How to design your home in Provencal Style
Provence style comes from France or, to be more precise, from the French country. The style belongs to the warm, southern design and keeps in it the atmosphere of the sunny Provence. The interior decorated in this style has a unique charm and is always considered a place for rest. It’s always very cosy and intimate. It has the romance of life in the country and elegance at the same time. The motto of the style is an exquisite taste. The main thing which should be always observed is to take elements of the design, which has the spirit of times. Modern items will break the atmosphere of the style.
If you want to design your entire flat or just one room in Provencal Style, use these ideas. Rearrangement and renovation of the apartment aren’t required because every task can be solved with the help of decorative elements. Here’s a list of all the things which are necessary. You needn’t use them all. You can choose only those elements which you like. But you’d better take 2-3 things from each group to get the right Provence style.
The basic elements of the style
- Very light colours of the interior, of the floor.
- Design with the distressed effect or, especially, with the effect of scaled paint.
- The usage of ceramic wall or floor tiles.
- Stone or brick wall finish.
- White stucco (wallpapers aren’t often used in this style).
- The usage of natural materials in general.
- The usage of fabric and wood in wall finishing.
- The usage of forged decorative elements and furniture.
- The usage of wooden furniture.
- The usage of jesting beam on the ceiling.
- Your kitchen should have more decorations than other rooms. The rest of the apartment should look quieter.
Some secrets in creating Provence style in your flat
- There should be a lot of space in the apartment.
- The flat design should be straight and plain.
- The centre of the room should be free.
- There shouldn’t be acoustical ceiling. The ceiling can be painted only.
- There shouldn’t be complex built-in lighting fixtures.
- The space of the flat should be zoned. You can do it with the help of doors, floor finish material, shelves or bookcases, forged gratings, big pot plants, curtains made of light fabric or beads.
- Quite big windows.
Colours for the Provence style
You can use white, creamy, sandy, lavender, indigo, terra-cotta (brick red), light grey colours there. All the colours shouldn’t be bright, but dusty. The classical combination of colours is white, indigo and lavender. Dark colours aren’t suitable there.
Decorative elements for the Provence style
- Pottery made of terra cotta or chamotte and of plain shape.
- Savoury herbs and lavender in pots or zinked containers.
- Small painted panel pictures.
- Pictures with simple images and in plain frames. There can be flowers and plants, animals and landscapes.
- Furniture with long legs.
- Small forged vignettes for wall decoration.
- Single wicker elements of furniture.
- Rocking chair.
- Kitchen sink made of bricks.
- Sachet scented bags with embroidery patterns.
- Cart wheel for the wall decoration.
- Painted pots for flowers, white with small patterns.
- Boxes covered with fabric.
- Painted cabinets (or with decoupage).
- Lace and tulle together with wooden french blinds.
- A styled fireplace decorated with ceramic tiles of white-blue colours.
- Coverlets decorated with needlework.
- Handmade rugs.
