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Provence style

I present to your attention our attempt to understand what is provence style or Provencal style. For the analysis, information was used not from encyclopedias and hackneyed sites, but from forums from Russian-speaking people living in France. Before collecting information, our knowledge of the Provence style ended with wooden furniture light color and lavender, lavender, lavender again.

Well, let's start collecting our picture called Provence style design from puzzles. The puzzles will be decorative elements, wall painting, floor tiles, curtains, furniture. We will especially dwell on the theme of Provence-style cuisine.

Provence style colors

Colors that are typical for interior in Provence style, it is, first of all, fresh and bright colors creating a cheerful mood. There are only two main colors - this is the color of saffron, that is, the orange-yellow and blue color of lavender, which, according to stories, grows in abundance in Provence.

Important in Provence style ( provence style)combination neutral colors like gray, white, beige, mustard, rust color with bright Provencal colors like yellow, orange, olive, lavender, cobalt blue, red.

Provence furniture

Provence style home furniture mostly wooden tinted, possibly with patina, garden furniture - iron, forged. latest trend Provence style is what garden furniture moves inside the house.

Typical furniture is a sofa, as if consisting of two or three chairs with wicker armrests and seats.

The color of Provence furniture can be pastel with additional color trim, the furniture itself is modest, but painted in the form of flowers and fruits. Sprigs of lavender, spikelets, sunflowers, branches of an olive tree are often drawn on the facades of furniture.

To give Provence style furniture, it is necessary to nail the slats on smooth facades without relief, paint the furniture with light paint, and all the protruding parts of the doors with paint darker than the main background.

To store linen in the houses of the French countryside, they use large wardrobes with glazed doors inside which the curtain can be drawn. A strip of lace is attached to the edge of the shelf, and, of course, bags of lavender are placed, which repels moths with its smell.

Provence style fabrics

Provence style fabric with characteristic patterns of olive tree branches, bouquets and bunches of lavender, lavender baskets, and do not forget about poppies. On the beds and sofas, even on the tables covered with buti.

Provencal fabrics are durable, do not fade, almost do not wrinkle, rich colors. Use these fabrics for sewing napkins, pillows, curtains. Two layers of cotton, batting between them, are stitched with a peculiar pattern by hand or on a typewriter - this sewing technique is called Pique de Marseille or Marseille stitch.

How can you determine that the fabric is in the Provence style: the symbols of Provence are made on it in the form of spikelets, olives, lavender, sunflowers, fabric, as with geometric pattern, and floral, colors both pastel and bright.

Bedspreads booty

You can’t do without booty in creating Provence in the interior. Provencal booties are quilted bedspreads.

Buti embroidery consisted in quilting individual elements of the ornament, stuffing them with special threads. As a result, the ornament acquired relief. Tablecloths, bedspreads, napkins made using the buti technique are durable, do not require ironing, are not easily soiled, and keep their shape well.

Walls in the interior in Provence style

Walls in the interior of a house in a Provence village always white, that is, whitewashed or colored, there is a lot of colored clay in Provence. Walls can be lavender, yellow, terracotta color and no wallpaper or wooden walls. The painting of the walls is uneven, stained, as if painted by an inexperienced person.

Curtains in the interior in Provence style

Fabrics for curtains in Provence style are natural - linen, cotton and organdy (very thin cotton). Curtains in the kitchen, above all simple. For example, it can be lace curtains up to the middle of the Bistro style window. Such curtains are also called short curtains, because they are hung on a cornice or string, which can be at any window height, more often in the middle. Often top part the window remains open, but sometimes it is decorated with a lambrequin (upper part), which is made of the same fabric.

Provence style ceiling

There are wooden beams on the ceiling, which are either painted, or whitewashed, or even left in their natural color.

Provence style floor

The floor is usually tiled with burnt red clay. Tile square or rectangular shape, less often hexagonal. Tiles are small.

Wicker baskets in the kitchen for vegetables and fruits, for storing linen in cabinets. The earthenware is brown and unglazed.

An important detail is the lamps on high legs. Such lamps are installed in the living room, and in the hallway, and in the corridor on the console, dressers.

Interior design in the Provencal style is the spirit of simplicity and comfort. Mediterranean Sea, France, Provence… These words are inextricably linked to the current Provencal style. The French provincial style "Provence" in translation means "province".

Provence is a region in the south of France that is famous for its magnificent landscapes, cuisine using fragrant spices, unusually blue sea and bright sun. It is on these components that the Provencal style of the interior is based. His, as if faded in the sun, colors interspersed bright colors create comfort and cheer up. So, what is inherent in the Provencal style?

Distinctive features of the Provence style interior:

• Pastel colors
• Very light, weightless curtains
• Graceful, light, often white furniture
• Light floors
• Lots of fresh flowers
• floral patterns
• Ruffles, cutwork, sewing
• Lots of trinkets made of porcelain, ceramics, fabrics

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Walls and floors
The walls in Provencal houses are most often covered with paint, paper wallpapers are used much less often. It is important that the living space is adequately lit with light, natural lighting is important element each room in Provence style. A house in Provence is always filled with bright sunlight, which causes the rough whitewashing of its walls and, at first glance, the old paints that have faded.

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Provence style furniture
Furniture in the Provencal interior is not only functional, but also decorative role. Necessarily old or aged, necessarily painted, the furniture should look like it has faithfully served more than one generation. These are chairs with carved but peeling legs, chests of drawers of milky shades and cupboards for dishes. For furniture in the Provencal style, the fronts of light colors from natural oak, chestnut, walnut.
Painted fronts should look slightly worn. For reliability, the surfaces of the tree are artificially aged, imitating scuffs and chips, traces of wormholes. Old and antique things that are tens to hundreds of years old are highly valued. Old chest of drawers with an almost completely peeling finish, inherited, always put in the most honorable place in the house. And furniture with scuffs and a touch of antiquity is almost a family heirloom.

Provence style color palette
The tonality of colors is quite saturated, but it should not be bright, on the contrary, discreet muted shades should be preferred. Traditionally used are faded, pastel colors: white, milky, beige, olive green, lavender, sea ​​waves, ocher, sunflower, terracotta. Such an interior is characterized by a combination of pastel blue and pale yellow colors, symbolizing flowering meadows Provence. Marine chords must be reflected in the Provencal interior. The use of all shades and tones is welcome of blue color, various trinkets in the form of shells, sea birds, fishing nets. The most intense marine theme should be presented in the bathrooms.


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Provence style accents
Be sure to decorate the premises of the house with all sorts of herbs and flowers, as well as their images in the figures. Provencals have a special attitude towards such flowers as roses, alfalfa, lavender, one can even say that they are in awe of them. Many streets and squares in the cities of the province are named after flowers and herbs.
Almost no ceramic or textile product is complete without a floral pattern. In addition, the constant presence of fresh flowers and indoor plants in the room is very important.
Actively used for interior decoration textile with natural and animal ornaments and embroidery. Many are used in interior decor. forged items, which are often performed in white or black colors. Forging should not be massive, but artsy, refined, almost weightless.
Forged can be a headboard, clothes hangers, flower pots and photo frames. The room will acquire a special flavor thanks to forged lamps. highlight kitchen interior become earthenware.
Textile:

Forged elements:
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Floral patterns:

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There is an opinion that the Provencal style is created over the years and generations, its details and features accumulate over time. However, this is not a reason not to try to create something similar in a single apartment. After all, it is not limited to the interior. This is a lifestyle.

The province of the same name is known for its fragrant lavender fields, fragrant spices, delicious cheeses, cozy houses, as well as the charm of the sea and sunlight. These components have become an integral part of modern Provence design.

Delicate, as if slightly sun-bleached colors create home warmth and comfort. The interior of a house in the Provence style does not include pretentious and defiant elements. The atmosphere exudes calmness and tranquility.

Despite the fact that the atmosphere is discreet and is not associated with luxury, a person feels homely warmth and naturalness in it. Rough plaster, slightly shabby furniture, lavender shades, textiles - this is Provence.

Despite the authenticity, the style looks impressive not only in France, but also in other countries. Moreover, it can be created not only in country houses but also in ordinary apartments.

The history of the Provence style

As an independent style, Provence in the interior began its development in the 19th century in France. At that time, many people sought to move away from the atmosphere of noisy cities and factories. They strove for comfort and a calm rhythm of life, expressing this in the atmosphere of the home.

Some experts argue that the Provence style in the interior appeared much earlier - back in the 18th century, when the middle class began to form. Doctors, lawyers, large merchants began to equip their homes with hints of the charm of the province against the backdrop of the fading baroque. This period coincided with the Great French Revolution, which left its mark on all spheres of life of the French, and preferences in the interior are no exception.

In the 18th century, Provence in the interior of the house was more popular in country buildings. In urban apartments, people created a more restrained and classic environment.
The style owes its name to the region of the same name, located in the southeastern part of France. It's from there french provence in the interior began to spread around the world.

Main features

We list the main features of modern Provence in the interior:

• Light colors predominate. The main colors of Provence in the interior are lavender, white, light yellow, turquoise, light blue, cream, beige, light brown. All colors are muted, without pronounced contrasts.
• Bright rooms with large wooden windows, most often with white frames.
• An important element of Provence interior design is a fireplace. It is best to overlay it with a stone, and put decor on top - forged candlesticks, porcelain, photographs in an aged baguette.
• Antique, slightly shabby furniture without rich decor and massive elements. Furniture is made from wood, which is artificially aged. Upholstery is most often made of fabrics with a small colorful pattern.
• Interior design in the Provence style provides for an abundance of textiles - light curtains, tablecloths, ruffled bedspreads, carpets mostly self made. Only natural fabrics are used - wool, cotton, linen.
• Minimalism is unusual for the style, so in order not to overload the atmosphere with colorful prints and decor, the rest of the things are hidden in cabinets or chests of drawers with spacious drawers.
• Forging elements - frames of mirrors, clocks, railings of stairs.
• Domokatny paths of characteristic color scale.
• Used as decoration flower arrangements, porcelain, forged candlesticks. Provence interior items do not differ in rich colors and modern design.
• Patterns are predominantly vegetable - fragrant flowers, shrubs, low trees, flying dragonflies.
• Provence in the interior of the apartment provides a lot of light. To achieve this effect will help big windows, central chandeliers with many lamps, floor lamps with lampshades in light colors, forged lamps.
• The dishes are used in a simple form and most often with a floral print.

Provence and country - what's the difference?

Country style, like Provence, symbolizes measured village life and the charm of nature. But unlike French roots Provence, country is characterized by transformation, depending on the region.

For example, there are English, Russian, American style country. Features of the direction in each region depend on the climate and cultural subtleties.

The country atmosphere is restrained, with elements of minimalism. She may even be characterized by coldness, especially in northern regions. While the design of a room in the Provence style provides for warmth, due to the origin of the style in a warm climate. Also, country does not always provide large windows that provide good lighting.

Is the Provence style popular today and who will it suit?

Beautiful interiors of Provence-style houses do not lose their popularity already. for a long time. This trend is due to the fact that people are tired of the urban environment and they want to immerse themselves in comfort and peace.

Images of flowers and other vegetation of delicate colors have a calming effect and evoke positive emotions. And the color scheme itself does not overload the eye.

The Provence style in the interior of an apartment does not bother most people for a long time, so they may not change their style for years; and if there is a desire to make changes, you can always change the accents in the setting.

Provence style design is suitable, first of all, for people with a calm type of temperament. It can also have a calming effect on choleric people, restraining their temper. Direction to your liking creative people- writers and painters. Many world-famous artists love Provence for its magnificent play of colors and light, for its naturalness and picturesqueness.

Finish options

• Walls

For walls, stucco with a rough texture is most often used. Sometimes designers intentionally leave a gap in the brickwork, thus creating the effect of antiquity.

Also used wallpaper with a floral pattern, brickwork especially in the fireplace area. Another type of decoration is wall cladding with boards painted in the colors of Provence. For rooms with high humidity, tiles without a glossy sheen or natural stone are used.

Provence style house design includes floors made of wooden boards, stone or large fragments ceramic tiles. Sometimes boards with minimal processing are used for the floor.

The main colors of the floor are beige, cream, light brown. Parquet, carpet and linoleum are not used.

• Ceiling

Ceilings are painted or plastered. Surface colors are only light. You can give them a zest by adding them wooden beams light brown or beige colour. Too much dark tones beams are not used.

We equip a house in the style of Provence

Consider the options for arranging the interior of rooms in the Provence style.

Living room

Since the living room business card at home, it is important to let the style unfold in it as much as possible.

• To realize the Provence living room design, choose a spacious and bright room with large windows.
• The walls can be made in pastel or white with plaster. Be sure to make a textured surface. Such a solution for the Provence living room interior provides for the presence of paintings with flowers and other floral decor on the walls.
• The design of the living room in the style of Provence is emphasized by wallpaper with a colorful print.
  If you think an all-over floral print will overwhelm the setting, opt for a wallpaper with vertical stripes that has a subtle botanical décor winding through it.
• Light up the floor wooden board and paint the ceiling White color and complement it with wooden beams.
• Hang light curtains made of cotton or linen on the windows. Their main color should be combined with the color of upholstered furniture and walls, but not merge.
• Equip the sofa area - put a sofa with a medium-height back and a few easy chairs.
  Choose upholstery with subtle, subtle floral prints.
• Put on upholstered furniture decorative pillows with larger flowers.
• Set it low wooden table white color, on which a vase of flowers will stand, for example, with lavender or a bouquet of wild flowers.
• Lay a walkway on the floor.

A fireplace will complement the interior of the living room in Provence style, which will warm during the cold season. Make trim around it natural stone. The wall to which it adjoins can also be completely finished with stone.

Bedroom

Provence style in modern interior already in itself disposes to rest. Therefore, it is the best way to fill the bedroom with an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility.

• For wall decoration, it is best to choose beige or cream colors with a beautiful floral pattern. To do this, choose the appropriate wallpaper.
• Provence bedroom interior walls can be made by choosing white as the base color.

But if you can't fall asleep for a long time, choose warm shades, since the white color will not promote sleep.

• Finish the floor with a light brown wooden board. The Provence-style bedroom design will be complemented by a walkway or a wool rug.
• The headboard and footboard of the double bed can be made of white forging.

Place a lavender-colored bedspread on the bed, which will be associated with fragrant lavender fields; it can be quilted and ruffled. This decision will be the highlight of the Provence bedroom design. Put a light-colored easy chair, put decorative pillows with flowers on it.

• Place white wooden bedside tables on the sides of the bed, on which you can put lamps with lavender shades.

Hang curtains in a delicate lavender color combined with white tulle. Try to use textiles as much as possible.

• Place the clothes in a light-colored wooden wardrobe (white, cream) or in a dressing room with a white, wooden door.

The interior of the Provence-style bedroom will be effectively complemented by picturesque paintings with landscapes of the Provence region or with fragrant flowers. Frame your paintings in artificially aged frames. The same frames are suitable for mirrors in the bedroom.

Kitchen

For the French from small towns, eating is a special ritual. Dinner can last up to four hours. They enjoy leisurely feasting on wine, cheeses and light snacks in a Provençal setting. The Provence-style kitchen interior in an apartment or house should arouse appetite and evoke positive emotions.

• For walls, you can choose a combination of delicate lavender and turquoise color with hints of light yellow.
• Finish the stove and sink area with white tiles with a floral pattern.
• The floor can also be finished with tiles or stone.
• Make the ceiling white.
• Provence in the interior of the kitchen will emphasize wooden dinner table white with dainty legs.
• Put around it wooden chairs with soft upholstery in floral print.
• Modern household appliances disguise behind the doors of wooden kitchen cabinets.

Complement the interior of the Provence style kitchen with paintings of lavender fields or still lifes consisting of elements french cuisine. Also, the design of the Provence-style kitchen is emphasized by vases with bouquets of wild flowers.

Many people, not even related to design, have at least once heard of the Provence style in the interior. But not everyone is able to distinguish it from the classics, choose suitable furniture and even more so to decorate the room. Meanwhile, it is filled with incredible romance and charm of the French villages, which can bring life to even the most gloomy apartments. And our tips will help you with this!

Style Features

The style came to us from France, that part of it that is known to people who have ever traveled outside the capital. One has only to look at the endless lavender fields, refreshing azure shores, endless blue sky - and it immediately becomes clear what inspired these light pastel colors, unobtrusive patterns, smooth lines, as well as love for everything natural in Provencal interiors.

confusion with classic style among ignorant people it is not accidental - Provence really has similar features. You should not think that the rural origin makes the direction provincial. The simplicity of Provence gives it a feeling of comfort, and its complexity lies in luxury and sophistication.

The style loves space and freedom, so for small spaces it is better to choose a different solution or to enter only a few elements, simplifying the design. It is desirable that all the premises of an apartment or house be decorated in a single theme, creating a holistic composition.

So, when planning a design, you should rely on a light, pastel range, in which white is present. It can be a bouquet of pink, light green, lavender, blue shades, "seasoned" with a variety of patterns or textures of natural materials. The latter are an indispensable companion of Provence, which, having originated in the bewitching French nature, does not tolerate artificial options.

Furniture filling has a classic sophistication and beauty, often painted white. According to the style rules, the space should be filled mainly with antiques bought at auctions, but few can afford such a luxury. To avoid unnecessary spending necessary furniture in the Provence style can also be purchased at the flea market or ordered from the master, using the effect of artificial aging.

For creating cozy atmosphere the interior should be as more details- that's why big square is important requirement. Drawings, figurines, forged items, soft tissues and, of course, plants perfect combination for Provence. The completion of this composition will be a large abundance of natural light.

Finishes and materials

But before filling the room with objects, it is necessary to create the right “frame” for them. Provence, although a simple style, puts forward clear rules for each part of the space.

Floor

The floor covering for the interior in the Provence style should be plank, wooden, with paint applied on top. Ideally, if it contains small, but safe for movement, irregularities or defects that have arisen from the effects of time.

If the authentic option does not suit you for a number of reasons, choose a more budget-friendly wood-look laminate. It does not look so spectacular, but to divert attention, the floor can be covered with a carpet.

Walls

Interior partitions can also afford not to be perfect - bumps, scuffs and bare brickwork are held in high esteem, but only if it looks neat. A layer of light, often white, paint is applied to such a coating.

The best materials for wall decoration are gypsum, plaster or molding. Wallpaper is also characteristic of Provence, but only if they are decorated with floral patterns.

Ceiling

brought to the fore ceiling beams you can not hide - they will become the highlight of the Provencal interior. But if your home does not have such elements, ideal option remains a smooth white coating with decoration in the form of an elegant chandelier.

Provence style furniture

Provencal furniture bears the imprint of history, singing the beauty of classical antiquity. It is predominantly wooden, less often - wicker furniture, which is not rarely decorated with forging elements. Items are painted white or pastel shades, through the paint of which a colorful, worn texture appears. Drawings or upholstery with floral patterns act as decor.

The furniture set is not limited to standard items necessary for life. You can't do without low chests of drawers, sideboards or elegant sideboards. In general, mundane objects on legs, which seem to be bent from gravity, are typical for the Provence-style interior, and are also used not only in the living room, but also in other rooms. small sofas and stools throughout the house seem to remind you of the importance of relaxation, measured contemplation of the surrounding beauty.

Forged openwork details traditionally decorate the bed, but can also be used for stairs or smaller items, such as lamps. Only they should not create a feeling of pomposity, but on the contrary - French playfulness.

Textile and decor

The most interesting part of the design that will "breathe" life into Provencal interior are decorative details. And although they are limited by the rules standard for style, the variability of application fascinates even experienced designers.

Firstly, the curtains are light, airy, not preventing the penetration of natural light. Depending on the room and the size of the windows, you can purchase classic, Austrian or cafe curtains. In this matter important role material plays - cotton, linen, always something natural.

The fabric can be plain, in a "flower" or "cell", but this choice should harmonize the interior. Approximately the same criteria apply to bed linen.

Art lovers can fill the room with their collections of impressionistic or realistic paintings - they will look appropriate here. Graceful gilded frames stand out brightly in pastel Provence.

Classic fragile chandeliers and candelabra will help create a romantic atmosphere. And don't forget the wooden framed mirrors.

Numerous shelves, tables and tables can be decorated with cute trinkets: painted vases, caskets, fruit bowls, photographs, all kinds of figurines or napkins. The main thing is to be able to stop in time without overloading the composition.

Provence in the interior - photo

And although listed rules universal, Provence-style interior design will be slightly different depending on the type of room. But a few tips and photos are sure to give you a good idea!

Provence style kitchen design

The Provence-style kitchen is spacious, bright, often combined with a dining room. Cooking area separates from dining area countertop or island bar counter. Designers face a difficult task, because it is necessary to harmoniously fit household appliances into the classic, rustic interior so that it doesn't look out of place. To do this, modern items are often hidden in lockers or disguised as antique ones.

Choosing dishes and others kitchen utensils, do not forget that they, exposed in plain sight, are part of the decor. Painted plates, wooden spatulas or herb jars will look very cozy. It is better to hang “cafe” curtains on small windows.

Provence style living room design

The traditional living room includes a sofa, several armchairs, a table, a wall and, if space permits, ottomans or bedside tables. Such furniture suggests that in addition to watching TV, you will spend time reading books, and maybe knitting.

Speaking of the TV, it is unlikely to be hidden, but you can choose a minimalistic model that will not attract undue attention.

It would be appropriate to look at a small rug with a burlap effect, floor lamps, as well as pots with plants.

Provence style bedroom design

The bedroom, as a resting place, can be furnished with fewer items. Authentic for Provence looks like a bed with a wrought-iron headboard, painted white and covered with snow-white sheets. For a change, textiles can be with a floral pattern or lace inserts.

A grounded chest of drawers opposite the bed will fit perfectly into large bedroom. Girls can please themselves with a dressing table - as in the houses of noble ladies. Air classic curtains complete the overall composition.

Provence style bathroom design

The canonical Provence style bathroom is a work of art. And if in other rooms it is still possible to somehow deal with a small area, then here without free space just not enough.

The presence of a window - although inconvenient for apartment owners, but very important detail. It allows you to get closer to nature, creating the most natural atmosphere for hygiene procedures. For the same reason, they use natural materials despite the high humidity in the room.

Ceramic tiles should be matte. It can be finished, for example, only the lower section of the walls. The rest - decorative plaster or painted brickwork.

A traditional clawfoot tub is considered a must-have. But it is better to forget about the shower stall. Otherwise, the filling of the room can meet the needs of the owners.