Provence style kitchen: modern antiquity
The Provence style translates as “provincial”, sometimes referred to as Provencal or rustic. Its main definitions are cozy, light, bright. Charming style never goes out of fashion, probably because it leads to historical roots and causes an instinctive sense of security. The artistic direction comes from the rural areas of southern France, but having spread all over the world, it is now supplemented by various national nuances.
This is typical interior of country housesalthough recently it has penetrated into city apartments. Well suited for a large friendly family, where representatives of different generations live under the same roof. This is a style that combines a variety of joyful tones, floral prints, wooden furniture. Every corner of the room is filled with air and light. Despite the fact that in the Provence style any room in the house can be decorated - a living room, a bedroom, an entrance hall and even a bathroom, he finds the best application and embodiment in the kitchen. This is a special place where it is always warm and joyful, where all households — adults and children, dogs, cats — gather to find refuge and comfort from the stresses of modern life, sit next to the stove on which delicious food is prepared, and then evaluate her taste and culinary skills of the hostess.
It’s not difficult to implement the basic principles of the “French rural” style in the kitchen, rather exciting and fun. You may only need to add a few touches and details to create an atmosphere of warmth and sweet antiquity. All elements are expressive and compete with each other in the richness of their intricate details.
Before you start filling the kitchen with furnishings, you should make sure that the decoration of the room corresponds to the general characteristic of the style.
The walls are smooth or “rough”, one of them can be painted in blue or green colorto emphasize the connection with nature. To give a "vintage" part of the wall is made out in the form brick or masonry. The ceiling is plastered, light with transverse wooden beamscoated with dark or light varnish.
One of the options for flooring can be black and white tiles laid in the form of a chessboard, as well as natural boards or laminate that mimics a wooden coating or stone (a stone floor is a “clean” Provence, a wooden one is a concession to the construction technologies of urban houses and apartments) .
Big windows with wide wooden frames and massive window sills, they let in streams of sunlight (this is a manifestation of the northern accent in the French image - in the homeland of the style, due to the hot climate, the windows are usually small to create a shaded cool space). Sources of artificial illumination are antique stylized chandeliers, sconces and candelabra.
The furniture is large and solid, with a large number of curved lines, without any decoration (except that light carving was used), the material for its production is fruit wood. The obligatory set of furniture includes strong dining tables of various shapes - round or rectangular, wooden or wicker chairs, elegant design, but very stable.
The Provence style is characterized by staining furnishings, as well as the use of artificial aging. The tradition comes from the time when furniture was inherited from generation to generation, and the new owners tried to update it and bring in any available changes, for example, painting in a new color.
The design of the kitchen sideboard, the king among the surrounding pieces of furniture, resembles the one in which the great-grandmother kept festive dishes and homemade cakes - with doors decorated with a wooden grill, glazed with closed starched curtains.
If we want to create a space in this style, it is not necessary to abandon the achievements of civilization, it is enough to observe some balance between traditions and new trends. Modern household appliances are not displayed, it is built into work desks, hanging shelves, cabinets.
A large convenient stove is equipped with a bell-type hood, reminiscent of an old chimney chimney. The hood fulfills its intended purpose - it purifies the air, and also serves as a spectacular decoration element.
Aprons in the working area are covered with tiles of golden, pink or terracotta color with drawings of fruits, vegetables or flowers.
To equip the kitchen, retro-design refrigerators, chests and tables can be placed on which you can place ceramic vases with bouquets of dried plants, a family photo in a beautiful intricate frame, candles in antique candlesticks, wicker baskets of different sizes. Funny figures from wrought iron act as part of accessories or fastenings on a heavy wooden door. Brass or copper parts look organically - vessels, jugs, buckets and vases. Dishes from faience look as if they had just been taken out of an old pantry.
Kitchen utensils do not hide behind the facades of racks, it is placed on an open wall above the working surface of the table, polished and sparkling in a unique way decorates the interior.
Antique cooking tools coexist with high-tech products, creating a sparkling composition of shades of copper and stainless steel.
An important feature of the style is plenty of flowers - hydrangea, geranium, decorative sunflower, wisteria, and especially lavender.A special aroma of freshness, nature and summer can give the kitchen bouquets of dried herbs as a fragrant additive for tea or medicine.
The palette is dominated by shades of sand, ocher and earth. Emphasis can be the colors lilac, cornflower blue or yellow.
The Provence kitchen looks very romantic and elegant in a white version, which visually enhances the feeling of clean surround space.
Of all the artistic directions in which you can decorate the interior of modern cuisine, the Provence style is undoubtedly the cutest, warm and elegant at home.
