Cozy and homely, elegant – this is how you can characterize the Provence style. It is appreciated by fans of light classics, without pretentiousness and rigor. Despite the many details that are present in the interior, it looks light and airy. In this article we will tell you how to recreate Provence in the living room, what nuances should be taken into account so that the style is recognizable, beautiful and cozy.
Provencal style in a cozy living room.
Distinctive features of Provence
This style came to us from the south-east of France in the 19th century. He became a fresh look at the ideas of interior design. He was especially close to those who were tired of the hustle and bustle of the city. They wanted home warmth and comfort. Rustic simplicity without weighing down the luxury of classicism.
Provence is often confused with French country, but this is not quite true. These trends have a lot of similarities, but there are enough differences to be separate and self-sufficient styles.
Both styles are characterized by the use of natural materials, approximately the same range of shades. But Provence has a great penchant for the classical style, which can not be said about country.
Living room in Provence style and parquet with deck laying.
Provence is suitable for both apartment owners and owners of private houses. This style is performed in small and large rooms, which is a significant plus. For a small living room, you will only need less decor. And the visual component of the style will look equally good in any size of rooms.
Textiles with small floral ornaments.
So, let’s consider the main features:
Natural materials. It is based on the use of an array of wood in large quantities. Nowadays, not everyone can afford furniture made of natural wood. Therefore, the main task is to achieve external similarity. In addition to wood, brick trim, decorative plaster and tiles are used.
Solid wood furniture in Provence style.
Accent brick wall, giving conciseness to the interior.
The use of decorative plaster on the walls emphasizes the simplicity and elegance of the interior.
Elegant furniture with thin legs.
Provence style living room furniture with a touch of elegance.
The appearance of the furniture is an imitation of an old finish with scuffs.
Antique furniture used everywhere in the interior of the Provence style is always in demand.
Forging elements.
Wrought iron staircase in the interior.
A wrought-iron chandelier.
A lot of textiles with floral ornaments. Pillows, curtains, tablecloths, plaids, napkins, ruffles, lace are selected without a pattern or in a small floral pattern.
White living room Provence and accent textiles.
A lot of small decorative elements. Figurines, vases, mirrors, mirror frames, souvenir plates.
Decorative elements.
Live vegetation or applications with herbarium.
Lively living room with decorative items and plants in the spirit of Provence.
The color scheme for the living room
Provence style in the living room sounds, as a rule, in light shades. Muted delicate shades are used. Imagine a southern climate where there is a lot of sun and light. All colors fade. It is this mood that needs to be conveyed.
The light interior creating an atmosphere of tranquility.
The background for Provence is usually a warm smoky white shade. Together with it, shades of beige, sand, ivory, milk shades are used. Also, sometimes Provence can be seen in gray tones.
The lightness and spaciousness.
Basic white and gray shades are paired with light brown. The color of grass burned in the sun. This combination takes us to the southern climate and preserves the softness of the interior with a lot of light. Neutral base colors allow wood textures to look brighter and richer.
Grey tone.
Of course, in addition to the background neutral colors, you need to add colors. Remember that only pastel colors are used: blue, light blue, olive, the colors of young grass, pink. In contrast, they use: pistachio, raspberry shades, as well as the color of mahogany.
Large windows for good natural light.
Pastel colors with bright elements.
Olive tone.
Interesting color combination.
Materials for finishing
As we have already said, natural materials or their imitation are used for Provence. Let’s take a closer look at how to apply them in the decoration of the ceiling, floor and walls.
Ceiling
To decorate the ceiling in the Provence style, use ordinary plaster and paint. We need to mentally transfer ourselves to the rustic atmosphere of that time, so forget about stretch ceilings. Wooden beams will be an ideal solution, but they can only be used in rooms with high ceilings, otherwise they will visually press. They are covered with tinting stain or paint in the color of furniture.
Option of finishing the ceiling with wooden beams.
Wooden beams in the ceiling decor.
The ceiling, painted in light colors.
In the interior of an apartment, the method of plastering and painting is usually used. And in country houses the ceiling is made of beams. The voids between them are sometimes covered with thin plates.
Paul
A floor made up of boards will be an ideal solution. Provence is created with an atmosphere of rustic simplicity, and this technique will perfectly convey such an atmosphere. The plank floor is painted or left untreated altogether. But most importantly, the boards need to be aged and create the illusion of scuffs.
If the interior assumes elegance and grace, then use parquet flooring. A simpler and faster option is laminate flooring with antique decor. It is produced in several shades and you can easily choose the right option for yourself.
Parquet flooring.
If you have a kitchen-living room in the Provence style, then we recommend that the kitchen area be highlighted with tiles with terracotta or wood shades. A subdued vegetation pattern will also do.
Zoning of the kitchen-living room with the help of various finishes of the floor covering.
Walls
The classic version of wall decoration is plastering the surface. This finish immediately takes you to the rustic comfort of the century before last. Mandatory element: the effect of antiquity, scuffs and scratches.
The second most popular method of finishing is wall painting.
Solid white wall decoration.
Wood paneling – used for one wall as an accent. Or, rarely, they decorate two or more walls with them.
Accent wall with wood paneling.
Imitation of brickwork. In this way, the area near the fireplace is decorated or the emphasis is placed on one wall. The brick is painted white and left unpainted “randomly” areas.
Decorating the wall by imitating brickwork.
The fresco. This is a mural by the artist. Or now there are ready-made murals that are pasted on the wall like wallpaper. The mural should emphasize the theme of the interior. A small floral pattern or an ornament of vegetation is ideal.
The fresco in the interior is a harmonious continuation of the space.
Wallpaper. They are used very rarely, as they look too smooth and well-groomed for the Provence style. But if there is a great desire to use them, stick them on one accent wall by choosing a thematic ornament.
Accent wall with wallpaper.
Windows and doors are painted in the colors chosen for the interior, shades. Be sure to imitate scuffs, chips and scratches on them. Sometimes an artist is invited to paint. It looks atmospheric and unusual.
Furniture
The most suitable material for furniture is natural wood. Only from it you can find elegant objects with carved legs and the effect of aging. You can also use MDF furniture, it will look simpler, but the main thing for us is that it fits into the interior and complements it.
If you look towards solid wood furniture, then preference is given to ash, oak, walnut. Then it is painted in the right shade and elements of scuffs are added.
Furniture for the living room in the Provence style of a simple shape, matte colors. But at the same time decorative elegant decorations are welcome:
Bronze fittings with a touch of antiquity. Porcelain inserts and plant drawings in them look cozy and perfectly harmonize in Provence.
Forging elements. These can be large objects, for example, the back of a chair or the armrests of chairs. And small details: stands, souvenirs.
Photo gallery
Our selection of Provence-style living rooms for inspiration. Enjoy watching the coziness and rustic harmony in its purest form.
Living room with a milky background shade, with elements of forged elements and wooden beams on the ceiling.
Forged chandelier.
Lavender shades.
Green shades in interior.
Elements of forging.
The fireplace creates a cozy atmosphere.
Fireplace for warmth and comfort.
Attentive attitude to every detail of the interior.
Mosaic decoration of the fireplace area.
An interesting option for lighting the room.
Floral print.
The effect of antiquity.
Furniture with thin legs.
Forged furniture.
Cozy atmosphere.
An interesting combination of olive color and floral print.
Lavender color in the interior.
An interesting version of the decor.
