What is Provence style?
Provence style is an unusual image of good old times, covered with light shades of tenderness and romanticism, which takes us to a small town in France. It is characterized by:
- Attrition of surfaces
- Aged facades
- Soft yellow and pastel blue tones
- Burnt surfaces
- Lots of decor
- Natural materials
- Grounded objects with curved legs
- There are many flowers that are located literally everywhere. On wallpaper, fabrics, in the form of living bouquets.
Provence in a country house
Based on the characteristics of the Provence style, we can say that a private house is an ideal place for its application.
The area of the spacious house allows you to install a full-fledged fireplace, which will become a source of comfort in the room. The fireplace is finished using masonry or plastering. Over time, scuffs and cracks will only emphasize the features of the style.
The ceiling will be decorated with a structure made of wooden beams. The staircase is made of wood, the railings and partitions can be forged or wooden.
Wooden houses have a special chic, the atmosphere is imbued with rustic warmth. Such houses have several cozy corners for privacy, such as attics and verandas. They do not require careful finishing; small cracks and chips in wooden floors and furniture add comfort to the interior.
Small country houses in the Provence style will be decorated with antique furniture; massive sideboards and natural wood furniture look harmonious in the interior of the kitchen-living room. In the dining area you can place a dining group made of solid oak.
The photo shows a compact interior of a wooden house in Provence style.
Decorating the window
Let more light into your room. The mood for the whole day depends on how the window is equipped. Let's look at some good options:
- Light curtains coupled with roller blinds will complement the soft style of the room.
- Near the window you can create a seating area, place a sofa or chair.
- French curtains will come in handy.
- Muted linen will become a stylish spot in a light interior.
- Air curtains in the same tone of bedspreads, pillows and other textiles will be an ideal option.
Photos of apartments in Provence style
The Provence style in the interior of the apartment is characterized by lightness, comfort, delicate pastel colors, ease and simplicity of the French countryside.
Redevelopment from a one-room apartment to a small two-room apartment
Characteristic features of Provence in a small Euro two-room apartment are the color palette (light green and beige shades), aged furniture, light wooden beams in the kitchen, floral patterns on the upholstery, wallpaper, textiles and tiles in the bathroom.
Design project for a studio apartment with a dressing room and a bedroom
The interior of the city apartment is designed in white and blue colors. The upper parts of the doors are glazed and decorated with decorative layouts, which is typical of French country style. Decorative accents include a false fireplace with candles, textiles with floral and striped patterns, a mirror in the bedroom and greenery in multi-colored pots in the lounge area on the balcony.
Design of a two-room apartment of 63 sq. m.
The Provence style, which the customers liked, was emphasized with the help of light furniture with glass inserts in the kitchen, a solid bed with forged elements, wallpaper and curtains with a floral pattern in the bedroom, as well as lace and knitted textiles.
What to do with the walls?
Let's consider interesting options for wall decoration in Provence style. First of all, wallpaper:
- Large flowers. Lush peonies, chrysanthemums, and roses will fit realistically on the walls. Most often this option is used for the living room.
- There are also monochromatic wallpaper colors. Blue-blue or beige-gray shades will help age your walls.
- Wallpaper with small roses is chosen for the bedroom, children's room, and hallways. They are also used for individual areas of the room.
- Wallpapers with birds make us closer to nature. Look good in rooms with living plants.
- Vertical and horizontal stripes visually expand the space. Be sure to choose pastel colors.
- Wallpaper with landscapes makes the room look complete. Such walls are an accent element.
Can be combined with plain wallpaper.
With the goal of making the walls unusual, you can use wall panels.
And also use decorative bricks.
Tiles are applied to the walls in the bathroom and kitchen. Choose appropriate designs: small patterns, patchwork, panels.
Mirrors with openwork frames are actively used to decorate walls.
It is not uncommon to find dressing tables with a mirror.
They fit comfortably into any area: above the sofa, near the cabinets, by the window.
Now let's talk and look at the paintings.
Canvases are selected in the appropriate style. They depict ancient times, cities, diverse elements, butterflies and, of course, flowers. They hang on the walls in multiple quantities.
An antique wall clock fits perfectly into any available space. Most often, dark-colored watches are chosen.
What kind of walls can be in Provence style?
Now let’s talk specifically about how to decorate walls in Provence style. And first, let's pay attention to the general rules that should be followed when planning the finishing of any wall surfaces, regardless of the purpose of the room.
General design rules
Instructions for selecting material and design options look like this:
- The walls can be plastered. Subsequently, they can be painted or even decorative compositions can be applied.
- Painting the walls would also be appropriate; the main thing in this case is not to overdo it with bright shades and the number of ornaments and designs in relation to the entire area of the walls.
- Regular whitewashing is also a good option, and it’s quite inexpensive. The price of such finishing is quite small.
- The surfaces can be sheathed with wooden panels, which can be painted white.
- Tiles are most suitable for finishing the kitchen and bathroom work areas.
- Certain areas of the walls can be decorated with stone or brickwork. Imitation is welcome.
- Somewhat careless, rough plastering will look very impressive when masonry elements are visible. This creates an aged look.
- A modern option for wall decoration is wallpapering them. They can be plain, have stripes or flowers. The latter is especially appropriate, since Provence is partly a “floral” style. This applies not only to walls, but also to textiles, decor, and so on.
Briefly about each type of finish
Coloring should be done using light, pastel colors. It can be: beige, white, olive, wood and others.
- The ideal option would be to imitate an old wall.
- A similar effect can be achieved using a simple technology, which consists of applying several layers of paint using a sponge or rag with knots tied, which is tied to a roller.
- The first layer is applied evenly, with lighter paint, and the second and third - with careless strokes.
- This way, the wall will look faded and aged, but at the same time neat, thanks to fresh paint.
Note! You should not use glossy shades, as well as neon colors, which emanate so much modernity.
Whitewash will look great on uneven walls. It is also applied a little carelessly; gaps in the masonry will come in handy. As a result, the walls will resemble the rough style of peasant decoration, which will clearly emphasize their belonging to Provence.
Whitewashing on the walls
Plastering is the most popular type of finishing.
- There is no need to be extremely careful;
- Structured types of dry mixture are suitable;
- Sometimes they may have different textures;
- Upon completion, the surfaces of the walls are whitened or painted;
- The colors used are natural shades, most often light.
Artificial and natural stone, tiles and bricks are actively used, mainly in the design of individual parts of the room. The entire room can also be decorated, but this is done much less often.
- The brickwork can be painted white, and thus highlight a certain area in the room. Decorative elements in the form of paintings and photographs will look great on such a wall.
- The fireplace area, for example, can be lined with stone.
- At the moment, the use of decorative panels that imitate the texture of natural materials is popular. Firstly, it is not expensive, and secondly, it is fast.
- Tiles are most often used to decorate kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.
The favorite material of Provence is, of course, wood.
- Wood can be used both natural and in the form of chipboard panels.
- Most often, surfaces are subsequently painted white and other light shades.
- This finishing option will make the room as close as possible to French country style.
Wallpaper can be either plain or with simple designs and patterns. The photos below will show several rooms in which the walls are decorated with wallpaper.
We recommend watching the video in this article: “Wall patterns in Provence style.” It contains some information about decorating walls with paintings.
Chandeliers in Provence style
Diverse lighting is appropriate in this style. The chandelier is matched to the elements of the room. The combination with lamps and light bulbs is also taken into account. As a rule, white color dominates.
Multi-level chandeliers with candles are suitable for the living room.
Flower lamps are suitable for a room with matching wallpaper.
At the peak of popularity are chandeliers in the Provence style with birds.
Style Features
Provence is a place on the Mediterranean coast of France. In the 19th century, the French bourgeoisie began to settle here. They furnished their houses with rustic simplicity. The style was appreciated by creative bohemia, and by the end of the 19th century it became known throughout Europe.
Modern Provence is:
- natural finishing materials and their imitation: wood, decorative stone, brick, plaster;
- pastel colors: white, cream, sand, pale green, pale blue with soft transitions;
- fresh and artificial flowers;
- floral patterns on curtains, tablecloths, towels;
- antique furniture;
- forged elements: lamp pendants, supports for shelves, bedside tables.
There is an opinion that finishing in the Provence style will cost more than standard repairs - they say, expensive finishing materials will be needed. In fact, the materials used are the same type and price level as in a standard renovation. In rough finishing, universal cement and gypsum mixtures, drywall, and putty are used. The rooms are finished with wallpaper, textured plaster, and wooden boards or wood-imitating laminate are laid on the floor. We tell you in detail how to decorate an apartment in Provence style.
How to choose decor?
Suitable attributes should be placed on cabinets, shelves and tables. Bunnies, chicks, candles, deer antlers, flowers, house plants and more will be used.
What kind of doors are suitable?
Any canvas in neutral tones. Ideally, antique swing doors.
You can often find old beige and gray colors.
And also white doors.
How to beat the dishes?
We place plates, pans and mugs in a visible place. We hang it on special hooks.
Place ceramic dishes on open shelves.
How to use flowers?
Provence style involves a large number of colors. If possible, there should be as many of them as possible. Lush, pink and white roses are especially relevant.
An interesting solution would be to arrange different types around the room.
Bouquets in wicker baskets will complement the look well.
Style color scheme
Provence is characterized by the use of natural materials, which is reflected in the color scheme. The design of the room in Provence style is made in light pastel colors. The atmosphere is filled with fresh air and conveys the spaciousness of the sea coast.
Primary colors for interior decoration: cream, white, light turquoise, lilac, soft green, lavender, pink and blue.
The entire color palette of Provence has a touch of antiquity and a touch of the sun. Floral patterns are often used in decoration and accessories, which are also made in laconic and calm shades.
Are accessories needed?
Provence is attentive to small details. You can use both bright attributes of the room and simple, non-flashy trinkets. But they are necessary.
Many faces of fabrics
Just like furniture, French Country fabrics create an artful, eye-catching potpourri. The quintessence of this style is the veil, but you should not neglect other materials, checkered and striped, floral and plain. Textured fabrics such as linen and matlasse, as well as famous French tapestries, add tactile interest to the room.
What to do with the ceiling?
- By choosing plasterboard, you can make a multi-level ceiling.
The duo is often used: drywall + decorative beams.
2. By choosing a tension fabric, we simplify our task. Indeed, today this is the easiest way to finish the ceiling. Fits well with a romantic style.
3. You can use your imagination and make an unusual ceiling. For example, fabric in folds.
Furniture in Provence style
Speaking about what furniture to choose for the Provence style, let us first of all pay attention to sofas and armchairs. They should be in harmony with the walls, floor and ceiling.
For upholstered furniture, special upholstery is used. Delicate patterns that shimmer with the overall look of the room.
Wardrobes and chests of drawers have an extraordinary shape, reminiscent of vintage.
Furniture is usually used in pastel and light colors.
The tables and chairs look luxurious. With individual shapes and extraordinary design.
Coffee tables with graceful legs and expensive upholstery.
The design of the beds uses forged metal and beautiful patterns.
Maximum of pillows, stylized to match the interior.
There are carved designs on wooden structures.
Shelves of different sizes and shapes are used to arrange the necessary utensils.
Books, pictures, cute boxes, lamps, etc. are placed on the shelves.
Shelves are used for storing magazines.
Simple, stylish furniture
French country furniture balances on the border separating elegance and functionality. Although it is largely free of the embellishment that has historically been the hallmark of French design, it is overall elegant. And although for rural residents, especially in the past, the main thing was that each piece of furniture clearly performed its assigned functions, it was not uncommon to have multifunctional pieces or furnishings that could easily be moved to where they were most needed at the moment.
Stay away from overly monotonous furniture sets. Instead, mix wooden furniture with different surface finishes and metal ones that add an antique touch to the interior.
The seating area in this photo epitomizes the French Country approach to furniture. Upholstered chairs with armrests, a table and shelves merge in refined harmony, connected by a common color scheme of soft white and bluish-gray shades. These pieces of furniture have decorative flourishes that elevate them beyond strict practicality, but their elegance is in no way ostentatious or exaggerated.
Colors to suit your style
This style can be combined with pastel muted tones of different shades. Let's look at the most popular colors:
- Olive;
- Green;
- Lavender;
- Blue;
- Grey;
- White;
- Yellow;
- Turquoise;
- Pink;
Decor
Decoration plays a significant role in creating the design of an apartment and has its main features. Various ideas for decorating pieces of furniture and accessories will help support the overall theme of the Provence interior.
- There are many fresh flowers in the Provence interior;
- Lavender is a plant directly associated with style;
- Wall clocks do not have a complex shape; as a rule, they have a round or square base and a clock mechanism;
- The interior will be decorated with family photographs in unusual frames;
- Mirrors are framed with a forged or wooden frame;
- Suitcases and chests not only perform a decorative function in the interior of the room, but also provide additional storage space;
The photo shows an aged suitcase with a floral pattern, decorated using the decoupage technique.
- The fireplace will be decorated with figurines, porcelain dolls, candles and candlesticks,
- Paintings, panels and posters have images of nature, butterflies, birds, lavender and other flowers;
In the photo, the wall in blue tones is decorated with a panel depicting birds and flowers.
- The window sills of the living room and kitchen are decorated with clay pots, vases and bird cages,
- In the interior of a bathroom and nursery in the Provence style, a wicker basket looks harmonious, which can be used for linen and toys.
Design in Provence style in the interior of the rooms in the photo
The beautiful Provence style exudes sophistication and simplicity. You can play it in different ways and apply it to any room. We invite you to plunge into the Provencal atmosphere and stroll through the photo selection.
Special facades and a decorative apron will help make your kitchen look antique. Read more about how to decorate a kitchen in Provence style here.
Bedroom. Here special attention is paid to fabrics.
The living room uses all the delights of this direction.
An important attribute is the fireplace.
Provence style is often chosen in studios. Because he loves to unite.
The bathroom looks extraordinary. Uses all possible accessories and antique furniture. There are many mirrors, paintings, hooks on the walls. Loves open shelves.
The balcony turns into a place where you can arrange elegant gatherings.
A girl's nursery becomes incredibly tender, light and airy. Uses light walls, small flowers on the surfaces, plush toys.
An entrance hall in this style will make the entrance to the apartment cozy and even slightly poetic.
Wall decoration
Pre-finishing for the Provence style does not differ in price and volume from standard repair work. It depends only on the condition of the walls.
Style is created by finishing coatings. For Provence use:
- wallpaper;
- decorative plaster;
- ceramic tiles;
- decorative brick.
Wallpaper
- the cheapest finishing option. For the Provence style, wallpaper with floral patterns, imitation of old wood or rough plaster is suitable. Paper or non-woven wallpaper is used in the bedroom, and moisture-resistant vinyl wallpaper is used in the kitchen.
Vinyl wallpaper on a paper base, Erismann Romance 1690-2, 10x0.53 m - 119 rubles, STD "Petrovich".
Wallpaper 413-01 Home Color, vinyl on non-woven backing, 25x106 cm - 1,713 RUR, Best Ceramic online store.
Vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven basis Palette Home Color 375-25, 10x0.53 m - 720 rubles, construction hypermarket "Izolux".
The wall area of a 20-meter room with a standard ceiling height of 2.5 m is approximately 40 m2. For such an area you will need 8 - 9 rolls 10 m long and 0.53 m wide for the amount of 1,100 - 10,500 rubles. depending on the type of wallpaper. Let's add the cost of work at the rate of 330 rubles/m2 and get a total price of 14,00 - 24,000 rubles.
Decorative plasters
create the effect of old walls, cracks, obvious irregularities. They are more expensive than rough mixtures, so they are not used for leveling walls. First, it is plastered with a rough mixture and then decorative plaster is applied to it with a layer of 1 - 2 mm.
In the Provence style, the walls are plastered deliberately roughly, as if an incompetent master had worked. The roughness is explained by the fact that Provence is a rustic style, and in the villages, competent plasterers were rare, and villagers repaired houses with their own hands. Another option: the walls look as if they were last plastered two decades ago. This approach was also based on the realities of village life.
They produce plasters specifically designed for decorating walls in the Provence style. Here is one of them. It gives the impression that it was applied by a person who has never held a spatula in his hands: wide, clumsy strokes, bald spots visible to the eye. But it's beautiful.
Decorative plaster Provence Antique PA5 - 671 RUR/m2, Stena online store.
The cost of plaster for a room of 20 m2 will be 27,000 rubles. If we add to this the price of work of 1,100 rubles/m2, then the total costs will reach 71,000 rubles. You can choose a cheaper option.
Decorative plaster Knauf Diamant Bark beetle, cement, 25 kg bag - 380 rubles, online store "Construction Yard".
A 25 kg bag will yield 31.5 kg of liquid plaster. Liquid mixture consumption - 3.5 kg/m2. That is, the cost of the material will be 42 rubles/m2, and finishing walls with an area of 40 m2 will cost 45,680 rubles. with works.
Ceramic tile
in the Provence style - these are images of plants, flowers, landscapes. The colors are soft and pastel.
Ceramic tile Provence, 9.9x9.9 cm - 95.58 rubles, Kerama Marazzi online store.
Karaoke tile, 1221T, canvas 30x40 cm from 12 parts 9.9x9.9 cm - 910 rub./m2, Infinity Ceramic online store.
Wall tiles Jade-Ceramics Provence, 20x60x0.9 cm - 983 RUR/m2, online store "Plumbing online".
Decorative brick
- finishing tiles imitating brickwork. It is made from clinker - burnt shale clay, gypsum, polymers. Clinker is a natural material, but expensive.
Decorative brick, clinker, 240x71x14 mm - RUB 2,726/m2, Mosklinker online store.
Decorative brick, gypsum - 358 RUR/m2, Berfi online store.
Decorative tile Ecobrik Block 071, acrylic - 540 rub./m2, online store "Tiles".
Decorative tiles are used to lay out the walls in the bathroom and kitchen.
Work on wall cladding with grouting costs 1,100 – 1,950 rubles/m2 depending on the type and size of the tiles.
A few more ideas
When you create an image for your room, you want to make everything truly magical. Let's look at interesting ideas that you can implement with your own hands to create this style.
French Provence. We make the atmosphere so soulful that you can rest your soul. We add the energy of an ancient French city thanks to natural notes.
Maritime Provence. It will make you feel like you are on the Mediterranean coast. We choose white shabby furniture, linens, bedspreads and accessories.
Summer mood. With the help of bright colors you will never be bored. We add summer flowers, blue, green, and white colors to the interior.
Spring awakening. Let's revive a faded apartment, making it lively and playful with the help of colors.
Cozy corner. Where it’s always warm and you don’t want to leave. We put armchairs, sofas, benches in secluded places where you can relax.
Whisper of time
In a style that is a reflection of longevity and tradition, new furniture and accessories will seem somewhat alien. Provence requires a little rust and dust. Items should look as if they have faithfully served a person for many years.
Avoid shiny metal in favor of wrought iron, bronze or pewter, which is fine if the metal items show dents and other signs of frequent use. It’s not a big deal if there are slightly worn bedspreads or pillows with scuff marks in the house.
This cozy room looks like every item in it has a story - it's like the coolest second-hand collection ever. Even on new objects the presence of centuries-old dust can be felt. The shabby wood of the legs looks great against the background of faded fabric colors.