Gently and comfortably we tell and show with beautiful examples how to create a real Provencal atmosphere in the kitchen.

For many, the kitchen is the heart of the house. Here we not only cook, but also spend a lot of time alone with ourselves and with our loved ones. The interior of this zone should not only be practical, but also beautiful, cozy, inspiring. In this article, we will look at photos of Provence-style kitchens, tell you more about this direction, and also analyze what elements make up a charming rustic interior with a French mood.

Provence style in the kitchen interior

Features

Provence is considered one of the varieties of rustic style along with American country, chalet, rustic, Russian manor. His homeland is the French region of Provence (translated this word means “province”), known for its lavender fields, photos of which everyone has definitely seen. Among all country trends, the provincial French style is the most gentle, cozy and colorful in its own way, with references to Mediterranean interiors.

Most often, a Provence-style kitchen is decorated in the house, although this direction is also suitable for urban apartments, especially in a stylized form. But any version of country music looks most organically surrounded by wildlife and appropriate architecture.

To imagine an interior in the Provencal style, it is enough to recall romantic postcards with images of the French province or your own travel experience. The aroma of spicy herbs and fresh pastries, the salty wind from the sea, the rough surface of the wooden floor, cute trinkets all these associations are perfectly suited for traditional cuisine.

Let’s highlight the main characteristic features of Provence.

Provence-style kitchen design options

Let’s consider how to implement the most striking features of Provence in the kitchen (with photos of real interiors).

Colors

The color scheme reflects the geography of this direction: hot Mediterranean coast, blue sky, sun, flower fields. The basis is necessarily natural light shades, primarily white and beige. They are used for finishing, complementing with brown tones of wood and gray stone. The result is a calm and cozy universal base.

Allowed in the palette bright inclusions (but necessarily also light). Even a large set may not be white, but colored, especially if the space is decorated at the junction of Provence and romantic shabby chic or English country. Suitable for accents or as a second color:

An important point is the color temperature of the entire palette. Warm tones “warm up” the room, and cold ones, on the contrary, “cool down”. At the same time, the cooking zone itself is quite hot. Choose the color scheme so as to create the desired effect. For example, if you often cook, and the windows face south, it is better to use more cool shades: white, light gray, blue, lilac. If you want to make the kitchen more warm and cozy, the palette should be dominated by variations of beige, brown, terracotta, light olive, apricot, etc.

Finishing

Finishing in the cooking area should be practical, so when choosing materials, take into account the features of the room. First of all, this is increased humidity and pollution.

In the French interiors themselves, the walls are finished with stone and wood: mostly just plastered, sometimes additionally painted if you need to adjust the color. Therefore, the most popular choice for the cooking area is waterproof paint or decorative plaster. For the apron, use the same finish or decorate it with tiles. You can use wallpaper, but only those that are suitable for technical characteristics:

Choose models for painting to create the effect of a typical finish for this direction, classic wallpaper is unusual for it. 

The floor can be wooden or stone, tiles or porcelain stoneware are also suitable. The coating should not look too perfect and smooth. Naturalness, a certain texture, a sense of home with history are welcome (even if your Provence-style kitchen is in a small apartment).

The ceiling should create a sense of suburban life, so most often the light canvas is supplemented with beams or decorated with painted wood.

Furniture and appliances

The cooking area and the dining group are two focal points of the room. If it also plays the role of a living room, a seating area is added to them.

The central place in any kitchen is occupied by a set. Its configuration depends on the shape and size of the room. Most often it is double-row, but part of the upper cabinets can be replaced with open shelves, on which dishes and decor will be beautifully arranged. Facades should not be minimalistic in this direction, on the contrary, panels, curly carving, overhead elements, perforation, other furniture decor are welcome. The best material is wood, but you can use high-quality MDF. If space allows, storage in the headset is complemented by a beautiful vintage sideboard (it can also be placed in the living room area) or a rack.

The dining group is represented by a traditional wooden table with chairs. If the room is small, a large rectangular or oval model can be replaced with a small table, as in a cafe. As for the headset, decorative elements are characteristic of dining room furniture. If you stick to country music in its purest form, chairs and a table can be rough, rustic simple. If Provence is mixed with classics or neoclassics, choose more elegant models with thin legs, curved backs, etc.

Modern technology is very out of the aesthetics of this style, so you need to either hide it or pick up stylized retro models. The latter, as a rule, is more complicated and more expensive, so most often they just choose the built-in equipment. The refrigerator and oven can be additionally hidden behind blind facades. Small appliances (kettle, toaster, coffee maker) are selected in the appropriate design now there is a large selection of decoration and colors on the market.

Decor

In French country decor and textiles play a key role: there are a lot of decorations, they are selected with love, fill the space with character and history.

The decor should be diverse, it is not necessary to strive for a complete stylistic identity, as if all the accessories are from the same collection. Each item should be unique, any handmade work is welcome, even if the result is imperfect. Vintage and grandmother’s legacy will also perfectly complement the interior.

So, use it to decorate the kitchen area:

Examples of decor in the Provence-style kitchen are in the photo gallery below.

Much attention is paid to textiles. Light curtains or Roman curtains made of loose fabric (cotton, viscose, linen) are suitable for windows. They can be plain or with a typical pattern: floral, checkered or striped. Kitchen towels, napkins and tablecloths are good to use as bright accents, but if desired, they can also be picked up in a light monochrome palette. Textiles with lace inserts and embroidery on a rustic theme look organically.

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