Features of French Provence for the living room

When decorating, many residents of our country choose European styles. Among the variety of stylistic trends, a special place is occupied by homely, archaic Provence. It originated in southeastern France in the 17th century and has been successfully used to design living quarters to this day. Authentic Provencal atmosphere in a city apartment is easy to recreate. You only need to know what materials to choose for decorating the room, which elements of decor to dwell on.

In Provence, modern technology, fashionable materials and vibrant shades give way to tranquility and the pacification of a sweet rustic atmosphere.

Bright tones are only relevant on small details to attract attention.

Provence combines simplicity, personality and French chic. Design of a living room in the Provence style involves the use of:

• artificially aged furniture in light colors;
• natural materials;
• light curtains;
• a large number of textiles of discreet colors or with floral prints;
• wooden beams on the ceilings;
• lavender bouquets, sunflowers in baskets or in ceramic pots, vases;
• interior details made of clay and porcelain, painted plates, mirrors in openwork frames;
• sewing, richelieu and quilling;
• textured rough plaster for walls.

Shabby furniture, uneven finish and cracked wooden surfaces are welcome.

Provence style is unthinkable without a huge number of light sources. And the sun acts as the most important lighting device. Therefore, the French living room is characterized by large windows. Numerous sconces, a shod chandelier, floor lamps with textile lampshades and ceramic lamps will help to achieve harmony in the room.

The design of the living room: what to look for

A large room is a definite plus. In the conditions of vast space, to realize any design plan is not difficult. But what if the living room is mediocre? Designers recommend a redevelopment of housing. The most popular solution is to combine the kitchen and living room into one room.

The Provence-style interior may resemble a classic, but here everything is lighter and lighter

The colors and shades in which the room is decorated should overlap with each other. Suppose you choose upholstered furniture in a light green hue. So that it does not look foreign in the living room, pick up curtains for windows of the same color. Or decorate the room with light green tabletop vases and other interior details. But remember, everything must be in balance. Do not litter the room with a large number of accessories.

Handicrafts, made slightly carelessly and having signs of long-term operation, are appreciated

Important. An essential attribute of the Provence style is floral motifs. The use of "floral" textiles is encouraged. Window curtains, sofa cushions, tablecloths with the image of wildflowers will look appropriate and elegant.

In addition to floral motifs, the design often uses a cell and a strip.

Decoration of any living room will be flowers. And it is not necessary to acquire living flora or a fresh cut. Take a closer look at artificial bouquets.Use small zinc buckets, straw-braided bottles, kitchen faience and ceramic pots in pastel shades as containers.

Interior decoration: what materials to choose

Deliberate simplicity, French charm - this is how Provence style can be characterized. Many owners of houses, cottages and suburban apartments have difficulty in choosing finishing materials. Everything is brilliantly simple and everything simple is brilliant! Use wood, glass, natural stone, leather, textiles in the living room.

The main finishing material is wood in any variation, plastic and chrome are almost never found.

Walls

An ideal option for a Provencal-style living room is decorative plaster. The construction market offers a wide range of compositions of various textures and shades. So choosing the right plaster is easy. In addition, the material has high performance, is used as insulation, hides wall imperfections, does not absorb odors, lends itself to further coloring and does not require special care.

If you are not satisfied with the stucco on the walls, use wallpaper for painting

Less commonly used for surface decoration wallpaper. Many designers believe that paper coating for walls is an outdated option. But in practice, this is far from the case. Combinations of various wallpapers are appropriate: plain and with a pattern. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the shade. Give preference to paper coatings in natural colors: white, milky, beige.

In the recreation area, floral wallpapers will come in handy.

Well, remember the paint. A distinctive feature of the Provence style is the surfaces burned out from the scorching Mediterranean sun. Choose for the living room a coloring composition of bleached and burnt shades. Shades of lavender, yellow, sand and terracotta will look nontrivial and fresh when decorating the interior.

Floor

No linoleum, parquet and carpet for the living room. A good solution is to buy a wide wooden floorboard. But such coverage will require considerable cash costs. More budget options will come to the rescue, for example, a wood-like laminate.

The plank floor can only be lightly coated with matt varnish

Ceramic floor - an option for a thick wallet

The use of artificially aged ceramic tiles or massive stone is appropriate. Pay attention to the color of the flooring. Dark brown, graphite and black material will visually narrow the room. Stay in light and warm colors.

Ceiling

The choice of coverage depends on the area of ​​the living room. For a large room, choose a wooden ceiling. The French style involves the use of darkened and faded materials from time to time. But if none were found, a wooden ceiling with skillfully decorated ceilings would do. If desired, the surface can be painted with white or beige paint. Play in contrast, cover the ceiling with a light coloring agent, and leave the beams dark.

A flat ceiling can be left simply white or decorative wood beams can be added

It will be gorgeous if the wood on the ceiling supports a single style of decoration, displayed in the legs of furniture, countertops or decorating elements

For finishing the ceiling of a small living room, plaster is suitable. But it does not have to be perfectly flat and smooth. Use a matte embossed composition with imitation of the texture of natural materials. To stylize the ceiling is widely used fashionable decor "art concrete". Give preference to warm and light shades. The right choice of ceiling color will visually enhance the room.

Furniture selection

Furniture in Provencal style plays not only a functional, but also a decorative role. For the living room, it is appropriate to use vintage furniture. But the price for it can be extremely high in stationary stores and on trading floors on the Internet. Visit the flea market.Retro-style furniture is sure to be there and will cost a penny.

Furniture should maintain the reputation of the room in which more than one generation of households has grown

For the French style, furniture upholstery with an ornament in the spirit of Russian painting Gzhel is perfect

There can be many, many pillows. They perfectly complement the interior and create comfort and coziness.

The living room interior in Provence style is soft and delicate. Therefore, it is extremely undesirable to use furniture, which is outlined by a rectangular profile in geometric shapes. Avoid sharp corners. It is better to pay attention to objects of round or oval shapes.

Window drapery

Textiles are the visiting card of the Provencal style. Therefore, the choice should be treated with special care. It is the curtains that will help to combine all the elements of the interior into a single whole, will bring a bit of comfort and harmony to the room.

Tual de Jouy

Printed natural cotton fabric curtains look good in the living room. Textiles are usually decorated in white and blue, but variations are possible. The use of pastoral and neoclassical plots is typical.

Draped curtains feature a classic, recognizable look.

Linen curtains

The French style involves the use of natural fabrics such as linen. Unprocessed flax of rough texture can be “softened” with a braid located around the perimeter of the curtain or with small pastel-colored pom-poms.

The color of linen curtains should be repeated in tablecloths or in upholstery

Tulle

If you do not want to focus on the window in the living room - use curtains from flying and light fabrics. They can be white, beige, milky, lavender and pale yellow.

Lightweight air curtains over the kitchen sink

Patchwork

A great option for those who prefer non-trivial interior solutions. The patchwork style curtain is made up of flaps of fabric with floral motifs. Such a curtain looks great in the framework of the Provence and country styles.

Patchwork curtains are often sewed by the housewives themselves from the remnants of colorful fabrics

White curtains

Immortal classic. They are found everywhere in France and are considered a summer option. Visually expand the room and do not block the light. Suitable for decorating the living room, bedroom and hall.

White curtains made of translucent fabric can be combined with roman blinds made of a denser material

Wooden shutters

They perfectly protect against the scorching midday sun and look appropriate not only in the living room, but also in the kitchen. The distance between the lamellas should be from 2 to 4 centimeters. Paint the shutters in a light shade or decorate with a floral pattern.

Wooden shutters can be placed both outside and indoors

Kitchen decoration

Use a white keynote to design a Provence style kitchen. To make the room not look like a hospital room - add bright accents. French style is unthinkable without an archaic element. It is not difficult to achieve such an effect. Put a ceramic vase with artificial lavender in the far corner, hang a painted plate on the opposite wall.

Provence style kitchen with white furniture

The kitchen from floor to ceiling, decorated in light shades, will not look heavy and massive.Color solutions can be completely different: all shades of beige, pistachio, variations of blue and light brown. Choose facades with panels and solid glass inserts. Metal and iron elements will fit into the interior: handles for cabinets and doors.

A distinctive feature of the Provence style is the display of kitchen utensils

Open shelves are a constant attribute in the Provencal style. Decorate them with loose containers decorated using decoupage technique and place a tea set on the surface. Well, do not forget about textiles. Place a tablecloth and napkins on the dining table, decorate the windows with curtains, tulle or light curtains.

A combination of elaborate elements with simple accessories is appropriate.

Many apartment owners are wondering how appropriate is the combination of household appliances with a vintage kitchen set. Such a tandem is the place to be, because the French style is a kind of cocktail from deliberate old-fashioned and technological progress.

Video on how to create provence in a city apartment

Photo: 50 Provence style living rooms