French style of interior design for a kitchen or kitchen-living room is chosen by many for their love of pastel shades, materials of natural origin, curved lines and graceful lines. This style has many guises, combines the characteristic features of Rococo, Baroque and Empire, but does not look so extravagant.
Choosing direction in design
Professional designers are arguing about whether there is even a French style as such. French-style kitchen design options from the photo can vary significantly from each other, but each of them has certain characteristic elements.
With the course of history, traditional interiors in France have been repeatedly transformed beyond recognition, therefore, to implement such an idea, modern designers are forced to balance between Rococo, Baroque and Empire. And in recent years, the so-called rural style has come into fashion, borrowing the most recognizable elements of the life of French peasants.
HarmonicNot everyone can combine exquisite luxury and elegant negligence in design, so the issue of decorating a French-style kitchen should be approached responsibly.
In any case, it is important to consider that the implementation of the French-style kitchen interior (photos clearly show this) requires sufficient free space, including large windows and high ceilings. It will take a lot of effort to implement the plan, including new wall, ceiling, floor, furniture selection and the most suitable accessories (you may have to look for vintage knick-knacks at flea markets and flea markets).
Characteristic features of style in the interior
French-style cuisine is distinguished by several characteristic elements. The decor usually uses only light pastel colors. Most often it is beige, pale yellow, cream, pale blue, caramel, mother-of-pearl, cream and others. Furniture should be made of natural materials, characteristic shapes and smooth lines are welcome.
Decorative elements are allowed, but their number and location must be carefully considered. An invariable attribute of the interior is gilding, which adorns pieces of furniture, appears in decorative gizmos and is used in architectural details (columns, plinths, and so on). Textile decor - only natural fabrics, characterized by airiness and lightness.
In decoration and furniture, it is better to give preference to environmentally friendly materials: stone, ceramics, wood. Their cost is high, so it is allowed to replace them with high-quality imitations, but also choose environmentally friendly options. In the interior of a modern French-style kitchen, bright contrasts or textures that are very different from each other are not allowed.
Classic French Interior
Classic palace interior is the most demanding and hard to implement direction. To equip the kitchen with the luxury of France of the era of emperors, you will need antique furniture or stylized furniture. The interior is perfectly complemented by characteristic elements: a soft bergere chair instead of hard chairs, a wardrobe for dishes (a low sideboard for storage, decorated with carvings and paintings), a geridon table (graceful table on a sharp leg).
This furniture was common during the time of Louis XV and Marie Antoinette. A low and deep armchair with soft armrests can be placed in a corner or near a window. A dresser wardrobe can be functional, and not just a decorative piece of furniture. In the old days, it was customary to store not tableware, but porcelain and silver. A table with carved legs will fit 3-4 people.
Stylized furniture in the interior
If the budget does not allow buying antique furniture, or the owners still want to embody the French style in the interior of the kitchen, but are not connoisseurs of antiques, then you can simply remove modernity to the maximum. Furniture can be installed stylized as an old tree, with forged details (for example, twisted handles and metalframes for transparent doors), hide kitchen appliances, emphasize the richness with decorative elements imitating gilding.
Color solution and decoration of the room
The richness and luxury of the decor is offset by restraint in the color scheme and decoration of the room. It is better to use warm shades without accents and sharp transitions. Suitable for a French-style kitchen (classic palace) beige, caramel, light yellow, walnut, pink, mint and lilac shades.
Accents are placed only with the help of textiles. In any palace French interior, draperies made of brocade or velvet, silk curtains with ties, textured upholstery of upholstered furniture, cushions on chairs are striking. If there is free space, you can install massive floor vases that will organically complement the French interior.
The surface of the walls can be either smooth or embossed. Suitable plaster, painting, embossed wallpaper. You can place several photographs or paintings decorated in gilded wounds on the walls as decoration. For finishing the floor, natural parquet, high quality laminate or tiles with carpet ornaments are usually used. If you have the opportunity and desire, you should choose something spectacular:
- patinas (tinted material under antique copper);
- craquelure (imitation of cracks);
- brushing (highlighting the natural texture of wood).
Decorative elements and lighting
Basicfurniture takes a stylistic impact, so coziness and harmony can be created by adding suitable details. An antique recipe book on an open shelf, a tall metal coffee pot and coffee grinder that looks like it’s from a century ago, and porcelain storage containers accentuate the French-inspired kitchen.
For general lighting, you can use a chandelier made of expensive glass or natural crystal. Additional lighting in the form of wall lamps-candlesticks is welcome. You can install spotlights, but it is desirable that they be hidden and not attract too much attention.
Defining elements of Provence style
French Provence style cuisine is characterized by simplicity and elegance at the same time. This design allows you to plunge into the atmosphere of good nature, functionality and diligence. There is a place for cute trinkets in the Provence style interior, but all of them will be rustic close to the heart.
Provence style kitchen furniture
Such a kitchen design should emphasize the unity of a person with the natural environment and the desire for hoarding. A sufficient amount of free space will allow to fill the room with air and sunlight, so it’s not worth cluttering up the room with furniture, just a working area with a stove stylized as a traditional oven and a dining table with chairs.
There are no exact requirements for the design of French-style kitchen furniture (design photos confirm this). Can choose as rough woodena dining table with benches covered with a bedspread, and an elegant model with a classic round top. Wicker decor elements will look harmonious, for example, baskets that can be used to store vegetables and fruits, chairs. Chair backs can be protected with fabric covers.
The most common pieces of furniture
Often used in the interior are simple chests of drawers with two doors and one drawer, rounded kitchen appliances (modern stoves resembling stoves), hanging open cabinets or shelves, options with glass doors. A bright colored retro refrigerator without sharp corners can become a real highlight.
Finishing and decoration materials
Materials for a French-style kitchen should be chosen as follows: wood, glazed brick, stone. Brick is suitable for finishing a kitchen backsplash in the work area, and stone or imitation of this material is good for equipping open shelves with bags of dry herbs and earthenware utensils. In general, open shelves are typical for a French-style kitchen. Photos show it might look neat.
All elements in the kitchen design in the French Provence style need to be matched. Usually the interior is dominated by a light background with slight splashes of olive, lilac, turquoise, blue, terracotta shades. This range emphasizes the local natural beauty. Meadow grasses occupy a special place in the design. Floral motifs can diversify the interior:
- in the form of paintingon the ceiling, furniture fronts and utensils;
- in various decor items landscape studies, figurines and panels;
- in all kinds of textile curtains and lampshades, embroidered cushions and protection for chairs.
A characteristic pattern is a contrasting stripe. A small red and white or blue and white check is often used.
A few rustic twists
If a French-style kitchen seems discreet, then you can add a special atmosphere using the following simple tricks:
- place heirloom crockery on open shelves (these can be pretty pieces found at a flea market);
- on the ceiling you can install wooden beams or their decorative imitation;
- lay a homespun carpet or rug on the floor (such decorative rugs are sold in stores today);
- heavy fabrics can be exchanged for light cotton, linen or chintz (all fabric elements must be airy);
- hang a planter with table greens or decorative flowers, dry framed bouquets, bundles of onions or put pots of red pepper.
When choosing any decorative element, it is worth dwelling on your inner attitude. A small French-style kitchen can take on many forms, so there is something for everyone. If you have doubts about your own abilities, you should contact a professional who will tell you how you can successfully transformkitchen.
French-style kitchen-living room
Living or dining rooms combined with a kitchen are often found in French homes. Such options are familiar to the eye, but you can diversify the bored interior. For example, today the actual triple headsets. This is a set of furniture, consisting of a wall zone with a hood, storage cabinets and a stove, an island part with a wide work surface and a zoned area with a narrow and high table top.
Café themed kitchen
Owners of small city apartments can afford a small French-style kitchen. For zoning a small space, a bar counter is suitable that separates the work area. Preference is given to pastel colors, and bright textiles, eye-catching frescoes and decorative elements can be used in details.
Lighting in the dining area should be diffused and non-aggressive. Individual lighting fixtures, reminiscent of candelabra candlesticks, are the best fit. Point bright lighting is allowed in the working area, but modern lamps should be hidden from prying eyes. Modern technology looks harmonious in such an interior, but still choose a stylized stove.
Kitchen-coffee shop or kitchen-pastry shop is an unusual idea. Mandatory elements of such a room are:
- bar counter separating the kitchen and dining area;
- a small dining table is placed close towall or near a window;
- it is better to buy forged chairs, soft pillows are additionally used;
- a wine rack is an important interior detail, although it performs a predominantly decorative function;
- false window is a great option to emphasize the atmosphere (you can simulate a window with photo wallpaper, photo printed glass or a poster);
- large household appliances are best hidden behind cabinet doors, while small ones (coffee grinder, juicer, toaster) are usually displayed in the most prominent place;
- cooking and dining areas are usually separated by flooring (tile for the work area and parquet or laminate for the dining area);
- red in the design (combined with neutral beige, cream or coffee) will convey the atmosphere of Paris, but if this is not a very suitable shade, you can replace it with gray or green.
If the size of the kitchen allows, you can equip an isolated dining area, which will give a feeling of lightness and security. This is a great solution if it is important for the owners to eat food in a calm atmosphere of comfort and peace. Even in a relatively small kitchen, you can optionally place a small isolated table and a soft sofa for relaxing.
