How to design an interior in Provençal style

I closely observe the interior design industry and all current trends, seeing how popular Provence is today. Furniture, terracotta, paintings, accessories, flowers and other little things that have nothing to do with this wonderful land are everywhere today. However, they have nothing to do with the Provençal climate, smell and culture. Today I will try to discuss the topic how to design an interior in Provençal style, because there is something to write about. This beautiful region has unfortunately become a phrase and a buzzword used by sellers and manufacturers to push their product.

And this mass use of furniture and accessories absolutely cannot be associated with Provence. This is because everything related to this style should be largely handmade. Because the work of human hands, love for raw materials, as well as a multi-generational approach to creation give us a synonym for things that fit the trend of Provençal villages and cities. These are values ​​that cannot be found in wholesale and mass production, so we should direct our steps to special places where we can find inspiration.

How to design an interior in Provençal style – meeting with a designer

What’s first, so what? Let’s meet a designer who will guide us through this extremely difficult and tedious process in our lives. Because design is not an easy art, especially when it comes to individual styles. If we want to approach this issue holistically, and I believe we will, we should design our entire interior. Architectural breakthroughs, such as a Provencal living room, and a glamorous bedroom is out of the question and it will look bad.

First of all, before meeting our clients, please look for inspiration on the Internet for each interior. This is quite an important element because it significantly narrows our search and shows what our client feels and wants. Additionally, you can try to find and save the colors you like on your phone or computer. And if the client finds a few examples of furniture and accessories, it will be fantastic.

Common denominators – investor vs. designer

Ok, if the client has already found all the necessary inspirations, we arrange a meeting where we spend many hours learning about our expectations regarding the project and the work between the designer and the client. Because if we do not understand each other at the first meeting, it will be difficult to go through the entire process of designing and arranging a house or apartment.

We also take with us a lot of photos, graphics, inspirations and arrangements in the Provençal style. So that the client can see how we feel about this atmosphere, what is important to us and, finally, what we can do for him. You need to know that the client will not always look for and find good examples of the interior design style he wants to follow.

Final budget

For me, the important factor here is to determine a very important issue, namely the budget. This is because if I want to show a client how to design an interior in the Provençal style, I show two ways. The first one is equipped with mass products, the second one is handmade using the highest quality materials. I don’t have to say which one is close to my heart, although today you can make good equipment for reasonable costs.

If the client does not specify a budget, it will be difficult to continue conversations, research and work on the project. Because cross section equipment, furniture and accessories is really huge. So, if we respect each other, it is necessary to determine the price at which the client wants to complete the project and all the equipment.

Functional design – synonymous with customer expectations

Before implementing a functional design, we always have a long first meeting, as I wrote about earlier. The conversation is often combined with a survey where we collect information regarding the investor’s expectations. Design and style are one thing, but everyday life requires functionality, which is why functional design is so important.

Here, an important role of the designer is to step into the shoes of the client who will live in this interior on a daily basis. Provencal-style furniture often has a different structure and function than modern equipment. Therefore, ergonomics and functionality in everyday functioning must come first here.

Modernity versus old atmosphere

Let’s not forget about modern features such as air conditioning, underfloor heating, and finally electronic home control. These are points that must harmonize with the aged interior.Because that’s what Provence is like. And when designing and arranging, we have to combine these two variable things. Of course, it is not an easy matter, but out of love for design, we do what it takes!

If the client does not have projections of his interior, we make an inventory to measure everything for the functional design. Because to see exactly how the furniture and other equipment will stand, we need to look at it from above. The client does not have to be an architect, but he should see the layout of his interior in black and white, along with the proposed equipment.

Arrangement and conceptual design in the design of a Provençal interior

Both functional design, arrangement and conceptual design are closely related. Because now we search for furniture and all other building materials, as well as other decorations that match the customer’s interests. Because we discussed the selection of colors, equipment and other necessary things during the first meetings. But now it’s time to choose it all.

Are different design schools, some start from the top – i.e. from the lighting, others from the bottom – i.e. the floors. But by arranging the sockets and contacts, we can already plan what our Provençal-style lighting will look like. And to be honest, while furniture, accessories and other decorations are not a problem, the lighting in this climate is not entirely clear.

Provencal style lighting

I know that white, whitewashed or artificially aged chandeliers are often mentioned and shown to resemble past centuries. Although most often we can find simply white chandeliers with a lampshade ecru. Of course, such proposals are very standard. In my opinion, someone spends little time if they propose such solutions for a client.

Provence is not only white and lavender, because we can easily include wrought iron, wooden, metal or bronze lighting. I’m all for breaking conventions, so my first suggestion are Provençal metal chandeliers. It is the shape of a cage or an old lantern, which can perfectly fit into this style.

Light or massive?

Here I would like to draw attention to one very important thing – the lighting must be slightly in contrast to the rest of the equipment. Because if we want strong and heavy wrought-iron chandeliers in the Provençal style, the rest of the equipment cannot be in this style. There must be some kind of correlation, heavy furniture – light lighting – usually white, with flower petals. Light French-Provençal furniture – heavy, massive lighting.

Of course, this is my personal variation and we always leave the decision to our clients. Here you can also try white ceramic lamps or wrought iron chandeliers with flower petals. Because Provence means a lot of lavender and various flower petals.

Provencal style furniture

I mainly see accents of white, gray and pattern everywhere. In my opinion, manufacturers do not fully understand how to design an interior in the Provencal style and create photocopies of other brands. Such furniture resembles the Schabby chic or Scandinavian style. And yet Provence is not entirely light in its perception, so you can try elements of aging, heaviness, mass and antiquity and solid wood.

It seems to me that the main material that plays the main role here is natural wood. And they will be the highlight of our living room, bedroom or office. However, there is a lot of Provençal-style furniture on the market made of MDF or other slightly weaker materials. And yet Provence is a scent, and this is what natural wood offers. So let’s look for such solutions.

One style – many solutions on how to design an interior in the Provençal style

I know it’s a budget thing, but wood has a price these days. However, we can have in our home a piece of solid work of human hands that will last for generations to come. Which is also quite important when maintaining and passing on furniture to your children and grandchildren. After all, everyone should have such things with soul.

I also often see Provençal-style sofas with colorful flowers, very charming, but for me a bit too much of an English style. You can experiment with flowers or plants on fabrics, but you have to do it sensitively. The Provencal style gives us many possibilities, so here you need to take into account sofas made of wood, wicker or other heavy materials.

I see that many designers incorporate antique sofas into this style and it is not a mistake – but a deliberate intention. And often it gives really great results. And the antique furniture itself is not difficult to find, there is a lot of it on the market, so we can easily choose a product from the past centuries. Naturally, this must be done with great sensitivity and make sure that the couch or sofa has been renovated. Because it is difficult to order an antique for a client that has not been fully restored.

Colors of Provence – How to design an interior in Provencal style

Here we will find many shades of gray, graphite and ecru – and these should be the dominant colors if we do not know how to design an interior in the Provencal style. You can try to combine it with pink or brown, why not, but it all depends on the color of the walls and lighting. There must be symbiosis and chemistry between this equipment. I still see quilted sofas associated with this style, but it’s probably not exactly what I would see in such an interior.

Therefore, when designing the interior, whether Provençal cabinet we can go crazy and implement completely non-standard furniture. The beaten track is for those who repeat and photocopy, and if we want to have the original, we should go our own way. Always in life, moving along well-trodden steps, we will find what has already been found!

When creating your own Provence style, you can try wrought iron furniture, especially when there is a correlation between a living room with a garden or a living room with a terrace. A lot of old wood, wicker, sawn, aged wood, antique furniture, and finally, currently produced in the old style. The choice is huge today, and the designer should combine it all cleverly.

Accessories, accessories and trinkets for the Provencal interior

We have lighting and furniture, so all we have to do is to dot the i’s. Of course, there is also the issue of carpets, but often in a Provencal house or apartment, old tiles or wooden floors are used. So not everyone wants to cover such rarities.

I’ll start with the table, because that’s where the whole family usually gathers, that’s where we receive guests and spend a lot of our free time. Therefore, it is worth making sure that the plates and other accessories match this style. I immediately suggest the Italian brand Cosi Tabellini, which has the perfect collection and plenty of accessories to equip your dream dining room and living room in the style of Provence.

Their main material is pewter, which refers to times past, a lot of white ceramics combined with this material gives an amazing effect. A very important factor is the fact that their offer is exceptionally wide. So that we can complete our entire collection.

In addition to beautiful plates, they have glasses, glasses, trays, mirrors and many other products that fascinate me every time. They won’t do this in Asia, so I repeat every time, let’s respect and support European manufactures.

If you don’t know yet how to design an interior in the Provencal style, read about ceramics

Generally white ceramics, a bit rural, a bit idyllic, which will refer to this style, will definitely work. On the one hand, heavy and massive, quite thick plates, on the other, light, floral and very fresh. So here, too, the selection should be very individual, tailored to the investor. But I’m in favor of more massive and rustic plates.

When it comes to Provencal style decorations, there is so much of it on the market that it can often be too much. Perversely, when we have too many choices, it is difficult to choose something interesting. I believe that it is better to have one or several ‘strong’ products that will give the atmosphere, rather than a lot of cheap junk – mass-produced cages, frames, vases or other crap.

New vs old accessories – How to design an interior in Provençal style?

A good designer will delve deeper into the topic, find old copper pots in which you can put beautiful plants, antique doors with 18th century, or finally tin vessels that served previous generations. It all depends on the initiative, the so-called designer’s sense of smell and sensitivity to real decorations for a Provençal interior.

Provence loves old things that don’t have to cost a fortune, such as demolition tiles, metal buckets, cast iron stove doors, or maybe wooden parts from demolished houses. And if we want something even more stylish, we should try to find old antique decorations, such as religious figures, figures from churches or metal vessels. There are a lot of them on the market, but let’s entrust this to someone who knows a little about it.

Where to look for good inspiration for a Provençal interior?

I have always focused on brands with class, history and high-quality products, so I invite you to create interiors at the highest level together. You can easily find old antique products, antique furniture, including new ones from Italian or French manufacturers, tiles, fireplaces, and wooden motifs referring to this beautiful style. But most importantly, we will arrange your house or apartment so that it is fully functional and, above all, not a museum.

It’s not an art to pile up a lot of Provençal furniture and decorations, but to put it all together. Moreover, it must be ergonomic and suitable for everyday life. Because our interiors should provide us with shelter, but also comfort while staying there.

That’s why we invite everyone who wants to change a part of their space and feel like in real Provence to contact us. We love to design original, useful and original interiors, so if you want to know how to design an interior in the Provençal style, please contact us – [email protected] or 791 394 349