The word "Provence" breathes romance. However, this is not something naive, like bows, roses or toy kittens, but the warm charm of simplicity, home comfort, the breath of nature itself. Provence is just perfect for small country houses and solid cottages. But also for city apartments, the owners of which want to relax every evening in a simple and very cozy atmosphere, Provence is perfect. And this style is also for those who adore antique furniture, which has the "stamp" of age on their facades: cracks, scuffs, stains of peeling paint. Some look for Provence living room furniture in antique stores and high-end sales, and some in the homes of grandmothers and aunts. Moreover, the older such dressers or creaky chairs, the better for a style that emphasizes not innovations and original cabinet solutions, but venerable age and antiquity.
For city apartments whose owners want to relax every evening in a simple and very cozy environment, Provence is perfect
Advantages of antique furniture
Someone, hearing about antiquity and cracks, will decide that such furniture is the lot of those who cannot afford anything new. In fact, living room sets in a country-style are often purchased with "aged" modern methods and not at all for little money: this is how much the true spirit of noble antiquity is appreciated in this style. But it will be even more fortunate if the main room of a house or apartment is furnished with real old furniture, inherited, for example, or transported from the real family estate. And such furniture has a lot of advantages:
Today, many designers are working exclusively to "age" whole furniture lines "for Provence" as naturally as possible. And this trend is incredibly popular, since age, even if artificial, is highly valued in the interior. It can be difficult to buy such furniture, but looking in the house of grandparents is quite real: the find will become the pride of the owner of the living room, fill the room with charm and special warmth.
One of the main advantages of Provence furniture is its naturalness. Almost all of it is made of wood, and expensive varieties, certainly light shades. If the family set has a dark shade, you can paint it: this stylization will make it look very "French".
In such furniture, the special effect of "burnout" is appreciated, and each element of the natural texture of the wood is emphasized and distinguished. You can use varnish or wax for this. After such treatment, the chest of drawers will look as if it had been standing on the sunny side of the backyard in some Provencal wilderness all its life, surrounded by lavender and jasmine bushes. Carving, expensive fittings, forging elements to a large extent decorate the facades of "provincial" furniture. And they do not look trite, boring or trivial, but stylish and expensive, despite the fact that simplicity and tranquility are valued in Provence. Natural structure, light tones and the breath of history that tune in a contemplative and philosophical mood - this is the kind of magic such headsets conceal in themselves.
Provence style living room furniture should be exclusively wooden. You can also find wicker items, a rocking chair, for example. If you are not lucky enough to find furniture in white or pastel shades, you can paint it in the appropriate colors. More often they choose milky, pale pink, blue, slightly greenish shades for this. Old furniture that has a half-century history will be especially appreciated. And any of its facade "flaws" - scuffs, creaking hinges, cracked cracks - will only decorate. Such elements of "decor" are emphasized in every possible way, highlighting with special processing, or they are added artificially. Fortunately, there are an infinite number of options for how and how to "age" furniture.
White furniture in the living room in the style of Provence
The birthplace of Provence - southern France. He has a special airy manner, grace, breathes, as if he shines with something kind, soft, weightless. This style simultaneously refers to both the classics and the French ethnos. And white furniture is his calling card. Just looking at the ultra-white facades of dressers and walls, the light "frame" of upholstered sofas and armchairs, any connoisseur of style will say: "This is French Provence.". The fact is that white is not just an established classic. It looks incredibly airy, light, as if it exudes light, charm, warm vibes. Such furniture has:
The white country color "in French" deprives the furniture of its heavy weight, powerful bulkiness, solidity, allows it to float, significantly expanding the space. Some consider white to be too sterile, cold, but it is Provence that fills it with special warmth and comfort, combined with royal elegance. Therefore, if you want your living room to look like it is in a French villa, furnish it with white furniture, combined with pastel-floral palette in the walls and soft upholstery of sofas.
Style basics
So, it is clear: Provence does not tolerate dark colors, various innovations, glass, plastic, any synthetic materials. Only light, pastel, milky, white shades, only old or artificially "aged" furniture. When furnishing a living room in the French country style, you should pay attention to the following important points:
Among other things, the living room will not be itself without additional decor. It must be filled with family photos, porcelain and ceramics, designer dolls, baskets, vases, deadwood compositions. An unconditional highlight of such a room can be a large cage with birds, vases with natural flowers, a fireplace (ideally, with real crackling logs). Furniture for the Provence living room must necessarily be upholstered - this is the best place for an afternoon light sleep near the fireplace. Its upholstery should have a floral color, but not bright, not biting the eyes, but restrained, neutral and warm. For upholstery, you should choose only natural tapestry-type materials. Legs, backs should be gracefully curved, with elements of carving, forging.
Provence style living room wall
Not a single living room, especially one made in the Provence style, can do without the main element - without a wall. This is the perfect turnkey solution for the main room in the apartment. And French country is no exception. Most often, for Provence living rooms, headsets with a single height of elements are chosen, slides differing in different lengths of parts are not customary to use. The very name "wall" does not imply the installation of one piece of furniture. Therefore, in country living rooms you can often find modular headsets with a special "antique" stylization.
However, if it is not possible to install real antique furniture or factory, artificially aged sets, you can add an existing chest of drawers or sideboards for a couple of decades yourself.
This can be done mechanically (with special tools) or thermally (with a blowtorch). And from the materials for such a process, you should prepare acrylic paint, matte glaze (polyurethane), oil or water varnish, sandpaper, special stencils. And after a very short period of time in your living room there will be a wall stylized in true French country, giving the impression that it has belonged to your family for several generations.
