Provence-style houses: the charm of French country in modern architecture

Provence-style houses are gaining more and more popularity, and many prefer this direction. Provence combines simplicity and chic. The architects propose buildings typical of the southern province and stylization with a modern rethink. These developments are mixed with features of related styles, which makes the buildings only better. Knowing the features of the genre, you can arrange a country-style house or a Provence-style cottage with your own hands.

Provence style houses have been and remain very popular among the population.

Demand for "rustic" buildings in the Provence style

What is Provence? This direction belongs to the southern styles. When mentioned, associations arise associated with lavender fields and olive groves, with the romance of bygone centuries and modern tourism. Having visited these places, I want to take home a piece of southern France, along with the backyard, its floral aromas and smells of herbs.

The Provence country house is an example of provincial simplicity combined with elegance

The external simplicity of the French provincial house is emphasized by the low foundation. A certain proportionality can be traced, symmetry is not always observed. The modern version of a country house with a fireplace offers annexes and a large attic or attic. Windows can be decorated with carved wooden shutters that never close, but only exist as a decorative element.

Among the mass of proposals from construction companies, potential customers often choose a house in the Provence style. Photos of facades typical of this provincial style can be found on the Internet, which makes it easier to choose a project. The adjoining terraces and cobbled paths create a special atmosphere.

Probably, somewhere in the depths of the soul, everyone has a craving for village simplicity. At the same time, you want something more sophisticated and refined. This is the typical style of Provencal buildings, organically combining almost incompatible characteristics.

Provence-style houses are usually built from natural materials - stone, wood, brick

French country in modern construction

Arrangement of a small summer cottage or a country house in this style requires compliance with certain rules regarding exterior decoration and interior:

• a combination of a large amount of natural light and soft artificial lighting;
• the use of natural materials: wood, clay, whitewash, ceramic tiles and tiles;
• using typical country textiles (checkered and floral patterns, curtains, capes and curtains with ruffles and frills, bows and ties);
• an abundance of decor typical for the south of France (many fresh flowers, handmade baskets, embroidery, typical Provence pictures depicting village scenes, old houses, figurines of the Gallic rooster);
• the predominance of a calm palette of natural shades;
• use of solid furniture with a touch of antiquity;
• the use of massive doors, natural wood window frames, ceiling beams.

A distinctive feature of the Provence style are large windows

Stylistic elements will bring a special aura that recreates the atmosphere of southern France in central Russia. Although rough stone is not widely used in French-style homes, today it has become the hallmark of the best projects.

Useful advice! To have an exact copy of a provincial estate on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, you will have to turn to specialists in architecture, interior design and landscape design, developing projects for Provence houses.

The French style has several varieties, each province has its own characteristic differences. It can be argued that the Provence style in our view combines the best features of country. In any stylistic direction "variations on a free theme" are permissible, but a Provence-style dacha is always recognizable. It differs in the size of the window openings, the decoration of the facade, the shape of the tiled roof.

The courtyard of a Provence-style house should look natural, with the effect of "neglect"

Provence-style house facade: yard arrangement

In the south of France, houses were built from natural stone and garden paths were created. For this direction, artsy flower beds and rock gardens are uncharacteristic. Rather, the yard should resemble a slightly abandoned area with lavender and meadow grasses, overgrown islets and bushes.

An important attribute is a veranda, terrace or small balcony. Everything is buried in fragrant flowers. It seems that a garden with a flower garden begins at the front door. The vines form a shady gallery along an avenue that goes deep into the garden. Photos of the Provence style in the interior of a wooden house allow you to appreciate its beauty and grace.

It is not necessary to clad the facades of the house under a tiled roof; here it is appropriate to partially bare stone or brickwork. Possible whitewashing or painting of wall fragments. Everything should look neat, a little rustic and rustic. No plastic or high-tech materials - only natural wood:

• Pine;

Typically, the Provence style courtyard is replete with green spaces.

• nut;
• alder;
• ash;
• oak.

A characteristic feature is a low stone foundation, which does not require any obligatory decoration. The cladding is made of wood including doors, veranda and partial wall cladding. Panoramic windows are a tribute to modern architectural research, this is not the heritage of Provence-style houses (photos allow you to make sure of this).

Some buildings are distinguished by large windows with almost floor-to-ceiling windowsills. Often there are balconies on the 2nd floor - in preference a lot of light. They are covered with blackout curtains only on the south side. Once upon a time, colorful curtains with garters and ruffles were in fashion, today they can be replaced with blinds or an almost transparent tulle curtain.

Decorating the courtyard of the house in the Provence style is performed, creating the appearance of a mess

Useful advice! Instead of curtains, it is better to use embroidered curtains or sliding curtains that organically fit into the country style.

In the courtyard there are traditionally annexes, a summer kitchen or an outhouse, a garage and a covered gallery, entwined with grapes or vines.

Provence style wooden house: decoration of a personal plot

There is a noticeable trend towards the revival of wooden buildings stylized in country style. It doesn't have to be a spacious Russian hut with an improved layout, reminiscent of a studio apartment without partitions. Today (judging by the photo of Provence-style wooden houses), buildings are often built in the French manner - these are luxurious chateau or mountain chalet houses with a high stone foundation and a wooden attic. Such projects are characterized by a well-equipped adjacent territory.

Even if it is chalet style house without a stone fence, but with a rather conventional designation of the boundaries of the site, all the same, aesthetics are highlighted. Once in the provinces, aristocrats who fled from Paris from the Inquisition, who raised the bar of beauty in the pastoral outback, aspired to this.

Provence-style houses can be of different sizes, with no more than 3 floors

The porch of a Provence-style country house, if there is no veranda, is often performed without steps - a door with a high threshold and a visor over the entrance. The passage to another part of the palisade is located behind a stone or wooden fence, hung with large pots of flowers. Sometimes family attributes are laid out over a stone crossbar - a coat of arms or a monogram with initials.

Useful advice! When planning to buy a house decorated in this style, it is better to stock up in advance with suitable pots, stands for flower pots, large tubs for large plants.

Usually on the sides of the massive door there are large flowerpots made of natural materials with large-flowered plants. They are often replaced by a dwarf thuja with a screw trim. The overall impression is that each courtyard is furnished by an experienced gardener. This is probably why every photo of village houses with French charm evokes a sense of genuine admiration.

Stone railings and large planted tubs help to highlight the main accents in the yard

Provencal homes in landscaping and wilderness

Buildings in the spirit of Provence fit well into the picturesque landscape of central Russia. Affects the generality of the country style in different geographic locations of the planet. The building is somewhat reminiscent of a ranch, a hunting lodge, Finnish buildings with a sauna and Japanese houses with a traditional rock garden.

The future owner of the land acquired for the construction of a beautiful country house should not worry about how this French charm will fit into the Russian outback. The only thing that experts recommend is to abandon any pomp and pretentious elements. Although wealthy customers often want a spacious cottage that looks more like a European villa, but decorated in the spirit of southern France.

Important! Much in the culture of landscape design is borrowed from the traditions of Provence. The courtyard among endless lavender fields looks both well-groomed and a little deserted.

Most often, the landscape design of Provence-style houses is simple and unpretentious.

There is a sense of freedom in all this variety of trimmed shrubs, globular thuja and wild bushes of lavender and spicy herbs.

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Features of the architecture. How to decorate the building facade and interior. How to choose textiles, light and furniture.

The general harmony will not be broken:

• hedges;
• fruit trees;
• berry bushes;
• ridges located along the garden alleys;
• ivy and wild grapes at the walls of the house;
• climbing roses and other plants;
• group planting of dahlias and chrysanthemums along the stone fence.

Useful advice! It is better to entrust landscape design to a professional who specializes in this style direction.

Provence is a very peculiar style, not like the others. Versailles and Peterhof, where French developments of those times were used, were built differently. Chateau and chalets look different - modern types of private houses, practiced around the world as a European model.

Also, when decorating the surrounding landscape in the Provence style, flower arrangements and rock gardens are used.

Provence style interior in a private house: interior design

A feature of the Provencal house is a low foundation and the absence of a basement level. Often there is no porch or veranda, so a stone path from the garden leads directly to the front doors. These buildings are solid and solid, and there is always an aura of tenderness and romance in the room.

Using photos of the interiors of country houses, it is easy to arrange interior rooms in the Provence style and bring them in line with the exterior design. The houses inside are much more interesting, each room is a separate example of a thoughtful interior with retro elements. The person entering sees that there are no valuable things and objects, but there is a feeling that everything here is dear to the owner's heart. One feels that a lot has been inherited, as is clearly shown in the photo of the interiors of Provence-style houses that are on the Internet.

Brick, wood and stone are not only the basis for construction. These materials also prevail in interior decoration, although options such as plaster, whitewash and ceramic tiles can be used.

Provence style interior assumes the presence of natural materials in the decoration of walls, floors and ceilings

Important! In a modern interpretation of the country style, light plaster is used as decoration. It can expose part of the brickwork or stone wall, but this is not typical for traditional Provence style interiors.

In the houses made in the Provence style, everything is done with a kind of reverent love for their village roots. Vintage and antiques are held in high esteem.

Characteristic features of old Provencal houses

In the southern provinces, houses are most often built in 2-3 floors, where the upper one will be either traditional or attic type. Instead of windows on the second floor, you can often see small balconies filled with flowers that compensate for the modest exterior of the house. Architectural elements are often present on the top floor:

• columns and semi-columns;
• balustrades;
• balusters with carving.

For the exterior decoration of Provence-style houses, stone, plaster, wood and other natural materials are used.

Windows on the lower and upper floors may differ in format - some are higher and narrower, while others are wider, approaching panoramic openings. The bedrooms are usually located at the top. The lower windows are usually open; on a hot afternoon, they are closed with horizontal blinds.

Regardless of whether it is a modest design or a very beautiful Provence style home interior, minimalism is welcomed in the decoration. The upper floor ceilings are often combined with the attic - it simply does not exist. Instead, there are spacious rooms or some kind of attic. Rural houses in France have bare ceilings, but it is in untreated timber that has its own charm.

Useful advice! To give more naturalness to a country house, made in the spirit of Provence, ceiling beams are used as decor, especially if it is a kitchen or dining room. Bundles of onions and garlic, bunches of lavender and herbs often hang from them.

One of the fundamental features of the Provence style is shuttered windows

In these buildings, doors, mounted on forged hinges, are always made of solid wood. When finishing with wood, different types of processing are used: grinding, painting and varnishing.Wood is also used as partitions, for example, separating the kitchen from the living room or dining room.

The general atmosphere of coziness in the design of the house in the Provence style is created by a little rough furniture that imitates handmade products. In the villages, each owner of the house owned an instrument and tried to do a lot with his own hands.

Facing materials in the interior of a country house in the style of Provence

When decorating European buildings in country style, natural wood of different shades is used to make the following elements:

• floorboards;
• ceiling beams;
• wall panels;
• window frames;
• door frames.

The interior decoration is distinguished by simplicity both in the selection of furniture and in the general setting

Woodcarving and wickerwork are traditional crafts. Often, the interior is decorated with a dining set, where the high backs of chairs are decorated with wicker or carving. Solid semi-chairs with armrests are repainted many times, then covers or capes with ties and ruffles are sewn on them, which is also typical for a Provence-style interior in a wooden house.

In modern buildings, synthetic analogs are used, since natural materials are more expensive. Today in hypermarkets and catalogs the easiest way to buy:

• flexible stone;
• wood (veneered) wallpaper;
• porcelain stoneware;
• wild stone;
• polymer marble;
• cast granite;
• decorative plaster imitating natural materials.

Provence-style interiors often have folk antique motifs in decor

Useful advice! Using budget analogues of natural raw materials, it is easy to save money by undertaking transformations in your Provence-style houses. Photos of design options will help you decide on the choice of suitable materials.

Along with wood, clay is actively used in the form of natural plaster, ceramic or mosaic tiles and tiles. Although today roofs are covered with metal shingles, which are noticeably different from their natural counterparts, most likely, shingles will soon go out of use. In Europe, it is mainly used to emphasize a certain charm of antiquity or to recreate the style of country in architecture.

The color scheme of the interior of a wooden house in Provence style

Buildings in the European hinterland are a kind of hymn to nature in all forms. These are soft shapes and natural materials, pastel shades and floral ornaments. In the past, chalk and lime whitewashing was performed in rural houses. In the twentieth century, they began to mix in blue, hence the bluish color of the walls. Later, whitewashing began to be replaced:

• water emulsion;
• interior varnishes and paints;
• enamels adapted to different surfaces.

Textiles for decoration and furniture decoration, as a rule, are chosen with bright prints or patterns.

The Provencal interior does not accept painting walls in bright or dark shades. Even if these colors are typical for the area, they are diluted with pastel, delicate tones. The priority is the light background:

• white;
• milk (creamy);
• nude (bodily);
• light beige;
• sand;
• ivory;
• light pink;
• light lilac;
• pearl gray.

The following colors are recommended to replace black in drawings, ornaments and linear contrasts:

• blue;
• burgundy;
• eggplant;
• blackberry;
• dark green.

Provence style comes from the provinces, so design with a "rustic" touch is the norm

Looking through the photos of beautiful houses inside, it is easy to notice that the color shades of average saturation are used as an accent:

• aquamarine;
• lavender;
• pistachio;
• mustard;
• pumpkin;
• orange;
• purple;
• terracotta;
• ocher;
• yellow;
• thick blue;
• muted red.

Bright curtains on windows and doorways with accessories are one of the recognizable features of the Provence style.

Finishing materials do not differ in bright colors, variegated textures and patterns. As for textiles and decor, they give free rein to imagination.Checkered tablecloths and flowered curtains, typical of this style, set the mood. Small floristic patterns and large patterns migrated to wallpaper, tiles, homespun rugs and furniture textiles. All tones of the provincial landscape are reflected in the Provence style. In the interior of a country house (the photos allow you to make sure of this clearly), there are light graceful lines, light shades and decor typical for a cozy country house.

The choice of furniture for individual rooms in Provencal houses

An all-season kaleidoscope of flowers in transparent vases and decanters, small porcelain vases and ceramic pots is a common feature common to all rooms, including the hallway, stairwells and the bathroom. When there are no more flowers in the garden, they are replaced by dry compositions with spikelets, indoor plants and floral patterns in the decor.

The spacious hall (or hallway) is filled with light. The hall can smoothly transition into the dining room, combined with the kitchen, so the floors are most often made of the same material - high-quality moisture-resistant laminate (wooden board in a modern interpretation), on the walls - painted plaster.

Interior furniture in Provence style should have smooth soft shapes

An abundance of light and flowers everywhere - these are the main features of the Provencal style. Windows, as a rule, have some kind of curtains; blinds are used in summer. Of the furniture, mandatory attributes are a large hanger with a shoe shelf, wrought iron or wooden upholstered furniture.

Useful advice! Do not bother yourself with choosing the right furniture. Any Provencal-style headset can be selected from specialized catalogs.

The favorite room of Provence-style interior designers is the living room. In the south of France, it often serves as a dining room. All efforts of decorators and owners are directed to its arrangement. The special chic and simplicity of furnishings is the hallmark of the interior atmosphere. Kitchen racks and display-type sideboards stylized as old sideboards are appropriate in a modern interpretation. Small armchairs and sofas, upholstered in plain textiles, complement the ambiance.

Very often, antique styling is used in decor and furnishings.

Arrangement and decoration of secondary rooms

In catalogs, Provence-style bedroom sets are always the most popular. There is some kind of stylistic symbiosis in them - romanticism and retro, country and shabby chic... Having picked up a bed, bedside tables and a wardrobe, they get a practical environment. It remains to sew a small canopy over the head of the bed, typical for the European hinterland, a patchwork quilt and curtains with ruffles. Everything is arranged as shown in the photo of beautiful country houses.

The children's room should have good furniture, a bed with wooden backs, where they artificially create the effect of antiquity - with cracks and scuffs. For two children, bunk beds or a whole complex with a storage system and a working area with shelves are appropriate. Upholstered furniture is selected in accordance with the age characteristics and personal needs of the child, it is changed every 3-4 years, as they grow older.

Useful advice! Children's personal space should not be cluttered with furniture. Better to leave enough free space for movement and play.

Provence style allows you to harmoniously transfer the spirit of southern France into the modern design of houses and apartments

Much attention is paid to the arrangement of the bathroom, it is always spacious in the European province. A wooden bathtub (if you can get it) is a special chic style. It was in a wide hollowed-out bathtub that people bathed a couple of centuries ago in Europe. Modern colored sanitary ware, for example, olive or lavender tones, will harmoniously blend into the atmosphere, if you choose the appropriate decor and accessories.

The Provencal style can be very versatile in the design of the kitchen and dining room.In any catalog there are kitchen sets that correspond to this style, characterized by simplicity of execution, natural materials of manufacture and natural range. An exquisite table set will organically complement a handmade tablecloth crocheted in the fillet technique, or do-it-yourself napkins with embroidery. Ceramic dishes, earthenware cups, porcelain vases with fresh flowers, wooden utensils - all this diversity fits perfectly into the interior of the house in the Provence style.

Currently, the Provence style is very popular. Warm, saturated with light colors, the interior has a pacifying effect on a person, helps to relax, rest after a working day, creates a special, light atmosphere, fills the room with comfort and tranquility.