Some tips for painting furniture yourself

The Provence design direction is a variation of French country. Furniture in this style has a simple but elegant, unusual appearance, is light and beautiful. It is characterized by laconic lines, floral decor, and attention to detail. A Provence style sofa can be an excellent solution for your home or apartment - a warm, cozy and multifunctional product. It will, without a doubt, decorate the interior of any room and become a real highlight.

Features of a sofa in Provence style

It is unlikely that you will come across a sofa in the Provence style with luxurious finishing; the lack of pathos is the main distinguishing feature. They are characterized by strict lines, and for their production they take natural fabric of soft shades.

For the upholstery of Provence sofas, only natural fabric is used.

A sofa in Provence style has the following features:

• material of manufacture – solid wood, it is also possible to use metal for originality;
• varnishing the wooden parts of the sofa;
• For upholstery, only natural fabrics are used, the color scheme consists only of light shades, floral prints are possible;
• small parts and carvings are used as decorative elements (forged elements are also found);
• the back is rounded, small legs have a curved shape;
• the presence of a large number of pillows and other accessories of a similar color.

Sofa in Provence style made of natural wood.

This is interesting! In terms of price, kitchen sofas are a little more expensive, since higher demands are placed on the upholstery material. It must be easy to clean and withstand moisture and temperature changes.

Aging furniture in the Provence style with your own hands, how to paint?

Modern furniture stores offer a huge selection of furniture in a modern style. But an increasing number of buyers prefer to make Provence furniture with their own hands. The reason is simple: modern style, especially its most fashionable trends like hi-tech and minimalism, is not to everyone’s liking.

The interiors seem faceless and uncomfortable, but if you want to relax your soul at home, then you have to choose another option. This is when less functional and modern, but so cozy, Provence-style solutions come to the rescue.

Cozy interior of a house in Provence style

History and characteristics of Provence

The Provence style direction was formed in one of the provinces of France, from which it got its name. It is believed that Provence as a style was formed in the 19th century, although the first prerequisites for its emergence began to appear 200 years earlier - at a time when cities were actively developing in France.

Despite the simplicity of the solutions and “rustic” origin, Provence was considered an elite style

Even then, some people were tired of the endless bustle of cities, and they sought, if not to change their place of residence, moving closer to nature, then at least to give their apartments and estates a rural charm. Despite the simplicity of the solutions and “rustic” origin, Provence was considered an elite style. This is the solution that families of lawyers and large industrialists preferred to decorate the rooms of.

The main elements of Provence were:

• openness;
• use only natural materials;
• light, “sunny” colors;
• ease.

Provence is characterized by certain details that allow you to create the right mood in the room. First of all, a massive floor, which will only emphasize the lightness of decorative elements and furniture. To create a similar effect, wood or stone is traditionally used as flooring, but it is acceptable to use tiles that imitate natural materials.

Furniture should look like antique

The walls in the premises are not covered with wallpaper. Instead, ordinary brick or stone masonry, carelessly painted or plastered, is used.

The main focus in Provence is on furniture. First of all, it must be old. However, a new one will do, if you first aging the furniture in the Provence style with your own hands. In any case, the furniture should look like antique.

As for decorative items, they need to be selected very carefully and their placement carefully thought through so as not to “overdo it.” Sometimes one simple napkin is enough to give a certain mood.

What should Provence style furniture be like?

As already mentioned, the Provence style dictates two basic rules regarding the furniture used: it should be made of natural materials and with forged metal decorations. Chrome fittings, glass parts, modern wardrobes - all this is absolutely not suitable for such an interior. Therefore, it is better to purchase ready-made furniture or make furniture in the Provence style with your own hands.

All components of the interior are traditionally kept in light colors, less often bright colors are used

All components of the interior are traditionally kept in light colors; bright colors are rarely used. The facades are decorated with bright drawings depicting landscapes, plants, animals or still lifes. Wicker chairs, intricate carvings, antique cabinets and chests, tables and chairs with carved legs, forged cornices - all this will convey the unique atmosphere of the French province. Beds for a Provence style bedroom require the simplest design, but with unusual carved or forged motifs.

As for upholstered furniture, the same rules apply here as for other interior elements. The frames of armchairs and sofas are usually kept in light colors - cream or beige. And you can transform it very simply - with the help of fabric. It must be pleasant to the touch, soft, and in calm colors. Drawings with plant motifs or geometric shapes are welcome.

Bed for a bedroom in Provence style

Furniture aging techniques

There are a huge number of ways to age new furniture, so you can choose the most convenient one. Aging furniture in the Provence style with your own hands allows you to end up with interior elements that will look exactly the same as genuine antique items, but will cost much less.

Ammonia for aging furniture

All methods are divided into 3 groups:

• mechanical aging involves artificially causing scratches, chips, cracks and abrasions on the surface of furniture;
• with thermal, an antiquity effect is created due to the effect of open fire on the surface of the furniture;
• chemical involves treating the surface with stain, craquelure varnish, and ammonia.

If desired, any of these methods allows you to quickly get Provence furniture with your own hands without spending too much effort. But with any processing method, you must first prepare the furniture. This process is also not complicated - just clean the surface and remove all fittings, removable shelves and drawers to make access to the furniture easier.

Bedside table using decoupage technique

All old varnish or paint must be removed from the surface using fine-grit sandpaper. Then the furniture must be thoroughly rubbed with paraffin, without missing a single area. You need to rub, moving along the line of the wood grain.

Then the entire surface must be covered with one or more layers of paint. Aerosol paints are well suited for this, as they allow you to evenly paint the surface, treating all the cracks and hard-to-reach places. Only after this can you begin to age the surface.

Methods for aging furniture

To choose how to age the surface, you can take a look at the master class on making Provence furniture with your own hands.

Paraffin for aging furniture

In order to visually age the furniture, after treatment with paraffin and staining, it will be enough to wipe the surface with a sponge.

Important! It is important not to overdo it here, since if there are too many “bare” areas, the effect will not be achieved.

After such processing, it is necessary to consolidate the result. To do this, you need to treat the furniture with one or two layers of varnish.

Another way to make Provence furniture with your own hands is to use “steel wool”, which is sold in the hardware department. This material is also called steel wool and is intended specifically for polishing furniture.

Black steel wool for furniture processing

For processing you will need black steel wool. The surface needs to be prepared - remove the old coating and re-paint (as in the first case). Then use metal wool to “walk” over the surface with confident movements. The result will be a layer of “soot.” After this, wipe with a damp cloth so that some of the “soot” is partially erased, then wipe with a dry cloth. You will get beautiful “scuffs”. The fittings need to be treated in exactly the same way.

An original way to get furniture in the Provence style is to age it using crackle varnish. Two-component varnish must be applied in at least 2 layers using a brush with natural bristles. The more layers there are, the more cracks will result. The varnish should be left to dry for 40 minutes. You can speed up drying by using a hair dryer. The cracks need to be treated with dark oil-based paint or bitumen, then apply another layer of varnish, but this time regular one.

Painting furniture in Provence style

Before decorating, sometimes it is necessary to update the appearance of old furniture. Painting is quite suitable for this. Using the same method, you can hide the material from which the furniture façade is made that is “inappropriate” for the Provence style.

The Provence style is characterized by light, muted tones.
If the furniture is old, then all surface imperfections must first be eliminated. If there is already an old layer of paint, it must be removed, otherwise the surface will be uneven. In addition, the old paint will begin to crumble over time, so the table (or other piece of furniture) will not be pleasing with its attractive appearance for a long time. You need to remove old paint using sandpaper. You can use coarser grains first, and then finer ones. It is better to unscrew the handles and all fittings so that you can treat the area underneath them.

Typically, the Provence style is characterized by light, muted tones - beige, cream, light gray. Facades, surfaces, corners and internal shelves must be painted very carefully, without leaving untreated areas. After the paint has dried, the surface can be coated with a layer of varnish. Let the varnish dry and then wipe the surface with a dry cloth.

Sandpaper for removing old paint from furniture

Clean furniture handles with a steel brush, wipe well and return to their place.

If the design includes internal drawers, then you need to put a piece of matching fabric on the bottom and secure it well with glue.

Technique for decoupage furniture in Provence style

After aging, you can additionally decorate the furniture in the Provence style with your own hands. Decoupage will look good on new furniture and will add charm to familiar old furniture. You don't need artistic ability to complete all the steps.

Plant motifs, pictures with pets, flower bouquets, still lifes and rural landscapes are best suited for the Provence style. You
don’t need to draw the images yourself; you can pick them up on the Internet, for example in handicraft groups, or purchase special napkins with a pattern. If the drawing is to be printed, it is better to do it on a laser printer, otherwise the colors will wash out.

Important! Plant motifs, pictures with pets, flower bouquets, still lifes and rural landscapes are best suited for the Provence style.

If the surface has already been artificially aged, then you can immediately proceed to applying the image. If not, first prepare the surface in the usual way: remove old paint with sandpaper, apply light paint and wait until it dries.

You don’t need to draw the images yourself; you can pick them up on the Internet, for example in handicraft groups, or purchase special napkins with a pattern

To decoupage furniture in the Provence style with your own hands, you need to prepare:

• drawing;
• glue stick (you can use PVC glue instead);
• sponge (regular, intended for washing dishes);
• scissors;
• varnish

The selected design must be cut out, a small amount of glue applied to the back and applied to the surface. If necessary, remove any remaining adhesive by gently blotting with a sponge.

Decoupage will look good on new furniture and will add charm to familiar old furniture.

Let the glue dry. In the first hour after gluing, air bubbles sometimes appear. To make them smaller, before applying the glue, the pattern can be placed in water for a few seconds. Your hands should also be slightly damp while gluing. It is important to notice and eliminate bubbles in time so that the drawing does not deteriorate. After this, rub gently with sandpaper next to the drawing to make abrasions. Apply a layer of varnish to the surface, and after drying, apply patina powder in several places. Apply 2 more layers of varnish to consolidate the result.

The desired decoupage effect can be achieved in another way. To do this, you will need fabric with a bright floral pattern to upholster the furniture with. Complete with forged elements and stylish fittings.

Furniture painting in Provence style

The most complex and time-consuming method of decoration is painting furniture in the Provence style with your own hands. In this case, the ability to draw beautifully will be useful and will make the work easier. And yet, the efforts will pay off: the furniture will acquire a special French charm and become truly unique.

The most complex and time-consuming way to decorate is to paint furniture in the Provence style with your own hands.
Before you get to work, you need to select a pattern sample and select paints. Acrylic paints of white and one color close to white, but several tones darker, are suitable for painting.

First you need to paint the surface in two layers. It is necessary to paint it white, and a darker second layer.

After painting furniture in the Provence style with your own hands, you need to wait until the paint has dried completely, and you can apply drawings to the facades and sides. You need to draw a sketch with a pencil, but before painting, be sure to rub the contours a little, since after painting the pencil is sometimes noticeable. Apply a layer of oil varnish on top and wait 3.5 hours. After this, apply water-soluble varnish. If you then blow a little hairdryer over the surface of the drawing, it will turn out slightly blurred.

Acrylic paints of white and one color close to white, but several tones darker, are suitable for painting.

You can decorate the façade of Provence furniture with your own hands using gold paint. Small sparkles can be made using a regular brush. You need to apply the paint carefully, it is important not to overdo it. An abundance of gold paint will only spoil the appearance of the furniture.

When the varnish is completely dry, all that remains is to add handles that match the style. After this, you can consider that the decoration is finished. On a table decorated in this way, you can place a nice vase with flowers, a lamp with a fabric lampshade, or any other accessories in the Provencal style.

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Characteristics of Provence style

The Provence style in the interior has distinctive features, thanks to which it acquires a special charm and charm. It is dominated by:

• light and creamy vanilla shades;
• floral print;
• the presence of ruffles and various decorative elements.

Provence sofas are found in pastel colors and with floral prints.

Walls and floors usually have light shades. It is preferable to lay parquet on the floor or make it wooden. The walls are plastered or painted, again, using exclusively pastel colors. If you want to wallpaper in this style, choose light ones with a floral pattern.

For Provence, lighting is of great importance: it should be bright and natural.

It is worth choosing forged chandeliers or antique lamps.

Interior design in Provence style.

To ensure there is enough light in the room, choose curtains that are light, transparent, with ruffles and patterns.

Furniture in the Provence style should be comfortable and functional, creating a certain image. Chairs, tables, cabinets, sideboards in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom should be carved, elegant, but at the same time look slightly shabby, as if they were made many years ago.

The furniture is also chosen in light shades, the table can be covered with knitted napkins, and a vase of flowers can be placed on it.

Furniture in the Provence style should be comfortable and of high quality.

A Provence style kitchen is the main place in the house. There is work going on here all the time: soup is being boiled, pies are being baked, meat is being prepared. Therefore, the kitchen interior always has a lot of cabinets and dishes, baskets of fruit and flowers. An excellent option would be to choose a wooden sofa for the kitchen with soft upholstery in the Provence style.

Kitchen design in Provence style with floral curtains.

Color and decor options

Soft sofas in Provence style are made in light pastel colors. The most commonly used shades are milky, blue, sand, turquoise, olive and beige. Sofas in this style are not characterized by pretentiousness and brightness. They are laconic but gentle. Part of this interior is an abundance of decorative elements:

1. Textile capes that can be decorated with tucks and small ruffles. Sofas are covered with special covers with floral prints, flared at the bottom. In addition, knitted capes made from discreet natural threads look beautiful on furniture.
2. Carriage tie on the soft part of the sofa and furniture nails.
3. Pillows that can have different sizes. As for color, it is not necessary to choose solid colors. They may differ from the general interior in the intensity of the shade, but must be in the same range.
4. Backrests and armrests.

If you can’t decide on the shade of the furniture, you can give preference to the universal white color. It will fit perfectly in any room.

Provence style is suitable for romantic natures, connoisseurs of naturalness and naturalness, lovers of soft, graceful lines. The advantage of the furniture is its small size and functionality. It can be installed in any room: in the living room, in the kitchen, in the nursery. This sofa will give you a feeling of warmth and comfort.

A variety of sofas in Provence style

When choosing a sofa for a kitchen in Provence style, you can choose from different options. There are several types based on appearance and functionality. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Corner sofas

In order to save space, this model is often chosen for small kitchens. The shape of the corner sofa can be either standard or rounded. The last option is great for filling bay windows.

Corner sofa in Provence style.

Forged sofas

Outwardly, it looks soft, light and elegant, but at the same time quite durable and stable. This is an ideal option for a country house with spacious rooms.

Forged sofa with table in Provence style.

Sliding sofas

This model can be transformed, allowing for additional seating. Suitable for a spacious kitchen.

Sofa-ottoman

The dimensions of this product are small; a characteristic feature is the absence of a backrest and armrests. Convenient due to the presence of pillows and bolsters of different shapes and sizes. A narrow sofa will fit harmoniously into a small room.

Sofa ottoman in the Provence kitchen.

Classic sofas

The model is characterized by a rectangular shape and a convex high back. They can be with armrests, there are options without them. The frame is made of solid wood and has two or more seats. Soft upholstery is used for the back and seat.

Classic sofa in the design of a kitchen-living room in Provence style.

Sofa

Low sofa in Provence style, ideal for the kitchen. Its peculiarity is the location of the backrest along with the armrests.

Types of designs

A Provencal style wardrobe is a product that can be recognized by its light color scheme, laconic geometric lines, elegant and at the same time rich decor. The main idea of ​​the direction - creating an image of the French province - leaves a rich field for the implementation of any design ideas. There is furniture that has retained the natural color of wood, painted in pastel colors, decorated with painting, decoupage or stucco.

Provence style cabinets can be of different shapes, designs, and contents. You can choose a suitable model for storing small or large items. If it is difficult to immediately decide what items the cabinet will be used for, it is better to choose a product with compartments of different sizes and a rod.

Clothes

Wardrobes are used to store clothes. They are characterized by the presence of high legs, which visually makes these bulky products lighter. Closers add smoothness to swing doors and drawers. Carvings and applied elements are used as decoration. Less common are options with sliding compartment-type doors. A mirror can be placed on one of the facades.

How to choose the right wall cabinet, useful tips

Dining rooms and kitchens

Kitchen and dining room cabinets differ from others in a large number of sections of different sizes - open narrow or wide niches, drawers, shelves. In such furniture you can store everything - from pots and pans to porcelain cups, from groceries to spices. If you want to leave the dishes in sight, it is better to choose a model with partial glazing. The facades of such products are often decorated with floral paintings and carvings.

If the entire kitchen is decorated in light colors, you can dilute the interior with a pastel blue cabinet - the color will fit perfectly into the Provence style, and additional decor will add harmony to the room.

Book

Manufacturers of bookcases rarely play with color - they usually use furniture in natural wood tones. Solid, solid, such products can be either completely open or mixed - some of the shelves leave books in sight, some allow you to protect them from dust. There are more expensive models with locking systems, which ensures careful storage of literature; it is no longer afraid of humid or too dry air.

For children's

Despite the fact that the Provence style is dominated by restrained tones, in the case of children's wardrobes you can deviate a little from this rule. Among other examples of the Provencal style, this furniture can be recognized by the decor of the facades. Sometimes manufacturers even put images of children's cartoon characters or fairy tales on them. The carvings, curly monograms, slits instead of handles and the color scheme are reminiscent of Provence - you won’t find flashy, catchy shades here.

For a boy's room, blue, olive, light green or brown cabinets are usually chosen. For a child's girl - pink, lavender, beige, creamy tones of furniture.

Typically these are cabinets of mixed functionality; they have compartments and niches for storing various items: shelves for clothes and shoes, a bar with hangers, as well as drawers for storing bedding and toys. Thanks to this structure, the child’s room can not be filled with unnecessary furniture, leaving space for the necessary air in the Provence style and more space for play.

For the bathroom

Since the Provencal style gives preference to space, cabinets are installed exclusively in large bathtubs. Most often these are white Provence cabinets, but you can choose a model to match the color of the plumbing if the room is decorated in beige, yellow or other pastel colors. These products differ from others in their processing - special compounds protect them from high humidity. The carving is usually very delicate and may involve forging. The drawers are designed for storing oversized items, and there are compartments for towels.

Types of wardrobes, photos and internal contents

For the hallway

If the size of the hallway allows, install a wardrobe, always equipped with a rod. This solves the problem of storing outerwear and allows you to collect them in one place. However, often the area of ​​this room is quite small, and you have to limit yourself to compact models for small items, shoes or a Provence corner cabinet.

Almost all types of Provence cabinets are made from natural wood, only sometimes MDF is used.

Colors and finishing materials for the sofa

The most suitable shades for the Provence style are:

• white;
• Ivory;
• olive;
• lilac;
• peach;
• light pink;
• blue;
• terracotta.

You can choose any color, the main condition is that it should not be bright.

For the Provence style, light, calm colors are used.

Natural jacquard, linen, and tapestry fabrics are used as upholstery. It can be plain or with a floral pattern; stripes or checkered designs are less common. The fabric may well contain synthetic fibers, which increases its wear resistance.

Advice! In order for the Provence style interior to remain modern, you should not get carried away with print. It can be used in two items.

For upholstery fabric, natural jacquard, linen, and tapestry are used.

Characteristic features of Provence furniture and features of its manufacture

The main feature and highlight of furniture made in the Provence style is that most of the products are decorated and painted by hand. This makes each piece of furniture original and unique.

For furniture in the Provence style, decorative elements and fittings play an important role.

Helpful advice! To have an idea of ​​the features of the trend, before purchasing or restoring a product, it is advisable to study photos of cabinets in the Provence style posted on the Internet.

The following characteristic features of cabinets and upholstered furniture in the Provence style stand out:

• severity of forms combined with smoothness of corners;
• use in the production of exclusively natural wood of valuable species, such as beech, oak, walnut, pine;
• a variety of color shades with complete dominance of light, muted and pastel tones characteristic of the southern Mediterranean: white, cream, sand, blue, light green, sea green, soft yellow;

In the manufacture of furniture in the Provence style, plastic and chromed metal are unacceptable

• mandatory processing through the use of stencil decoration, patination techniques, hand painting, decoupage, aging methods, as well as forging or carving;
• the natural beauty of wood is preserved by coating surfaces with colorless or translucent varnish;
• Often cabinets with glass doors are decorated with fabric with a floral pattern, checkered or striped.

For the manufacture of furniture in the Provence style, plastic, synthetic materials and chromed metal are unacceptable; ornate stucco molding and bulky structures are also inappropriate.

Walnut, pine, oak, and beech are used to make furniture in the Provence style.

Due to their naturalness and high environmental value, country-style cabinets are very popular, which entails their relatively high cost. The main fans of this trend are people of the older generation who prefer comfort, tranquility and regularity.

Kitchen placement rules

Ways to place a sofa in the kitchen:

• A straight, elongated sofa is best placed along the wall. You can place chairs on the other side of the table. This will leave a free zone, and the empty wall will be occupied.
• The corner of the room is the best option for placing a corner sofa. Can be supplemented with chairs.
• “Coupe” - if there is a niche next to the window, place two sofas opposite each other. A table is placed between them. Fixed models or benches are suitable for this.
• Such furniture is also suitable for zoning a room, for example, when it is necessary to highlight the boundary between the kitchen and the living room. It is better to stick to models with soft upholstery.
• If the size of the kitchen is impressive, then the sofa can be placed outside the table. It can be used as a sleeping place.

Kitchen in Provence style with a straight sofa.

Design options

The laconicism of the forms is diluted by the rich decor - cabinets in the Provence style are in no way similar to the strict and sometimes even boring furniture of the classical and minimalist trends. Various methods are used for registration:

1. The paintings are often floral motifs (mainly images of lavender generously covering French fields, but also depict roses and wisteria). You can paint the facades, the frame - any available surface.
2. Mirrors are more often found on the facades of wardrobes or hallway furniture. In addition to their practical purpose, they serve an aesthetic role - with them there is visually more air, even a compact space seems spacious.
3. Stucco molding - curved smooth lines to match the color of the facade.
4. Decoupage is one of the techniques that you can reproduce yourself. To apply a design to the surface of the cabinet you will need paper pictures. The image is chosen arbitrarily, and in order to maintain style, preference is usually given to colors or a rustic theme.
5. Wallpapering - rolls with small floral patterns, checkered patterns or stripes are suitable. Such models are usually not completely pasted over, only in the center - otherwise the light and airy Provence turns into a heavy Empire style.
6. Artificial aging - a patina that imitates abrasions adds a sense of antiquity and adherence to tradition, as if this furniture has already served more than one generation and will serve many more.

Provence is unthinkable without textiles. You can choose a cabinet model with transparent doors and hang French-style curtains on them. Some models have a curtain included.

Decoupage

Mirrors

Artificial aging

Stucco molding

Wallpapered

painting

Useful tips from designers

When choosing a sofa for the kitchen, it is important to pay attention to the following qualities:

• The upholstery must be well cleaned from dirt. Textiles must be treated with a special dirt-repellent impregnation. A good option would be cotton, flock, or chenille fabric.
• A frame made of natural wood will last longer. A cheaper option would be chipboard.
• The shape of the sofa directly depends on the size of the kitchen. For a square room, corner models are suitable, and straight ones for an elongated room.
• Functionality: additional storage space, folding option.

The shape of the sofa will depend on the size of the kitchen space.

Although this type of furniture is not very common in the kitchen in our country, it is definitely a convenient and stylish option. To create home comfort, just replace the chairs with a bench or sofa. And manufacturers today offer a huge range of such furniture, which can be used for the interior of a kitchen in the Provence style.

Armchairs and chairs

When making chairs in the Provence style, only natural materials are used. There is no place for plastic or glass products here. Chairs should look simple, but at the same time elegant and noble. Their color scheme is maintained in a natural and natural palette. Chairs are mainly made from natural solid wood. Sometimes there are combined models made of forged metal and textiles, or wickerwork made of wicker.

Characteristic features of Provençal chairs are:

• aged appearance;
• presence of cracks, chips and abrasions;
• bleached tones.

Quite often, chairs are equipped with soft seats and backs. For these purposes, only natural textiles (chintz, cotton, linen), designed in soothing colors and with floral patterns, are used. They are decorated with covers made of cotton, calico and chintz; ties, Velcro, and buttons are used as fastening elements. With their help, you can periodically update the interior, introducing fresh notes into it.

IMPORTANT!

Chairs and armchairs in the Provencal style are distinguished by a comfortable fit and ergonomic sizes.

As for armchairs, the Provence style uses upholstered products and rocking chairs made from wicker or natural wood. They differ not only in shapes and designs, but also in sizes. The armchairs are decorated with lace, capes with tassels or fringe, and decorative pillows.