light ornament or a strip on top. Similarly, furniture for the kitchen and other rooms in the house is selected.
Hallway decoration
When designing an interior in the style of Provence for the room, into which all people who come to the house immediately get into, all of these methods are used. To select furniture and decorative details, you can use the above photos. This will help to penetrate the philosophy and understand the characteristic features of the provincial style.
The atmosphere will help to create walls and ceiling in bright colors, stylized ceramic tiles on the floor, antique furniture. A great and necessary addition will be a large mirror in an old baguette and many frames with photographs or drawings. In upholstery fabrics it is better to use floral ornaments, as well as when decorating cabinets with doors.
The chandelier is hung only in a large hallway; when choosing it, they adhere to classical forms and additions in the form of shades of fabric, metal parts, bronze or wood. All elements of the decor should create an overall picture of harmony and comfort.
Living room
The purpose of this room is a place for a family evening or reception. Therefore, the Provence style in the interior of the living room should emphasize the comfort and home atmosphere in the house.
The center of such a room, located in a country house, can be a fireplace, which is located between large French windows. This will allow all family members to enjoy beautiful views of the garden or the surrounding landscape. It can be installed either near the wall, and in order to emphasize the emphasis on it, other furniture is arranged around. For the conditions of a city apartment, an option with a decorative fireplace is suitable.
Color solutions are selected in light shades, using them in textiles with floral patterns and upholstery of upholstered furniture. The central place is given to a sofa on which decorative pillows are placed.
Wicker rattan items can be used as chairs. For decoration, they put baskets of vines, flower arrangements, plants in clay or ceramic pots, elegant vases.
Bedroom
Provencal style in the interior of any room embodies the grace and charm of old provincial France. This is especially significant in the room for rest and sleep. Provence bedroom interior should create a feeling of comfort, peace and serenity, which are so lacking in an apartment located in the middle of a big city.
The center of the room composition is a large comfortable bed, which is desirable to supplement with a canopy of light translucent fabrics. It is made of wood, decorated with carved patterns or metal forging. The bedding is selected monophonic: white or light colors, small floral prints are acceptable on a bedspread, pillows or upholstered furniture. As can be seen from the photos presented, in the interior of Provence a large number of textile elements perfectly creates an atmosphere of home comfort.
Nearby are required 1-2 bedside tables, which are traditional for the provincial country style. Various cabinets, tables or chests of drawers are selected in an elegant form, based on thin bent legs. Antique furniture with the effect of "obsolescence" is ideal. For women they also put a dressing table.
To store things and accessories, you can put cabinets, shelves or display cases, the inner surfaces for styling are glued with wallpaper or decorated differently.
To visually increase the bedroom space, a mirror in a gilded frame is ideal, which is and is necessarily an accessory for women.
When lighting, it is recommended to install small sources of diffused light: sconces, table lamps with floral or plain fabric lampshade, candelabra, imitating antiquity.
A small bedside mat of restrained tones is used to cover the floor. For wall decor, paintings with delicate landscape motifs are used, which will create harmony with other elements of the interior.
Kitchen
Decorating the kitchen has some features. The color scheme is selected so as to provide the maximum amount of natural light, so only light colors are used. They help create a sense of calm and harmony inherent in the Provence style in the interior of the kitchen.
The walls are often made of natural stone, tiles, imitating brickwork, wooden panels. Around the sink or hob, you can lay the wall with multi-colored small mosaics or ceramic tiles.
Ceiling decoration with beams is carried out only with a sufficient height of the room, at low - plaster is used. For registration of a floor use a tile, linoleum is suitable as a budget option.
As you can see from the photos presented, the interior of the Provence kitchen will be beautifully decorated with fresh flowers on the windowsill and hanging bunches of herbs, which will help to create a rustic look. Built-in modern appliances in the kitchen should always be hidden behind the facade or decorative doors that can be closed. To associate with the provincial old life on the ceiling, you can apply the soot effect.
Kitchen furniture is selected wooden, in a rough style, made "antique". A large number of shelves and drawers are welcome. The highlight of the Provencal style can be open cupboards for dishes, in which there are old plates, pots, a samovar. To block the access of dust, glazed doors are used. French features of this style are emphasized by dried herbs and spices, without which the preparation of national dishes is impossible.
Bathroom and toilet
The Provence style in the interior of a house or apartment is not characterized by ostentatious luxury, but by simplicity, accessibility and provincial intelligence. After all, this French region is world famous for its blue sea, bright sun and colorful landscapes.
The design of the walls and furniture should be simple and harmonious: walls painted in light shades, slightly faded from washing towels, plumbing in the old style, and flowers in a vase. Everything is illuminated with bright light through a large window.
Typical tones and combinations: light yellow and pale blue, pleasant greens and lavender, which is a symbol of flowering meadows of the French province. The ceiling and floor are preferable in white, the walls are painted in pastel colors, furniture and plumbing are allowed in brighter colors.
For walls, you can use wooden panels, but they must be treated with a water-repellent and antibacterial composition, and then painted. Varnish is not recommended. They are placed vertically or horizontally.
Ceramic tile does not fit into the provincial style, but it can be used both in the bathroom and in the bathroom. When choosing it is necessary to choose the right color and texture:
- a drawing that imitates a wood coating in bright colors, the bleached tree will optimally look;
- matte light tile is plain, grouting of joints is done in the same color;
- the surface of the tile must be roughened in order to protect people and reduce the risk of injury.
An original solution for a bathroom in the Provence style in the interior of a house, private or suburban, can be the installation of a window-door through which you can go outside. In apartments, it is recommended to make a small window, divided into cells. Frames - only wooden, glass - square or rectangular, can be made at the top of the curve.
Provence in the interior of a small apartment
You can use the provincial style when creating an interior on a limited area, taking into account the summation of all its distinctive features, combining them and creating a harmonious space in a small room.
When designing a one-room apartment, it is important to feel the balance between the number of parts, because large elements can clutter up the room. It is recommended to make large monophonic planes of only light colors, which will visually expand the space. A large number of small parts will look poor and clutter up the room.
Instead of a large chandelier, it is better to make lighting spotlights located between the ceiling light beams. When choosing furniture, you should pay attention to the use of the effect of "aging" of even the most modern details, but it is imperative that there is no fresh varnish and shine.
Regardless of the amount of invested financial resources in the design and design of a room in the Provence style, an interesting and rich space can be designed in the interior of an apartment of any size. People who will live in it will be able to fully experience the flavor and mood of the southern province of France.