Houses in the Provence style are gaining more and more popularity, and many people prefer this direction. Provence combines simplicity and chic. The architects offer buildings typical of the southern provinces and stylization with a modern reinterpretation. Features of related stylistics are mixed into these developments, which only makes the buildings better. Knowing the features of the genre, you can decorate a house in a country style or a cottage in the spirit of Provence with your own hands.
What is Provence? This direction belongs to the southern styles. When mentioned, associations arise associated with lavender fields and olive groves, with the romance of bygone centuries and modern tourism. Having visited these places, you want to bring home a piece of southern France along with your garden plot, its floral aromas and the smell of herbs.
The external simplicity of the French provincial house is emphasized by the low foundation. There is a certain proportionality, but symmetry is not always observed. The modern version of a country house with a fireplace involves extensions and a large attic or attic. Windows can be decorated with carved wooden shutters, which are never closed, but exist only as a decorative element.
Among the mass of offers construction companies potential customers often choose a house in the Provence style. Photos of facades typical of this provincial style can be found on the Internet, which makes choosing a project easier. Special atmosphere create adjacent terraces and paved paths.
Probably, somewhere deep down in everyone’s soul, a craving for rustic simplicity awakens. At the same time, I want something more sophisticated and refined. This is the typical style of Provençal buildings, organically combining almost incompatible characteristics.
French country in modern construction
Arranging a small dacha or country house in this style requires compliance with certain rules regarding exterior decoration and interior:
- a combination of plenty of natural light and soft artificial lighting;
- the use of natural materials: wood, clay, whitewash, ceramic tiles and tiles;
- the use of typical country textiles (checkered and floral colors, curtains, capes and curtains with ruffles and frills, bows and ties);
- an abundance of decor typical of the south of France (many fresh flowers, handmade baskets, embroidery, typical pictures of Provence depicting village scenes, ancient houses, figurines of a Gallic rooster);
- the predominance of a calm palette of natural shades;
- using high-quality furniture with a touch of antiquity;
- use of massive doors, window frames made of natural wood, ceiling beams.
Stylistic elements will add a special aura, recreating the atmosphere of southern France in central Russia. Although raw stone is not as widely used in French-style homes, it has become a hallmark of today's best designs.
Helpful advice! To have an exact copy of a provincial estate on the Mediterranean coast, you will have to turn to specialists in architecture, interior design and landscape design who develop house designs in the Provence style.
The French style has several varieties, each province has its own characteristic differences. It can be argued that the Provence style in our minds combines the best features of country. In any stylistic direction, “variations on a free theme” are acceptable, but a dacha in the Provence style is always recognizable. It differs in the size of the window openings, the decoration of the facade, and the shape of the tiled roof.
The yard of a house in the Provence style should look natural, with a “neglected” effect
Facade of a house in Provence style: arrangement of a courtyard
In the south of France, houses were built from natural stone, garden paths. Pretentious flower beds and rock gardens are not typical for this direction. Rather, the courtyard should resemble a slightly abandoned area with lavender and meadow grasses, overgrown islands and bushes.
An important attribute is a veranda, terrace or small balcony. Everything is buried in fragrant flowers. It seems that the garden with a flower bed begins behind the front door. The vines form a shady gallery along the alley that goes deep into the garden. Photos of Provence style in the interior of a wooden house allow you to appreciate its beauty and grace.
Cladding the facades of the house under tiled roof optional, partially exposed stone or brickwork is appropriate here. Whitewashing or painting of wall fragments is possible. Everything should look neat, a little rustic and rustic. No plastic or high-tech materials – only natural wood:
- pine;
- nut;
- alder;
- ash;
A characteristic feature is a low stone foundation, which does not require mandatory decoration. The cladding is made of wood, including doors, verandas and partial wall cladding. Panoramic windows- a tribute to modern architectural research, this is not the heritage of Provence-style houses (the photos allow you to see this).
Some buildings are distinguished by large windows with almost floor-length sills. Often there are balconies on the 2nd floor - a lot of light is preferred. They are covered with thick curtains only on the south side. Once upon a time, colorful curtains with garters and ruffles were in fashion; today they can be replaced with blinds or an almost transparent tulle curtain.
Helpful advice! Instead of curtains, it is better to use embroidered curtains or sliding curtains that organically fit into the country style.
The outbuildings are traditionally located in the courtyard, summer cuisine or an outbuilding, a garage and a covered gallery covered with grapes or climbing plants.
Wooden house in Provence style: design of a personal plot
There is a noticeable revival trend wooden buildings, stylized as country. It does not have to be a spacious Russian hut with an improved layout, reminiscent of a studio apartment without partitions. Today (judging by the photos of wooden houses in the Provence style) buildings are often built in the French style - these are luxurious chateaus or mountain chalets with high stone foundations and wooden attic. Such projects are characterized by a developed surrounding area.
Even if it is without a stone fence, but with quite symbol borders of the site, aesthetics still comes to the fore. Once upon a time in the provinces, aristocrats who fled from Paris from the Inquisition aspired to this, and they raised the bar of beauty in the pastoral outback.
Porch country house in the Provence style, if there is no veranda, it is often done without steps - a door with a high threshold and a canopy over the entrance. The passage to another part of the palisade is behind a stone or wooden fence, hung with large flowerpots with flowers. Sometimes family attributes are laid out above the stone crossbar - a coat of arms or a monogram with initials.
Helpful advice! When planning to buy a house decorated in this style, it is better to stock up in advance on suitable flower pots, stands for flower pots, and large tubs for large plants.
Usually on the sides of a massive door there are large flowerpots made of natural materials with large-flowered plants. They are often replaced with dwarf thuja with screw pruning. General impression It is created in such a way that each courtyard is furnished by an experienced gardener. This is probably why every photo of village houses with French charm evokes a feeling of genuine admiration.
Provençal houses in landscape design and against a backdrop of wilderness
Buildings in the spirit of Provence fit well into the picturesque landscape of central Russia. The commonality of country style in different geographical parts of the planet is reflected. The building somewhat resembles a ranch, a hunting lodge, Finnish buildings with a sauna and japanese houses with a traditional rock garden.
The future owner of a plot purchased for the construction of a beautiful country house should not worry about how it will fit in French charm to the Russian outback. The only thing that experts recommend is to abandon all pomp and pretentious elements. Although wealthy customers often want a spacious cottage, more reminiscent of a European villa, but decorated in the spirit of southern France.
Important! Much in the culture of landscape design is borrowed from the traditions of Provence. The courtyard among the endless lavender fields looks both well-groomed and slightly abandoned.
One feels some kind of freedom in all this variety of trimmed bushes, spherical thuja and wild lavender bushes and herbs.
Related article:
Features of architecture. How to design the façade of a building and interior interior. How to choose textiles, lighting and furniture.
The general harmony will not be disturbed:
- hedges;
- fruit trees;
- berry bushes;
- ridges located along garden alleys;
- ivy and wild grapes near the walls of the house;
- climbing roses and other plants;
- group plantings of dahlias and chrysanthemums along a stone fence.
Helpful advice! It is better to entrust landscape design to a professional who specializes in this style direction.
Provence is a very unique style, unlike others. Versailles and Peterhof, where French developments of those times were used, were built differently. Chateaus and chalets look different - modern varieties of private houses practiced around the world as a European model.
Interior in Provence style in a private house: interior design
The peculiarity of a Provencal house is a low foundation and the absence of a basement level. Often there is no porch or veranda, so a stone path from the garden leads directly to the front door. These buildings are solid and solid, and there is always some kind of aura of tenderness and romance in the room.
Using photos of the interiors of country houses, it is easy to design interior spaces in Provence style and bring them into line with the external design. The inside of the houses is much more interesting, every room is separate sample thoughtful interior with retro elements. The person entering sees that there are no valuable things or objects, but there is a feeling that everything here is dear to the owner’s heart. One feels that a lot has been inherited, as is clearly shown in the photos of the interiors of houses in the Provence style that are available on the Internet.
Brick, wood and stone are the basis not only for construction. These materials predominate in interior decoration, although options such as plaster, whitewash and ceramic tiles can be used.
Assumes the presence of natural materials in the decoration of walls, floors and ceilings
Important! In a modern interpretation of country style, light plaster is used as decoration. It may expose part of the brickwork or stone wall, but this is not typical for traditional interiors of Provence-style houses.
In houses made in Provence style, everything is done with some kind of reverent love for its rustic roots. Vintage and antique items are held in special esteem.
Characteristic features of ancient Provencal houses
In the southern provinces, houses are most often built with 2-3 floors, where the top one will be either traditional or attic. Instead of windows on the second floor, you can often see small balconies filled with flowers, compensating for the modest exterior decoration of the house. Architectural elements are often present on the top floor:
- columns and semi-columns;
- balustrades;
- balusters with carvings.
The windows on the lower and upper floors may differ in format - some are taller and narrower, while others are wider, approaching panoramic openings. The bedrooms are usually located at the top. The lower windows are usually open; on hot afternoons they are closed with horizontal blinds.
Regardless of whether it is a modest design or a very beautiful interior of a house in the Provence style, minimalism is welcomed in the decoration. The ceilings of the upper floor are often combined with the attic - there is simply none. Instead, there are spacious rooms or some kind of attic. In rural French homes, the ceilings are exposed, but it is the raw wood that has its charm.
Helpful advice! To give more naturalness to a country house made in the spirit of Provence, ceiling beams are used as decoration, especially if it is a kitchen or dining room. Often hanging from them are bundles of onions and garlic, bunches of lavender and herbs.
In these buildings, doors mounted on wrought iron hinges are always made of solid wood. When finishing wood they are used different types processing: sanding, painting and varnishing. Wood is also used as partitions, for example, separating the kitchen from the living room or dining room.
The overall atmosphere of comfort in the design of a house in the Provence style is created by slightly rough furniture that imitates handmade products. In the villages, every owner of the house owned a tool and tried to do a lot with his own hands.
Cladding materials in the interior of a country house in Provence style
When decorating European buildings in country style, natural wood of different shades is used to make the following elements:
- floorboards;
- ceiling beams;
- wall panels;
- window frames;
- door frames.
Wood carving and wicker weaving are traditional crafts. Often the interior is decorated with a dining room set, where the high backs of the chairs are decorated with wickerwork or carvings. Good-quality half-chairs with armrests are repainted many times, then covers or capes with ties and ruffles are sewn on them, which is also typical for a Provence-style interior in a wooden house.
In modern buildings, synthetic analogues are used, since natural materials are more expensive. Today the easiest way to purchase in hypermarkets and catalogs is:
- flexible stone;
- wood (veneered) wallpaper;
- porcelain stoneware;
- wild stone;
- polymer marble;
- cast granite;
- decorative plaster simulating natural materials.
Helpful advice! Using budget analogues of natural raw materials, it is easy to save money when undertaking transformations in your homes in the Provence style. Photos of design options will help you decide on the choice of suitable materials.
Along with wood, clay is actively used in the form of natural plaster, ceramic or mosaic tiles and tiles. Although today roofs are covered with metal tiles, which are noticeably different from their natural counterpart, most likely, tiles will soon fall out of use. In Europe, it is used mainly to emphasize a certain antique charm or to recreate the country style in architecture.
Color scheme for the interior of a wooden house in Provence style
Buildings in the European outback are a kind of hymn to nature in all its manifestations. These are soft shapes and natural materials, pastel shades and floral patterns. In the past, rural houses were whitewashed using chalk and lime. In the 20th century, they began to mix blue into it, hence the bluish color of the walls. Later, whitewash began to be replaced:
- water emulsion;
- interior varnishes and paints;
- enamels adapted to different surfaces.
Provencal interior does not accept painting walls in bright or dark shades. Even if such colors are typical for a given area, they are diluted with pastel, delicate tones. Light background is preferred:
- white;
- milky (creamy);
- nude (flesh);
- light beige;
- sand;
- color Ivory;
- light pink;
- light lilac;
- pearl grey.
To replace black in patterns, ornaments and linear contrasts, the following colors are recommended:
- blue;
- burgundy;
- eggplant;
- blackberry;
- dark green.
The Provence style comes from the provinces, so design with a “rustic” touch is the norm
Looking through photos beautiful houses inside, it is easy to notice that medium-saturated color shades are used as an accent:
- aquamarine;
- lavender;
- pistachio;
- mustard;
- pumpkin;
- orange;
- purple;
- terracotta;
- ocher;
- yellow;
- thick blue;
- muted red.
Finishing materials are no different bright colors, diversity of textures and patterns. As for textiles and decor, imagination is given free rein here. Checkered tablecloths and floral curtains, typical of this style, set the mood. Small floral designs and large patterns migrated to wallpaper, tiles, homespun rugs and furniture textiles. All the tones of the provincial landscape are reflected in the Provence style. The interior of a country house (the photos allow you to clearly see this) contains light elegant lines, light shades and a typical cozy village house decor.
Selection of furniture for individual rooms in Provencal houses
An all-season kaleidoscope of flowers in transparent flowerpots and decanters, small porcelain vases and ceramic pots is common feature, characteristic of all rooms, including the hallway, staircases and bathrooms. When there are no more flowers in the garden, they are replaced by dry compositions with spikelets, indoor plants and floral designs in the decor.
The spacious hall (or hallway) is filled with light. The hall can smoothly transition into a dining room combined with a kitchen, so the floors are most often made of the same material - high-quality moisture-resistant laminate (wooden boards in a modern interpretation), and the walls are painted plaster.
An abundance of light and flowers everywhere - these are the main features of the Provençal style. Windows, as a rule, have some kind of curtains; in summer, blinds are used. As for furniture, the obligatory attributes are a large hanger with a shoe rack, forged or wooden upholstered furniture.
Helpful advice! Don't bother yourself with choosing the right furniture. Any headset in provencal style You can choose from specialized catalogs.
The favorite room of designers who design interiors in the Provence style is the living room. In the south of France, it most often also serves as a dining room. All the efforts of decorators and owners are aimed at its arrangement. Particular chic and simplicity of furnishings are the hallmark of the interior atmosphere. In a modern interpretation, kitchen shelving and display-type sideboards, stylized as antique buffets, are appropriate. Small armchairs and sofas, upholstered in simple textiles, complement the decor of the room.
Arrangement and decoration of secondary premises
Provence style bedroom sets are always the most popular in catalogues. There is some kind of stylistic symbiosis in them - romanticism and retro, country and. By choosing a bed, bedside tables and a wardrobe, you get a practical environment. All that remains is to sew a small canopy over the head of the bed, typical of the European countryside, patchwork quilt"patchwork" and curtains with ruffles. Everything is designed as shown in the beautiful photos country houses.
The children's room should have good quality furniture, a bed with wooden headboards that artificially create the effect of antiquity - with cracks and scuffs. Suitable for two children bunk beds or a whole complex with a storage system and a work area with shelves. Upholstered furniture is selected in accordance with the age characteristics and personal needs of the child; it is changed every 3-4 years as they grow older.
Helpful advice! Children's personal space should not be cluttered with furniture. Better leave enough free space for movement and games.
Much attention is paid to the arrangement of the bathroom; in the European provinces it is always spacious. A wooden bathtub (if you can purchase it) is a special chic style. It was in a wide hollowed-out bath that people bathed a couple of centuries ago in Europe. Modern colored sanitary ware, for example, olive or lavender tones, will harmoniously fit into the decor if you choose the appropriate decor and accessories.
Provencal style can be displayed in many ways in the design of the kitchen and dining room. Any catalog contains kitchen sets that correspond to this style, characterized by simplicity of execution, natural materials and natural colors. An exquisite table set will be organically complemented by a handmade tablecloth crocheted using the fillet technique, or napkins with hand-made embroidery. Ceramic dishes, earthenware cups, porcelain vases with fresh flowers, wooden utensils - all this diversity fits perfectly into the interior of a house in the Provence style.
Currently, the Provence style is very popular. A warm interior, saturated with light colors, has a calming effect on a person, helps to relax, unwind after a working day, creates a special, light atmosphere, fills the room with comfort and tranquility.
Wanting to create a cozy, but stylish and sophisticated home, some owners decide to decorate a country house in the Provence style. And this choice is one of the best options, since this direction of French country combines all the necessary aspects.
You can decorate an already built house to match the Provence style or initially lay the foundation according to the type of houses in the outback in the south of France. The main thing is to maintain the right combination of color, light and texture, as well as pay sufficient attention to the decor.
Requirements for decorating a house in Provence style
To fully transform the building into the style of a French village, it is worth inviting a specialist. However, independent registration is also possible, especially since the Internet is full of ideas for DIY home decor.
Here you will need to decide how complete the immersion of the house in the chosen style will be. Will the changes affect only the interior or will also affect the exterior. The general list of requirements, regardless of the scale of work, will include:
- use of natural materials in decoration, furniture and decor;
- simplicity and functionality in the setting;
- aged or antique interior;
- daylight;
- the predominance of “southern” shades in color;
- an abundance of floral motifs in decoration and decoration;
- various elegant decorative elements.
Thus, even at the planning stage, you can select all the finishing materials, as well as interior elements. It is worth paying special attention to external and internal changes.
Exterior change
A distinctive feature of the facades of houses in the Provence style is their simplicity and naturalness. The houses of French Provence fit perfectly into the surrounding area, without being conspicuous by stucco or pomp.
Externally, such a house, as a rule, looked either like a one-story building with an attic and a terrace, or like a two-story building with a seating area. If the size of the plot allowed, a covered gazebo arranged in the garden was often used as the latter.
From the photos of Provence-style houses from the network, it can be seen that a minimal amount of materials was used when decorating their exteriors.
The walls of the house were either left bare masonry or plastered and painted in light colors. Now a similar style can be repeated by finishing the facade with tiles stylized as natural stone.
The building does not have to be made of stone. A wooden house can also be easily decorated in Provence style. To do this, you need to paint its walls in the chosen color scheme or even leave them in natural form, treated with protective compounds.
The roof of such a house is covered with tiles. In a modern design, fired tiles can be replaced with a metal counterpart.
The garden plot, in addition to arranging a place for recreation, also needs changes. It will be necessary to arrange a stone path from the entrance to the territory to the door of the house. It will be useful to plant a couple of trees and arrange neat flower beds.
Interior change
Beautiful interior decoration of a private house does not always mean major work. To decorate the interior of your home in Provence style, minimal intervention is enough. Having selected a suitable color scheme, you will need to decorate the surfaces with them, and change the door and window structures, if necessary.
Then furniture that meets the style requirements is selected. Namely: simple, functional and vintage (or looking like it). The final stage is the placement of accents.
Color spectrum
Design modern houses in the Provence style involves the use of light shades that evoke associations with the sunny sea coast. Moreover, their combination should make the room calming, light and refreshing.
Thus, the list of ideal shades includes: white, beige, cream, sand, light gray, light blue, soft green, soft turquoise, muted shades of yellow and brown.
Surface decoration
For Provence style floors, either wooden boards, or tiles made of natural stone. High-quality laminate can replace wood. However, carpet or linoleum are not acceptable.
The type of finishing is selected depending on the nature of the room. In a kitchen or bathroom, tiles are more suitable. For living spaces and terraces - wooden flooring. The tree, at the request of the owners, can be aged, painted or left in its natural form.
For low ceilings, the process of finishing them consists only of leveling and painting White color. If the height of the ceilings is sufficient, in addition to this, you can additionally mount several artificial beams from boards or beams.
The beams, in turn, are left in their natural form (they may not even be sanded) or, on the contrary, painted in a contrasting color. Popular shade in in this case is dark brown.
The decoration of the walls, as in the case of the floor, depends on the type of room. In the kitchen and bathroom, it would be more practical to at least partially cover the walls with tiles stylized as natural stone.
In other rooms, in the classical sense of Provence, finishing is carried out using plastering. Moreover, the more bumpy and heterogeneous the surface appears, the better. Naturally, you can plaster in an even layer.
Other finishing options include wooden panels painted in the chosen shade. In rare cases, wallpaper may be used if other options are not available. In this case, the material should either be similar in design to plaster, or have a light floral pattern on a light background.
Doors and windows
Classic windows for houses in the Provence style had small area and were curtained with weightless curtains or beads. Now the size of window structures is increasing to achieve the desired level of lighting.
The same goes for doors. Interior doors, as well as doors opening onto the terrace, must have glass inserts. It would be better if the structure was glass.
Furniture
When choosing furniture, you should rely on three pillars: comfort, simplicity, functionality. The selected interior elements should be convenient to use, from kitchen cabinets to the sofa in the living room.
For each room, the furniture is selected according to needs. A cabinet or bedside tables for dishes and food are installed in the kitchen. To the dining room - big table and comfortable chairs made of wood or wicker.
The living room can easily accommodate a small sofa with textile upholstery and a couple of armchairs with legs. The walls will have bookcases, a chest of drawers, and a table for papers.
In the bedroom, the key attention is paid to the bed - a large wrought iron or wooden one with a soft headboard. In addition, chests of drawers for clothes or a wardrobe are installed.
All furniture is selected according to style, but not strictly. Wooden and wrought iron furniture can be “related” by painting them in the colors of the interior. And on upholstered furniture you can replace the upholstery. Wherein important detail is the need to age some elements to give more charm to the interior.
Decor
As for adding charm in the Provence direction, decorative elements do most of the work here. Tablecloths, handmade pillowcases on pillows filling the bed and sofas. Paintings and bouquets of flowers are required in such an interior. Moreover, the bouquets are not artificial, but natural, even in the form of a herbarium.
Figurines carefully placed around the house will highlight the taste of the owners of the house. Tabletop compositions will also come in handy in a French country setting.
Photos of houses in Provence style
There are a huge number of trends in interior design that can bring comfort to your home. The Provence style in the interior is rightfully considered the lightest and airiest among them. In this article we will tell you how to create a French oasis in your own nest, how to choose finishing materials, what shades and colors will add purity and sophistication to your home, what furniture is used in the design. Elegant simplicity is the true concept of this style.
History of origin
The Provençal style got its name from the picturesque French province of the same name. This enchanting corner is known for its purple carpets of lavender fields with a rich intoxicating aroma, picturesque landscapes, endless skies with blue tints, the crystalline surface of the Cote d'Azur, as well as excellent traditional dishes with the addition of juicy herbs, as well as sweet-tart spices.
It was this tandem of factors that attracted, and still attracts, artists to the French province, thanks to which the Provencal style of design has gained wide popularity in European spaces.
What are the houses of a Provençal village like? These are cozy dwellings, through the windows of which leaks daylight. Fragrances homemade baked goods, fabulous energy of hospitality and warmth, intertwined with the surrounding landscapes...
Many people believe that Provence is a simple, unpretentious style, but “the whole point” is in the details. To recreate the atmosphere of Provence, you need to have impeccable, refined taste.
Provençal colors
Designers pay special attention to creating a color scheme for the interior. After all, this aspect is the most important for creating the atmosphere of Provencal houses. To decorate the rooms you can use light colors pastel shades to create the effect of “burnt out” surfaces. Let’s not forget that the southern part of France, where Provence is located, is caressed by playful rays of the sun almost all year round.
Decoration Materials
If desired, plastered walls can be decorated with wallpaper with floral patterns. But most often, lovers of Provence decorate the rooms of their house or apartment using plaster - classic or decorative. It must be deliberately applied with roughness and irregularities. The walls can be white or upholstered wood panels. The latter need to be given a somewhat shabby look. But for the kitchen you can use mosaic or ceramic tiles.
Ivory walls are ideal for small rooms. Light colors visually expand the space.
A Provence style ceiling can be white and inlaid with dark ceiling beams. A win-win option is an ensemble with elements of masonry. You can also use stucco to recreate the beauty of French houses, which will add elegance to your home.
Provencal style and lighting
Chandeliers and lamps for the kitchen or living room should support the same concept of naturalness and natural materials. You can choose lighting sources made of metal, porcelain or wood. Their key task is not to take away attention from pieces of furniture or pastel-colored finishes.
Floral interior design
It is known that Provence combines sophistication coupled with simplicity. The main element is the floral pattern, which can be seen in the upholstery of upholstered furniture, curtains and decorative pillows.
The door and furniture of the hallway are in a similar color scheme in country house The obligatory accent is flowers - rose and lavender, which embody the beauty of the Provençal village. They can be traced not only in decorative elements, but also in the decoration of premises. For example, wallpaper with delicate flowers or a floral pattern on ceramic tiles.
Since the French province is famous for its natural beauty, this style involves an abundance of living plants in artificially aged pots placed around the house. You can decorate your living room with cute bouquets of wildflowers, dried flowers. Ivy branches hanging from the walls also look very interesting. For indoor plants, give preference to bluebells, violets and hydrangeas.
Provencal style and decor
The key task is not to overdo it with decorative elements. The interior of French rural houses is characterized by aged vases, vintage frames and candlesticks, figurines and antique tableware. It also needs to be said about Great love admirers of Provence to wicker baskets. They can be used to store children's toys, books and clothes. As you can see, even decorative items can become original and functional helpers.
Creating a special atmosphere in a private home
Thanks to its elegance and simplicity, Provence in the interior has become popular among owners of country houses. Besides general recommendations they should pay attention to a very important decorative element - the fireplace. It’s hard to imagine French without it cozy house, the atmosphere of which Europeans are trying to recreate at home.
Interesting design options for a fireplace for a summer residence
The interior in the Provence style is characterized by scuffs and aging. We offer you several techniques that will help change your fireplace beyond recognition, thereby giving it the appropriate look.
1. Painting with a patina effect. Using special paint, you can create a very interesting pattern on forged fireplace elements and other decorative items.
2. Craquelure will help give the fireplace a cracked look. To do this, you can use appropriate types of varnish or even thin-layer plaster.
Key differences between Provence and country
Many people who love the farmhouse style confuse the two styles. But the difference is significant:
- The first style is characterized by an abundance of floral motifs, which are most often focused on the textile components of the interior. In addition to berry and plant ornaments, the country style is characterized by strict geometric patterns: check, strip or polka dot. But in the Provencal style the cage is not used.
- The country color scheme is dominated by warm tones, but the shades of French meadows – cornflower blue and lavender – are never used. And white has no place in village house, decorated in country style. The Provencal interior is filled with cool tones dictated by Mother Nature herself.
- natural wood predominates. Most often these are stained and unpainted wooden surfaces. Decorative beams, like furniture, have the appearance of “tortured” wood. But the Provence style is also wood, but most often painted in several layers (pastel, white colors, ivory is also very popular).
Country style is incredibly diverse, because every country has its own warriors. national characteristics rural style. Country style reflects the nuances of culture, lifestyle, climatic and natural features. Color palette Each country has its own country style; it carries shades of the surrounding nature in its most diverse manifestations. Currently, French country style - Provence style - is especially popular.
If we talk about the historical background of the origin of French country music, then Provence is a place in the south of France, when mentioned, many immediately imagine the bright southern sun, beautiful nature, the aromas of flowers and herbs, the sound of waves and the smell of the sea. We can say that the Provence style in the interior is a way of decorating provincial rural houses in the south of France.
Provence in the interior - the charm of rural romance
The aesthetics of the Provence style has a direct connection not only with the peculiarities of rural life in the southern provinces, it is associated with outdoor recreation, with the bright sun and azure sea, with hot and bright days filled with romanticism and the charm of village life. In the interiors of this type of country style you will not see plastic furniture or ultra-modern devices, shine of stainless steel, so familiar to modern interiors will be hidden behind specially aged cabinet facades. But you can see a light finish, so characteristic of country style, natural materials, a lot of live and dried plants, textiles in a rustic style and only comfortable, but at the same time elegant decor.
Village life is unhurried, measured, all innovations are difficult to integrate, which is why the Provence style is so fond of the manifestation of antiquity - shabby furniture, specially aged surfaces of materials, antique decorative items. But at the same time, the interiors are fresh and light, filled with the purity and simplicity of rural life.
Provence style in interior design is, first of all, color. It is the palette of shades and halftones that is given the dominant place here. For interior decoration, mostly pastel colors are chosen to achieve the effect of surfaces faded in the bright southern sun.
Bright accent spots can be used for decorative elements, furniture or textiles. Natural colors in Provence style are of decisive importance, among them are:
- all shades of white;
- beige;
- light mint;
- pale yellow;
- blue;
- azure;
- sun-bleached orange;
- citric;
- terracotta;
- pale green.
Variations of these colors can be used both for decoration and for furniture, textiles and decorative items.
Decorating rooms in French country style
Walls
One of the most common options for wall decoration in Provence style rooms is plaster, which is often applied specifically to uneven and rough surfaces. IN modern design projects As a rule, colored decorative plaster is used to finish vertical surfaces. A light tone not only visually expands the space, refreshes the atmosphere, fills the room with a feeling of cleanliness and freedom, but also serves as an excellent backdrop for various decor.
Another interesting way wall decoration - cladding with wood panels. In this case, radical options for using natural materials as finishing materials in Russian country and French are visible. In the Provence style, it is customary to paint the wood white, sometimes in any pastel shade with scuff marks. In Russian country, the finishing board appears before us in its natural color.
If we talk about the walls, for example, of kitchen premises, then they can be fully or partially covered with ceramic tiles or mosaics. Most often, tile finishing is used to decorate a kitchen apron.
Often, elements of the design and architecture of the room, for example, logs, are used to decorate the walls of country-style rooms. Most often, they are not painted, but are only treated with special varnishes and sprays to protect them from moisture and insect pests. Such design elements not only look original and attractive, but also make the interior unique, imbued with a rustic temperament and the regularity of rural life.
Ceilings
As a rule, the ceiling in a country-style room has a light color or whitewash in combination with wooden beams. Sometimes dark wood beams act as a contrast to the light ceiling finish. But there are also options with whitewashed ceiling beams, deliberately aged.
Ceiling beams in a French country style interior are not so much a structural element as a decorative one. The roughness and wormholes of wood, which has undergone virtually no processing (and this is exactly the impression one gets), act as the center of focus.
Living room or dining room ceilings may contain molding on the ceiling and ceiling cornices. But this room decor will also look aged and archaic. Such ceiling decoration can change even the simplest rural interior and raise its status, respectability and aesthetics of external appeal.
Floors
The most logical things to look for in rooms designed in Provence style are: wooden floors. In provincial rural houses one could find both painted floorboard, and the unprocessed version flooring from natural material. Both options are still applicable today.
In kitchens and other utilitarian spaces, you can see tiles on the floor, usually in a terracotta color or a shade from the brown group of tones. This is not only a practical flooring option in terms of maintenance, but also an opportunity to feel the coolness of stone or ceramic tiles under your feet on a hot day.
Doors for rooms in the Provence style are usually wooden, painted white and aged. Often interior and even entrance doors have glass inserts to ensure required quantity sunlight indoors.
To contrast with light walls, doors and doorways made of dark unpainted wood can be used to match the tone.
As for windows, among the design options for window openings there is such a type as the “French window”. A window opening from floor to ceiling, which can be designed as a window-door with sashes into several sections. At the origin of the style, such windows were, of course, wooden; they were painted white. Modern technologies make it possible to produce an energy-saving analogue using double-glazed windows.
Furniture for the rural style of southern France
Furniture for the French country style, as well as for any other national manifestation of this stylistic movement, is chosen from wood, wicker or forged. No chrome or plastic furniture, modern fittings or attributes. Furniture made from solid wood is a very expensive pleasure, so you can compromise and purchase, for example, kitchen cabinets from MDF or chipboard, but only with the appropriate design - worthy imitation of wood or painting.
If you decide to decorate one or more rooms in your apartment or country house in the Provence style and want to save money, then excellent option for you there will be a revival of old furniture. In French provincial style interiors, antique furniture is often found in the same room with new furniture, but specially painted and aged with abrasions, chips and even chips.
Despite its massiveness, furniture for the Provence style looks lighter and more refined than the same pieces of furniture in other country styles. For bedroom furnishings, wrought iron beds with rich decor, usually painted white, are often used. Light and airy designs, despite their large sizes, look not only attractive, but also solid at the same time.
But the main feature of furnishings in the style of French country life are the various chests of drawers, cabinets, sideboards and display cases. Mezzanines and drawers, hinged doors with glass inserts - all the furniture is solid, reliable, made of wood and painted in pastel colors (sometimes with elements of aging). Sometimes on the facades of cabinets and sideboards you can find paintings with floral or animal motifs.
Furniture for the dining area is always solid and massive. The lunch group is usually represented by a large wooden table, most often carved, on beautiful, massive legs. Chairs can be classic, with soft upholstery seats and backs, sometimes with armrests. The set can include chairs of different shades and upholstery materials, but similar in terms of design.
As for the upholstery of upholstered furniture, in the “classic” Provence style it is rarely monochromatic and light, more often with a pattern (usually floral), striped, or a dim check. But modern options interiors in a provincial French style may also contain absolutely plain textiles and upholstery in pastel colors.
Upholstered furniture for the living room, as a rule, is quite simple, sometimes even wicker chairs are used, from the category of garden furniture, but always with an abundance of pillows. Sometimes the style of covers “with a skirt” is used for armchairs and sofas. Such cute details make the rustic style even more homey and cozy. appearance.
Textiles, lighting and decor for the style of the French province
Country style always gravitates towards the use of natural fabrics and Provence is no exception. The most common fabrics are cotton, linen and simple chintz. The most popular print for rural style is floral and floral. These fabrics are used to make covers for sofa cushions, curtains, tablecloths for large dining tables. Window openings are sometimes draped with curtains with interceptions; tassels and ruffles are less often used. Blankets for beds are most often quilted, made from the same natural materials. It is in country-style interiors that you can see homemade decorative items and accessories; here they look very appropriate.
As for the lighting system for rooms in the Provence style, chandeliers and Wall lights, as a rule, forged, painted either white or dark colors to give the interior contrast. Lampshades for floor lamps and table lamps often made of fabric with a light floral print.
As room decor in the Provence style, not only paintings with landscapes and still lifes are used, but also wicker baskets, elegant candlesticks, lace doilies (often homemade). To decorate mirrors, forged or carved frames, most often painted, are used. In kitchen spaces, the decor is often beautiful ceramic dishes displayed on open shelves.
Very often in the design of rooms in the Provence style you can find an image of a rooster - a symbol of France. It could be just a figurine or an image on the wall, even a drawing on the facade of a piece of furniture. The French are incredibly patriotic and try to show this even in the most everyday manifestations. Therefore, most often roosters can be found in kitchens and dining rooms.
In the interiors of the French province there are a lot of fresh and dried flowers - in vases and pots, large floor tubs and wall planters, and simply as herbariums on the walls. The special charm of rural rooms partly comes from things like this: natural elements decor.
Finally, I would like to remind distinctive features Provence style, which distinguish it from the variety of country styles of other countries:
- not used in interior decoration bright colors, all shades are pastel, muted. The walls and ceiling are white, with wooden beams, the floors are wooden in darker shades;
- furniture made of wood, as a rule, is bleached and artificially aged, with cracks and roughness;
- textiles made from natural fabrics with floral prints are actively used;
- bedrooms most often have minimalist furnishings in snow-white tones to create a free and cool atmosphere (it can be very hot in the south of France);
- forged products, pieces of furniture or their elements, most often painted in pastel colors, are actively used;
- big French windows with bindings in several sections, doors also often have glass inserts.
The charm of rural comfort in Provence style interiors
Provencal style came to us from sunny France. He was inspired French province and the simple measured life of local people. But in order to live in an elegant house in the Provence style, you don’t have to move to the south of France. It is enough to simply build a building in this style on your summer cottage.
Peculiarities
The French Provence style is easily recognizable. Unlike simple country music with rough furniture and lack decorative elements, Provence is the embodiment of peace and lightness. When creating houses in this style, designers are inspired by the gifts of nature. That is why there are a lot of natural materials and fresh flowers in both the interior and exterior.
Provence combines simplicity and beauty. There is a lot of light wood and colorful fabrics. The main colors in such a room are pastel. Lavender, soft blue, light pink, olive and other light shades look perfect here.
The use of vintage or antique-decorated furniture is also encouraged. A beautiful chair with curved legs looks much better in such a house than a modern leather sofa. As for furniture, you should also pay attention to beautiful chests of drawers, cabinets and other furniture for storing things. There are many interesting wood products with painted doors and bent legs.
Number of floors
In the Provence style there are no restrictions on the number of floors. You can build a small cozy house or a cottage with several floors with beautiful twisted staircases inside. There are the most various projects, which allow you to make a variety of wishes come true. For a small family, one floor is enough. There will be a bedroom and all household premises. But on two floors there will definitely be room to roam. If you have a house with two floors, all utility rooms can be located on the first floor, and the second floor can be used for bedrooms.
The kitchen can be combined with the living room. This is very convenient because you can use arches or simply dismantle the wall. In this case, food will be prepared in the kitchen, and a comfortable table with chairs can be placed in the dining room. IN modern house in the Provence style, the kitchen can be separated from the dining room with the help of a beautiful bar counter. It can also be used not only for gatherings over a delicious cocktail or glass of wine, but also for quick breakfasts.
Facades
The first impression on all visitors is made by the exterior. This means that the first thing you need to do is not decorate the rooms from the inside, but the façade of the house. Stylish French homes in this rustic style are typically made of logs or light wood. Beautiful wooden house looks cozy. In addition, inside such a house it will be easy for you to breathe.
A log house made of timber can be decorated with upholstery or carved decor. But there should not be too many of these decorative elements. After all, the external design should emphasize the simplicity and elegance of the style. The building will also be decorated with a wide staircase leading to doorway. You can also additionally add a neat terrace next to the house, where it will be great to relax or even have lunch in the summer.
Window
Provence style rooms should be as bright as possible. Achieving this is quite simple - install wide windows that will let a lot of light into the room. For French country style, simple ones are best. wooden windows. Although plastic windows are a more modern solution that allows you to retain more heat in the house, they look too modern and do not fit into the Provence style.
The inside of such windows should be decorated with properly selected curtains. For the kitchen you should choose short curtains, and for the bedrooms and living room it is better to find luxurious long curtains. This is explained by the fact that short curtains are more practical in the kitchen, and the material will not get dirty during cooking. And in living spaces you want to create coziness, here long thick curtains come to the rescue, which completely hide you from prying eyes.
Also, don’t forget about the airy, beautiful tulle, which will also decorate all the rooms.
Interior decoration
An equally important role is played by external finishing Houses. It is quite possible to leave the walls and floors wooden, but this is far from the only solution that is suitable for decorating rooms in the Provence style.
Floors
Floors in Provencal style are most often decorated with light parquet or laminate. This option is well suited for bedrooms, living rooms and other living spaces. But in the bathroom or kitchen, wood will most likely deteriorate under the influence of high humidity. Therefore, for these rooms it is best to choose a covering option such as stone, for example. Light masonry It will not only decorate your home inside, but will also delight you with its appearance for a long time.
Walls
The design of the walls should be as simple as possible. Wall decoration with plaster is encouraged. Even if you don’t know how to do renovations, it’s quite possible to decorate the walls yourself. After all, even if the plaster lays down in an uneven layer, it will look very beautiful and correspond to the idea. You can also paint the walls with light paint. The best colors here are yellow, pink or soft blue. Dark colors can only act as accents. For example, you can choose a dark metal lamp or a dark wooden table.
As an alternative, you can use simple, plain wallpaper in light colors. Well, or choose wallpaper stylized to resemble some material, for example, brickwork or wood. Wallpaper with narrow stripes, small checks or flowers also look cute. This wall covering will become a beautiful and very elegant backdrop for rough furniture and simple decorative elements that are found in a private home in this style.
You can also decorate the walls with stonework or even choose a colored mural. Such a renovation will look truly unusual and versatile.
The mural can consist of random colored details or form a beautiful picture. For example, a beautiful French garden with fresh flowers or a scarlet sunset on the shore of a lake. This fresco will serve as an alternative to modern wallpaper.
Furniture
For a country house, it is important to choose the right environment. Provence style houses can be decorated with two types of furniture. First of all, this is, of course, high quality wooden furniture. Such chairs, chests of drawers and tables do not even need additional painting. You can even decorate your home with handmade items. It is best if the wood you select for this purpose is light-colored.
Furniture is used not only for its intended purpose, but also as decorative elements. The selected items should not only be comfortable, but also match the style and color to the interior features. Decorative wooden cabinets, chairs with soft textile seats and low tables with curved legs will look beautiful in any Provence style room. As a cabinet or sideboard, you can use furniture with glass doors, which also add additional charm to the interior of the room.
Luxurious vintage furniture is especially valued in this style. So, if you choose a luxurious antique rocking chair or a massive chest of drawers, it will add special charm to the interior. However, it is not necessary to look specifically old furniture. You can simply try to change the appearance of the old one. This can be done different ways. For example, using the decoupage technique or special paint, which cracks after drying.
Furniture with beautiful forged parts is also welcome. Chair legs, beautiful patterned cornices or sconces can be made of metal. You can also choose forged corridor hangers made of bent metal. Remember that all the details you choose should not be bulky, but very elegant.
If you are choosing chairs and sofas with soft upholstery to decorate a room, it is very important that they are combined with other textile details.
This applies to curtains, napkins, pillows and other details. The best option- This is a combination of plain fabrics and decorated with patterns. Floral patterns or abstract monograms are welcome. If you are looking for something simpler and cozier, you can choose a checkered or striped fabric.
For a Provence style interior, you can create decorative details with your own hands. For example, embroider napkins or crochet them. It looks charming. There should not be too many of these napkins, but in small quantities they will only decorate the house. You can also choose beautiful quilted bedspreads to decorate your home, bed sheets from natural fabrics and other decorative details.
Decor
In addition to properly selected textiles, you should pay attention to other accessories. French country style, unlike many modern trends, welcomes an abundance of small decorative elements. They make the house more lived-in and cozy.
Among the large decorative elements, it is worth paying attention to massive bird cages, beautiful plates on the walls, exquisite decorative bottles with flowers or ships placed inside and other vintage items. You can stock up on such jewelry at a flea market, in a store that sells retro-style accessories, or by simply exploring your grandmother’s apartment, who is sure to have a few cute little things.
It's also worth noting that decor doesn't have to be so gimmicky. There are many options for functional items that can be safely used to decorate the interior. In addition to furniture and beautiful shelves, you can name beautiful lamps.
There are many elegant wrought iron sconces or table lamps with a floor lamp made of textiles, decorated with floral colors, which will not only serve as a source of light, but also add coziness to your home.
Exterior examples
France is a warm country, so classic Provence style houses are usually surrounded on all sides by a small garden. You too can decorate your garden with living plants. If you don’t have time to constantly garden, you can always choose some simple plants that do not require any special care. Even these unpretentious flowers and bushes look beautiful. Outside, next to the house in refined French style, you can place small gazebo. Gazebos made of natural wood fit best into this style. They are easy to decorate with carvings, and they also go well with exquisite wicker furniture.
If you want to build not a classic house in the Provence style, but a more modern one, then you will still like such simple design details as hanging baskets with flowers or a cart with live plants. And if you have enough free space on your site, you can even place it there decorative well or a mini fountain.
Beautiful interior design ideas
However, no matter how beautiful the exterior and facade design may be, the interior is still more important, because we have to live inside the house. It is possible to create a very beautiful interior in different ways. You can choose plain wallpapers and natural materials that will emphasize the simplicity and sophistication of the interior. Or you can go the other way: choose elegant wallpaper with monograms and antique furniture. It all depends on your preferences.
Princess bedroom
The first room that can be considered as an example ideal premises for a home in Provence style - this is a bedroom in delicate shades of pink. This room is equally suitable for a teenage girl and a young couple. Everything in it is kept in the same range. The main colors are white, light pink and beige.
The main detail that immediately attracts attention is a luxurious light bed, in which the frame is perfectly combined with bed linen and pillows. The wallpaper was also chosen to match the bedspread. The ceiling is decorated with stucco, which also emphasizes the beauty of this style. The simple light wood floor is accented by a rug. The furniture in this room is also light and appropriate in style. This is a beautiful bedside table with graceful legs, a chest of drawers, and a chair.