Provence style is a favorite design direction when decorating modern homes. It combines simple rural life and light French character. All this is manifested in paints faded under the scorching sun, evergreens, and natural finishing materials.
Provence style is characterized by a large number of decors that can be made with your own hands or purchased ready-made. They are the ones who fill homes with special warmth, coziness and comfort.
What accessories should I use?
The main decorative items in the Provence style are:
- Curtains . They are sewn from light translucent fabrics (cotton, linen, chintz). Their main task is to let maximum daylight into the room. Curtains for rooms are chosen in light colors and with various floral patterns.
- Natural flowers. They are found everywhere in this direction. Unusual solutions look beautiful when old buckets, rubber boots, boxes, teapots, and wicker baskets are used instead of flower pots.
- Various trinkets. Porcelain figurines, carved wooden boxes, candlesticks, and vases are placed on numerous open shelves and racks. Decorative dishes decorated with artistic painting attract special attention.. It is found not only in the dining room or kitchen, but also in the living room, children's room and even in the bedroom.
- Open shelves and racks. They are an important element when arranging a room in the Provence style. After all, all trinkets and decorations need to be placed somewhere. And you simply can’t find a better place than open shelves. Quite often, shelves are covered with knitted lace napkins, on top of which decor is placed.
- Decorative tableware. It is a distinctive feature of a simple rustic style. Beautiful porcelain sets are displayed in sideboards and on shelves. Decorative plates are often hung on walls in various rooms. These can be either simple porcelain products without patterns, designed in pastel colors, or entire thematic collections depicting birds, animals, and flowers.
- Wicker items. In the Provence style, the main decoration is considered to be hand-made wicker baskets. They contain children's toys, cosmetics, jewelry and other personal items. Wicker baskets are displayed on open shelves in living rooms, children's rooms, and bathrooms.
- Forged decorative elements. The rustic Provence style is characterized by a large number of forged items. In the living room there are forged lamps, sconces, chandeliers, and candlesticks. Furniture with forged elements looks beautiful. Forging should be simple and without elaborate curls.
- Vintage mirrors. They play an important role in the design of premises. Mirrors are hung on walls in massive wooden or metal frames. Their frame should be slightly worn, like from the last century. It is also important to give a shabby look to the mirror surfaces themselves by applying special products.
- Textile. It is used to decorate: windows, doorways, tables, beds, armchairs. Light curtains are hung on the windows, sofas are covered with embroidered bedspreads, on top of which there are numerous pillows. The chairs also have blankets or textile covers. Translucent canopies are hung above the bed, adding romance and elegance to the bedroom.
- Paintings. They highlight the neutral color of the walls and add brightness to them. In a rustic style, paintings depicting animals, still lifes, and beautiful landscapes are hung. For example, in the kitchen you can hang several paintings depicting fruits and vegetables, in the living room - family portraits, lavender fields, landscapes with nature, in the bedroom images of provincial streets look beautiful.
- Bird cages. They are often found in the noble Provençal style. The cells are selected to be round in shape. Their design should be openwork and laconic. Flower arrangements of fresh or dried flowers are placed in an empty cage. You can also place artificial birds sitting on a vine in the cage.
Leaf IMPORTANT : the Provence direction is associated with the fragrance of flowers. The decoration of any room will be: roses, alfalfa, lavender.
How to decorate a closet
To decorate your closet in a “rustic” French style, you will need to do the following:
Use fine-grit sandpaper to remove old paint and varnish. Apply light acrylic paint in several layers (base – white, then beige or another pastel shade). Select and cut out a motif for decoupage from a napkin. Glue the image with a glue stick or PVA glue. Remove excess glue by gently dabbing the image with a kitchen sponge. Let the cabinet dry. Gently rub with sandpaper in several places adjacent to the image, achieving the visual effect of slight abrasion of the paint. Cover the cabinet with acrylic varnish. Apply patination powder in randomly selected places. Cover the cabinet with 2-3 layers of varnish.
Rice. 3. A double-leaf wardrobe with drawers is made in light milky gray shades, the effect of slight wear and patination can be seen. The charm of Provence is additionally conveyed by the image of a flower arrangement on the doors.
The work will go smoothly if before you start you make sure you have at hand:
- three-layer napkins with a pattern corresponding to the Provence style (focus on the rural landscape, images of domestic animals, still lifes, various floral arrangements, plant motifs);
- quick-drying acrylic paints (you can get by with just one);
- fine grain sandpaper;
- glue stick or PVA glue;
- kitchen sponge for washing dishes;
- patination powders;
- acrylic varnish;
- scissors
Photos of the interior
The main emphasis in the Provence interior is on embroidery , which is present on home textiles, elaborate forging, reminiscent of winding plant stems, and dishes decorated with various rustic themes.
Elegant ornate forging of products in the form of petals on the wall
The interior is decorated with a variety of flowers.
The presence of floral patterns adds an accent of Provence
Provencal style attracts attention with its forged products
Decor in the Provence style attracts attention with various accessories: frames with family photographs, vases, bronze candlesticks, ceramic souvenirs.
In separate articles, you can read more about an apartment in the Provence style, a studio and a room in the Provence style.
Diamond IMPORTANT : in the direction of Provence there should be a lot of home textiles.
Pillows
Textiles play an important role in Provence interiors . It appears in decorative pillows, curtains, tablecloths, and napkins. The main thing is that it is all decorated in a rustic manner. When sewing pillows, natural fabrics are used. Various ornaments are applied to them - floral motifs, checks, stripes, polka dots, images of animals. Their main tone is white, blue, lavender, light green. To create a little contrast, you can use rich colors. But there should be few of them, and you should not choose too bright and flashy colors.
See this video for decorations and accessories for the home in Provence style.
The color scheme of French decor should echo lavender fields, evergreens, soft blue skies, and endless expanses.
Exclamation Circle NOTE : Hand-embroidered decorative pillows highlight the simplicity of French design.
When purchasing or sewing pillows yourself, special attention is paid to their decorative design. Common elements are:
- Embroidery. This is the most popular way to emphasize rustic simplicity. small flowers on a light background , bright roosters, which are a symbol of France, and floral patterns are embroidered on the products
- Lace. They are connecting components. A horizontal lace stripe in the center of a decorative pillow looks beautiful. Lace is also used to highlight the pattern against the general background.
- Fringe. It is placed along the edges of products and is valued for creating a special rustic warmth.
- Applications. Plant or animal themes are popular here. But the drawing should be easy to understand and simple.
- Shuttlecocks. They act as bordering elements and give the products softness.
As for the forms, decorative pillows are made in the form of:
- Squares or rectangles. This is a classic option that adds individuality and chic to the French interior.
- Log Quite often found in Provence and decorated with flounces and buttons according to class=”aligncenter” width=”1462″ height=”1115″[/img]
- Oval or circle. They can be complemented with decorative pillowcases or without ornaments.
Useful tips for beginners
In order to avoid various mistakes during the work process, it is recommended to follow some recommendations of professional craftsmen:
- Before you start painting the surface, you need to mentally divide it into several equal parts and work separately in each of them. This method will allow you to avoid various stains and bald spots. In addition, it can also be used in the case of regular painting of any piece of furniture.
- The final strokes must be drawn from one edge of the surface to the other, in a straight line, without interruption. After which you should immediately wipe off all stains with a napkin, because acrylic paint sets very quickly.
- Each layer of paint must be thoroughly dried, especially before starting to sand the surface.
- Upon completion of work, all tools must be cleaned of paint and glue. Then they can serve you for a long time.
Decorative wooden boxes
Decorative boxes will also help to add the charm of the French province to a Provence-style interior. They must have an aged appearance and be made of natural wood.
Wooden boxes are used for things and accessories
Good for planting flowers
Wooden boxes are used for storing personal items, linen and accessories, as well as for planting flowers. The color of the decor varies from white, pink, blue and brown. They are placed in hallways, kitchens or living rooms. In a child's room, toys can be stored in such a box.
In the Provencal style, wicker boxes made of wicker have proven themselves to be excellent
Wicker boxes made of wicker deserve special attention. They serve their owners for many years and are passed on from generation to generation.
Lamps
Chic chandeliers made of crystal or glass will also help complement the romantic style. Bronze lamps are covered with a patina to give an antique effect. Ceramic and forged products look good in this direction. Forged lamps are complemented by elements such as vines, butterflies and leaves. And chandeliers, with light bulbs in the form of candles, will bring aristocracy and sophistication to the interior of the living room or bedroom.
Light bulbs in the form of candles will add sophistication and elegance to the interior.
Unusual chandelier with antique effect
Joomla ATTENTION: lamps with polka dot shades look harmonious in the Provence style.
Crafts
Handmade crafts are in great demand when decorating a simple rustic style. This could be a painting painted on canvas with acrylic paints, depicting a landscape, still life, or poppy field.
Watch the video for a DIY decorative cage in Provence style.
You can make decorative pillows for sofas, beds and armchairs, covers and bedspreads yourself. Natural fabrics are used when sewing them. Additionally, the products are decorated with lace, ruffles, and flounces.
DIY paintings made from dried flowers look great
Antique clock with Roman numerals
With your own hands you can make antique clocks with Roman numerals, photo collages, wall panels, wicker baskets and much more.
It will also be useful to learn how to make furniture with your own hands in the Provence style.
Features of room design in Provence style
The interior, inspired by French country, is recognizable due to its unique distinctive features:
- Wooden or forged furniture lacks an abundance of details. The vintage appearance of the set can be emphasized with your own hands by additionally treating the surfaces;
- Pastel colors and the dominance of light shades visually make the room even more spacious. Large and uncluttered rooms are also the hallmark of the rustic style;
- Visible brick or stonework carry a special aura, immersing home owners and guests in the light and relaxed atmosphere of a picturesque village on the Cote d'Azur;
- When decorating your home, the emphasis should be on antique products: porcelain dishes, landscape paintings, vintage furniture. Linen furniture covers, homespun carpets, light curtains with floral prints and other textiles are also the main elements of the authentic French trend.
Interior doors
As for interior doors, special requirements are placed on them. They must be wooden and painted white. On the inside there is often artistic painting in the form of flowers, seascapes, and olive branches.
Joomla ATTENTION : an interior door in the Provence style should have an aged and shabby appearance. This applies not only to the door leaf itself, but also to the artistic painting on it.
To decorate the door leaf with a beautiful pattern, stencils are often used that are fixed to the products. Paint is applied on top of them with a brush. After the paint has completely dried, the painting is varnished.
In Provencal style, doors should be painted white
An aged look and artistic painting will only add a rustic style
Star Half Empty ATTENTION : the painting on the doors should not be bright or catchy. And the overall tone of the picture should be combined with the main background of the door.
In addition to decorative painting on doors, the use of decoupage techniques .
Choice of colors, materials and furniture
Provence contains a number of mandatory features; it is worth paying attention to every detail. You should study the color scheme when choosing and combining shades. Walls and ceilings are usually decorated in light pastel colors, usually white, but this is not a requirement.
Materials are also a very important detail. The main materials are wood in its various forms. You can use textured plaster and raw wood on the walls to create a rustic style.
Furniture should be made of wood and painted in light or bright colors - light green, blue, turquoise or lavender. This play of light will help create a feeling of eternal summer and sun in the south of France.
Fireplace
Fireplaces in Provence are installed in a spacious living room and are an important accent. They are distinguished by simple forms, without hints of luxury and sophistication. Ideal finishing materials are: brick, tile, plaster. Additional decors include forged elements and ceramic parts.
A fireplace in Provence is an important accent in the interior
Info Circle ATTENTION : Provence style fireplaces are finished in muted tones.
