People living in the city really miss the calm, peaceful landscapes, the truly fresh air, peace and quiet. That is why today in the interior there are more and more rustic trends that can create coziness and harmony in the apartment. This is especially important for kitchens, where most families not only cook and eat, but also share their impressions for the whole day.
Provence style is one of those areas that helps to feel at home, relax and have a good rest. “Provencal” kitchens are easy to arrange, although many nuances have to be taken into account. And the choice of curtains becomes a very important task, because they must necessarily correspond to the general theme of the style.
Style features
Provence style was formed in southern France, where residents were lucky every day to enjoy the stunning sea views, inhale the sweet scent of flowers and enjoy the fresh, rustic air. The Provence region, which gave the name to the direction, completely eliminated the bustle of the city, everything in it breathed peace, comfort and harmony. That is why any buildings both inside and outside were as natural, simple, light as possible. This trend has continued today.
Consider some features of the style as a whole:
- exceptionally light finish - there can be no dark wallpaper or floors in the interior;
- natural materials: wood, stone;
- light wooden furniture, preferably artificially aged;
- a certain color scheme for accessories: lilac, blue, pale purple, cream;
- natural fabrics: linen, gunny and others;
- lightness in the interior - it is unacceptable to overload such a design with numerous decor items.
As for the choice of curtains in the Provence style, they also have certain characteristics:
- can be monophonic or with a floral ornament, images of rural animals, landscapes, the cage also looks interesting;
- various elements of decor are welcomed: ruffles, lace, garters, bows;
- the fabric is only natural, airy, there can be no velvet curtains in such a kitchen;
- length is desirable short, curtains on the floor in Provence interiors are used quite rarely and only in large kitchens.
Types of fabrics
Village styles are characterized by maximum simplicity, so the material for curtains should be light and not hiding the space. Flax will be a good idea first. At first glance, it may seem rude, but it perfectly protects from the sun and heat. Linen curtains are durable and not too difficult to care for, they can be additionally decorated with lace and fringe.
Suitable for window decoration and cotton fabrics, for example, satin or poplin. These tissues are soft and strong, hypoallergenic. In addition, it will not be necessary to iron products after washing, the materials hold their shape well.
Elegant and custom solution will be thin lace curtains. They will give the room tenderness, airiness. Such curtains can be tied with your own hands or entrusted to professionals.
Separately, it is necessary to mention tulle. This lightweight material can be observed for many years in a variety of designs, it will look good in Provence. Tulle helps to expand the space, conceals possible flaws in decoration, uneven walls and floors.
Curtain Models
Those who at least once faced with the choice of curtains, know how huge a choice manufacturers offer.
However, it is worth remembering that not all types, even the most beautiful and expensive, will be appropriate in the Provencal interior.
Let's dwell on some of the options recommended by designers.
- Short. Such curtains are an ideal choice for Provence, they will fit into a kitchen of any size. It is worth noting that the cut should be the simplest, let's say a drawing, but not too eye-catching. The shape of short curtains can be different, for example, rectangular or arched curtains are often found.
- French and Austrian. Both options are very similar, they are usually short, have a unique non-standard drapery. Products from France drape along the entire length, and Austrian ones only at the bottom.
- Curtains cafe. They got their name due to the fact that they are very often found in cafes or restaurants. They are located unusually - on the bottom of the window, so the kitchen is constantly flooded with light. Such curtains can be successfully combined with lambrequins, and if there is too much light, they are supplemented with "doubles" from above. The uniqueness of such models is that the window can be opened without touching them.
- Jalousie. Allow you to recreate real rural comfort. However, preference should only be given to natural materials, plastic will not work here.
- Roman. Such models will be an ideal solution if you need to fully open the windowsill. They have a mechanism that allows you to raise or lower the product to the required level. They look very beautifully decorated with bows, frills, ruffles, braid.
- With lambrequin. For lambrequin, it is worth choosing the simplest curtains without pretentiousness. It is desirable monophonic, but an unobtrusive floral print is allowed. Lambrequin should also not be too pompous - give preference to light drapery.
- Knitted. Knitted curtains look very natural and beautiful, and will be fashionable for more than a dozen years. Many designers advise knitting or weaving them yourself, but if you do not have knitting skills, then the purchased options will be no worse.
Color spectrum
When buying curtains in the Provence style, you need to remember that this direction welcomes the shades found in nature in the summer.
At the same time, snow white is rarely used, it creates a feeling of coolness, not heat.
Instead, it is recommended to choose pastel, cream, beige colors. Against their background, the following tones will look great:
- blue;
- red;
- yellow;
- green;
- lavender;
- blue.
In addition to pastel backgrounds, curtains in such colors as pale green, light lilac, powdery pink, sky blue, sand will be a good solution. On all these tones, bright colors will look attractive.
Another interesting option will be checkered curtains. As a rule, they are mostly acquired in pastel colors, and the cell here is red or bright blue. Stripes that must necessarily alternate also look good: a light strip always follows a color one, and vice versa.
Selection recommendations
Choosing curtains, you should first decide on their length. Mostly they buy short curtains - this saves space, besides they expand the space and look compact. Long models can be selected only if you are designing a spacious kitchen or kitchen-dining room. But such models should be as simple as possible - Jacquard, velvet, silk should be left for classics.
It is also worth noting that some owners prefer to hang curtains not only on the window, but instead of the door. In this case, the model should be long, and its design should have something in common with the window product.
The next point is the choice of variety and material.. Absolutely in all the cuisines of the Provence direction, French, Roman and knitted curtains will look win-win. You also need to remember that excessive heavy draperies and metallized fabrics are inappropriate here.
As for the material, you need to choose it with water-repellent properties, because humidity in the kitchen is far from rare. If the window is close to the stove, buy the shortest curtains possible, preferably with fire protection.
Having decided on the above parameters, you can proceed to the choice of design. Kitchen curtains should not be "alone", it is very important that the interior has similar textiles. That is why experts advise buying a whole set - for example, curtains and tablecloths, towels or potholders. This will give the interior completeness. But with textiles, you should be careful and combine the curtains with one thing, for example, with a tablecloth, otherwise the exquisite interior will become a mixture of colors that will ripple in your eyes.
In addition, the print should be noted. If your kitchen is large, then you can choose both small and large patterns. In small kitchens, large items will not work, they will immediately take away all attention to themselves and will steal space.
In the event that the walls have a pattern or the kitchen itself is saturated with bright elements, it is better to avoid printing on curtains, preferring a plain color option. And vice versa, with a calm decoration of the room, you can afford to purchase curtains with rich ornaments.
Good examples in the interior
The Provence style, although it has certain features that must be observed, still leaves designers with a huge scope for creativity. Consider some successful examples of the application of Provence curtains in the interior design of a kitchen.
- Long curtains with bright large print Suitable for decorating large, spacious kitchens. In combination with an unobtrusive wallpaper pattern and white furniture, they successfully focus on themselves, and the abundance of living plants only enhances the atmosphere of comfort and peace.
- Fully open the window and allow sunlight to penetrate inside will help curtains gathered on one side. Beautifully laid out, they blend wonderfully with light brown furniture, a white table with light ornamentation and light wall decoration. An interesting and eye-catching solution is a flower pot, almost repeating the print of curtains.
- Provence style always accepts floral motifs, what can be well seen in this photo. A set consisting of curtains of different designs, but with the same print, fully meets the stylistic direction.
- Elegant light furniture, plenty of dishes and decor It will be successfully emphasized by simple, but beautiful curtains-cafe. Moreover, similar curtains are located both in the upper and in the lower part of the window.
- Blue colour - one of the most common in nature. It is enough to raise your head on a clear day and the abundance of blue and blue will instantly bring harmony to the soul. A calm room decorated in this tone will have the same abilities. Everything is perfectly matched here: decoration, curtains, furniture. Blue tones resonate with cream and blend well with white curtains.
Next, watch a video with the designer’s advice on choosing Provence-style curtains for the kitchen.