The homely, cozy and romantic Provence style at the dacha is the embodiment of the dream of a quiet and measured life. After reading the article, you will become acquainted with the varieties of French provincial country and its adaptation to modern conditions. We bring to your attention information about the specifics of using finishing materials, the choice of furniture and accessories, as well as techniques for landscaping the garden and backyard.
Classics of the genre Source www.pinterest.at
Origins and varieties of style
The style, which was finally formed in the region of the same name in France in the century before last, belongs to the rustic styles. His original principles in architecture and design were appreciated in other countries; Today it is a pleasure to choose it for decorating not only private houses, but also city apartments. The French themselves believe that there are three trends in provincial style in country house building, which can be successfully combined with each other.
Classic housing in Provence style
A small rectangular building made of brick or stone (usually limestone), surrounded by a garden. The Provence house has from one to three floors; inside you can find a spacious living room and 3-4 bedrooms; the design is characterized by the following features:
- Facade . It is distinguished by exquisite simplicity due to the choice of laconic architectural forms. The building is distinguished by a low plinth (the garden path leads to the entrance doors); the porch is most often absent or consists of two or three steps.
France, modern Provence style Source yandex.uz
- Roof . Mostly simple, with small overhangs and dormer windows; a cozy attic is often hidden under it. The classic roof covering is variegated tiles.
- Window . To match the style, the windows are made small and decorated with shutters (or their imitation). The modern trend, neo-Provence, allows the use of panoramic windows or window openings from floor level.
- Entrance door . Solid, decorated with forged fragments; An indispensable addition is a viewing window. In modern cottages, options with glass and stained glass inserts are popular.
- Wall decoration . For it, choose plaster in delicate shades (beige, coffee, lilac, milky). Also, the walls are sheathed with wooden paneling or lined with stone, both natural (slate, limestone, sandstone) and artificial.
Decorating a modern front door Source pinterest.at
Chateau
Initially, the chateau buildings served as country estates for French aristocratic families. Today they remain the most spectacular (and expensive) embodiment of rustic style. The building can hardly be called a country house; it is a luxurious mansion, the appearance of which intertwines the signs of provincial housing and castle architecture. The chateau can be described in the following details:
- The building area starts from 600-700 m2, and it is necessarily surrounded by a large well-kept garden.
- Facade . A complex and majestic combination of arches, balconies, bay windows, columns and projections. The exterior is decorated with decorative plaster and stone, there are bas-reliefs and medallions. The facade is decorated with French (floor to ceiling) windows.
- Main entrance . Usually decorated with a high (up to 3-4 meters) niche, often with columns; A wide staircase leads to the doors. A front flower bed is being designed in front of the main entrance.
- Roofing _ Multi-slope, covered with tiles; it is complicated by chimneys, a spacious attic with lancet windows, towers and spiers.
- Ground floor . It is invisible from the outside, as it is not emphasized by the cladding.
Chateau Source krov-torg.ru
Norman style house
This direction was influenced by buildings from the north-west of France, which, in turn, borrowed a lot from the architecture of the Scandinavian countries. This explains some of the austerity of the architecture and the emphasis on Gothic elements. The trend remains very popular in modern suburban construction; A country house in the Provence style with Norman notes has the following features:
- Buildings are often built using half-timbered techniques (in France it is called collombage ), the walls are decorated with vertical and cross-shaped wooden posts. In a modern interpretation, the use of polyurethane beams with imitation of aged wood is allowed. A characteristic architectural element of a Norman house is balustrades, enclosing staircases, balconies or terraces.
- Color palette . It is diverse; Natural shades of sand, gray and brown are popular. They are diluted with pink, lilac and ocher colors.
- Windows and doors . Such housing is characterized by windows with semicircular arches. The doors are preferably massive; they are preceded by a porch decorated with wrought iron railings.
A spacious attic is hidden under the hip roof Source yandex.uz
- Classic Norman buildings are inlaid with geometric or floral patterns along the façade and finished with rustication. In a modern interpretation, facade plinths are protected with rusticated panels, the facade is laid out with decorative bricks or fireclay ceramics.
- Roof . The house is topped with a hip roof with wide gables, conical turrets and wrought iron elements, a tribute to its Gothic past.
Selection of decorative elements, textiles
Country style and, accordingly, Provence “loves” high-quality, natural fabrics (linen, silk, cotton, muslin, chintz). Drawings are preferably plant-based, for example, flowers. Such prints are ideal for decorative pillows, light curtains, and tablecloths. The windows are decorated with tulle with interceptions, ruffles, and tassels. The bedroom is covered with quilts. Do-it-yourself elements will fit perfectly into the interior. Lampshades, floor lamps, and floor lamps can be decorated with fabric inserts with a floral print.
When choosing textiles, give preference to natural fabrics - cotton, linen, silk or chintz
The right mood in the room is created by an abundance of all kinds of decor, many of the elements of which can be made with your own hands
The walls are decorated with paintings depicting nature and rural life. Place small wicker baskets, candlesticks, several lace napkins, and ceramic dishes on the shelves and table. Mirrors are hung in wrought iron frames. In the village you cannot do without flowers in pots and cache-pots, and there is a herbarium on the wall.
See alsoDoors in the interior: choice of color, shape and type of construction
Provence: application to modern conditions
The style, which dates back more than one century, can be easily adapted to modern realities (perhaps this is part of its worldwide popularity). If the classic version requires the use of only natural materials (which not every budget can support), then modern Provence is ready for a compromise. In this case, the spirit of elegance and simplicity is maintained through attention to detail and the use of modern materials.
The windows are traditionally decorated with flowers Source imgsquash.com
When decorating a cottage in the Provence style, the following techniques and recommendations are used:
- Facade finishing . Natural finishing stone is being successfully replaced by artificial stone. A worthy replacement for rusticated stone (expensive and heavily loading load-bearing walls) will be artificial stone made from architectural concrete or polyurethane.
- Decorative facade elements are reduced to a minimum, the emphasis falls on doors and windows. Wooden parts should not be allowed to look freshly painted; they are artificially aged, achieving the appearance of an antique, worn and cracked surface.
- Stone finishing can be replaced by plastering; in this case, it is also important to achieve the effect of natural wear. It is possible to have an unplastered surface with visible joints and whitewash.
- Expensive wooden windows can be replaced with modern double-glazed windows with wood styling. If you wish, you can order hand-forged decorative parts for the front door and neat porch.
- Ceramic tiles are successfully replaced with suitable materials (cement-sand, bitumen or metal tiles).
What furniture to furnish the garden in French style?
Most likely, this moment will be the easiest for those who have a private house inherited from their parents. In such a house there will definitely be a corner with old furniture that is quite suitable for decoration purposes.
If there is furniture, but it doesn’t quite fit the style of an archaic French village, then it can be aged with improvised means and given the rough appearance of untreated wood.
In addition to the furniture itself, it would be logical to use various antique or artificially aged wooden objects. Various barrels, tubs, and garden carts are perfect.
Interior: finishing work
The interior in French country style attracts with its relaxing atmosphere. The key idea of the design is related to the simplicity of rural life and closeness to nature, so the interior design is based on natural materials (and here Provence intersects with eco-design techniques). The following techniques and finishing methods will help give the walls a spectacular touch of antiquity:
- The choice of plaster with a rough texture, coarse or medium grain; it is applied unevenly so that the brickwork shows through the finishing layer. For painting it is better to use the colors of natural stone: gray, beige.
- Painting the walls . Matte water-based paints in muted, faded colors are selected. Beige, olive, blue, gray, lavender, ocher are suitable. The paint is applied unevenly, as if carelessly, and several similar shades can be combined.
- Whitewashing . It is applied in different ways: without plastering, on regular or textured plaster.
Warm olive shade is ideal for the kitchen Source yandex.ua
- Finishing with brick, stone . All walls are covered with these materials, or just one is selected. Natural stone masonry is successfully replaced with artificial panels that reliably imitate the texture and color of its natural counterpart.
- Tile . Suitable for finishing all rooms, from the living room and bedroom, to the kitchen and bath. A popular option is white tiles with small floral patterns.
- Wood paneling . In other styles, wood surfaces are left in their natural color. In the interior of a house in the Provence style, wood is painted in light shades, which is especially suitable for the design of the hallway and living room. Walls are often decorated with plastic wall panels with a wooden texture; They are easy to care for, affordable and moisture resistant.
A gazebo that will decorate any cottage
A gazebo or pergola is an integral part of a garden decorated in the style of provincial France. The only condition is a rough, almost brutal style, light colors. A wooden gazebo in French represents only a temporary shelter from the scorching rays of the sun and nothing more.
Interior: furnishing accents
Knowledge of the features of three trends - classic, Norman and chateau - will help you choose the right furniture for a Provence-style interior in a wooden house. For the first two, it is preferable to choose wooden furniture painted in light shades; Wicker furniture is also suitable, as well as items with forged decorative details (for example, a bed or a bookcase). Despite their rustic origin, pieces of furniture are distinguished by their elegance (which cannot be said about other types of country): a sideboard can be decorated with carvings, and a closet can be decorated with skillful painting.
Coziness with a garden view Source pic2.me
To maintain the chateau style, you will need more intricate furniture with the following characteristic features:
- Exquisite soft chairs with armrests, tables, sofas and armchairs with curved legs. These items are decorated with carvings, and high-quality fabrics with a characteristic floral pattern are used for upholstery.
- Cabinet furniture takes on a more elegant look. Dressers, wardrobes and sideboards are inlaid, decorated with pilasters and carved cornices. A mix of objects with different surface finishes always looks original.
Exquisite furniture is selected for the interior of the chateau Source legko.com
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in landscape work, design and construction of small architectural forms.
- Small pieces of furniture (shelves, dressing tables, sofas) are often decorated with forged elements with the addition of a noble patina.
- Small pieces of furniture . To complete the look of the house, you need details: mirrors in openwork frames, elegant hangers and functional umbrella holders.
Powdery pink shades in bedroom design Source stroypay.ru
Interior design in the Provence style is based not only on color and the use of natural materials. A big role is given to the choice of accessories; The right decor will help revive the romantic French style. The following items are used for interior decoration:
- Textiles . To make your bedroom or living room look cozy, you will need to take care of tablecloths, sofa cushions, napkins, bedspreads, blankets and curtains. Don't be afraid to overdo it with lace and floral patterns - it will benefit the style.
Textiles: the more, the better Source prodezign.ru
- Small decor . In a Provence style kitchen there is room for a variety of pots, kettles and tureens, ceramic and porcelain. The living room and hallway will be decorated with vases, figurines, boxes, dried and fresh flowers. You can’t do without photographs and paintings in simple (or, conversely, openwork) frames.
- Lighting . Floral motifs are found not only in decoration and textiles, but also on lampshades of lighting fixtures. To harmoniously complement the interior, you will need laconic and elegant chandeliers, lamps, floor lamps and wall sconces.
Ideas for the hallway Source dekormyhome.ru
Flower drawings
Floral designs perfectly convey the mood of the Provence region. They can be painted on the fence, on plant pots, inside the house. The floral theme can be repeated in the paintings. Lavender is traditionally depicted. The main thing is not to overdo it with such designs: excess will create unnecessary diversity and make the design oversaturated.
Landscape design in Provence style: 5 design ideas
To enhance the impression, for a country house in the French provincial style, a landscape project of one of two types is chosen:
- Classic . Geometric (regular) style includes a clear garden layout and a neat appearance of all green spaces.
- Rustic . A less formal style with lush fruit trees, overgrown flower beds and winding paths.
Timeless classics Source no.pinterest.com
If you want the area surrounding the house to match its internal contents, you should adhere to the following design recipes:
- The image of the French countryside can be easily emphasized with the help of small architectural forms - gazebos, terraces, arches and fountains.
- Relaxing in the garden will be more comfortable if you take care of garden furniture and outdoor lighting .
- The decoration of the garden will be flower beds and flower beds planted with colorful flowers, as well as garden sculptures and flowers in pots placed on the terrace and near the walls of the house.
- The feeling of comfort will be supported by a gazebo and a fence entwined with climbing plants and lilac bushes surrounding the recreation area.
- A garden area in the Provence style consists of wooden fences and paths paved with natural stone .
Modern interpretation of provincialism Source artpractica.ru
Pillows
Another element of this style is decorative pillows. They can be used both on sofas or other upholstered furniture, and for benches or chairs in the gazebo. It is advisable to select them in appropriate colors. A floral theme or cute patterns are suitable, but often just plain lavender shades are chosen.
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Lighting
Each style has certain requirements regarding the selection and placement of lighting fixtures.
Lighting fixtures often use open candle-shaped lamps
Basic rules of Provence style
| Using lamps | They should be made of wood, porcelain. |
| Color selection | Brightness or multiple shades are excluded. It is enough to use 2 colors, the main one is white, the additional one is blue, pink, beige. It is advisable that the entire interior be created using similar shades. |
| Style combination | All lighting fixtures should be combined, even if they are in different rooms. |
Several light sources are installed in the rooms, helping to zone the room and adding accents to certain decorative elements
See alsoColor combinations in interior design
Features of the kitchen floor
Wood and wooden elements are also often chosen for the floor, mostly in a dark, rich color - it contrasts well with the light kitchen. However, you can use other options: for example, “stone-like” panels and linoleum, “antique” tiles. The main condition is that the floor should not deviate from the overall style. Therefore, the shade is selected according to the existing color inserts in the room. A popular and characteristic move for Provence is grouting the floor or artificially aging it. First, paint is applied to the material, which is then partially erased, achieving an aging or fading effect.
Bright kitchen with slightly worn floor
Install a fountain
The south of France is characterized by dry weather. To have a source of constant coolness at their disposal, residents of Provence often install fountains in their gardens. Why don't you use this idea too? In our latitudes, the fountain will serve more as a decoration than as an important functional addition to the site. This means that the main thing you will need to take care of when thinking about the concept and planning the installation is the appearance of the fountain.
- Types of decorative fountains for the garden - learning the basics
Do you want to make your summer cottage unique and more attractive? Place a fountain on the premises.
Use natural stones
Garden elements made of natural stone (for example, retaining walls or terrace trim) are indispensable attributes of the Provencal style in landscape design. Stones, especially those entwined with greenery, give the garden a naturalness and some mystery: “old” stones keep their own, unknown history. A haze of mystery is one of the components of French charm, including in the design of the site. Try to build a natural stone wall on your property yourself and see how your garden will be transformed.
