Provence is a very original interpretation of the Country style in French. The name wasn’t chosen accidentally because the spirit of provincial France is typical for this interior design. The rustic naivety, coziness and peculiar simplicity are the main characteristics of the style.
Provence in the Apartment and House
It is not easy to turn your desires and ideas into reality when you decorate the living room, bedroom or kitchen of a city apartment. You’ll have to consider thousands of details very carefully. However, everything that is related to an ordinary village or country house is much simpler. The Provence style looks really harmonically in cottages, villas and mansions in the south. Although, it is possible to create a very cozy house in the Provence style even having a small area.
The Composition of Colors, Materials and Furniture
Provence has its own obligatory features, so every detail plays the unique role. Particular attention should be paid to the coloristics. Walls and ceilings are often decorated in light pastel colors, mainly white. The materials are also very important detail. You can use rough plaster and not well-treated wood to create the rustic simplicity. The furniture must be made of wood and painted in light or bright colors of meadows, aqua, lavender or turquoise. Such play of the light could help to create a feeling of the eternal summer and heat from South France.
You should pay particular attention to the effect of worn-out things. If you don’t have an opportunity to buy them, you can accomplish such effect by yourself. The main thing is to furnish your rooms with stuff that have some impacts of time. It’s forbidden to use too elegant and snazzy things because the main idea is to achieve the effect of a rustic life, little bit rough simplicity and unconstraint in the design.
It is very important to remember that all metal elements should only complement wooden parts, what will make them look very respectably. But the furniture should look old like antiques.
Moreover, all fabrics should look harmonically with the entire design. You can use simple cotton textiles with prints of flowers, trees and herbs.
If you like everything simple and original at the same time, you can choose the Provence style. As has been mentioned, this style will look perfectly in a country houses. The atmosphere of ease and relax under the canopy of nature is a particular feature of Provence.
The Difference between Provence and Vintage Interior Styles
In general, both of these styles have many common characteristic. There is an antique stylization, the usage of antiques and color design.
However, the most important feature of the Provence style is relaxed and cozy atmosphere of a country house. The rural simplicity is expressed by the harmony with the nature and special comfortable mood.
Vintage is just an antique stylization without rustic motifs. So, in contrast to the Vintage style, it’s difficult to decorate a city apartment in the Provence style. Thus, these are the main differences between those styles.
Photo Gallery: Provence Style interior design
