A French-style kitchen will look decent both in a large house and in an apartment with modest dimensions. It is enough to look at a few photos to forever fall in love with this amazing lightness, smooth lines and abundance of textiles. What do you think about this interior trend? The designers of the Decorin project offer you ideas for a cozy kitchen arrangement. Choose!
French style kitchen: distinctive features
In the article “French-Style House” we already touched on the topic of kitchen design. Today we will try to dwell on this issue in more detail.
It is difficult to confuse the French style in the kitchen interior with any other. As a rule, these are spacious, bright rooms with large windows.
Pastel shades are used to decorate walls, ceilings and floors:
- beige;
- gray;
- olive;
- blue;
- ivory.
An abundance of equipment in such a kitchen is not welcome. Give preference to built-in varieties of hoods, ovens, and dishwashers.
There are several main branches of the French style:
- Palace. This trend is characterized by sophistication. The entire kitchen environment is filled with special energy. Elegance can be seen in everything, down to the smallest detail. This includes a luxurious forged chandelier, flooring that imitates marble, and a luxurious kitchen set with carved details.
- Kitchen-cafe. Such an interior charges with cheerfulness and energy. You can convey the charm of France with the help of chairs with openwork backs, lamps hanging on long cords, and neutral tones in the decoration of the walls.
- Provence (French country). This direction is the epitome of rustic style. The natural energy of untreated wooden beams, aged furniture, simple kitchen utensils that are on display - all these are indispensable attributes of Provence. There must be a lot of cute textile “things”. Potholders, napkins, tablecloths, window curtains with small patterns - there is a place for all this in the kitchen. And there must be a round wall clock.
Style features
It is quite easy to recognize the French style. There is probably no housewife in the world who would be indifferent to him or would not dream of such a kitchen for herself. Some designers say that this style can be implemented on any square footage.
However, in a small kitchen this style from France will not open up and “sound” as well as in a spacious room. Although there may probably be exceptions. The main features of the style are:
- pastel, light colors with a predominance of white;
- furniture with smooth lines, curves and curls;
- the presence of gilding in the decoration;
- only natural materials in furniture, textiles, decoration;
- lack of contrasts, sharp color and texture transitions.
On a note! The most preferred color for this style is white.
But color mixtures are also not prohibited, leading to the appearance of cream, caramel, beige, yellowish, creamy shades with mother-of-pearl in the interior.
French-style furniture is made only from natural wood, possibly in combination with metal and forging. It can be antique or imitation “antique” with a shabby chic touch. But it should invariably be decorated with gilded, carved elements, and various curls.
The cult of all things natural here applies not only to furniture, but also to textiles and finishing materials, which may include stone, ceramics, metal, and wood. If it is not possible to use exclusively natural materials, you can resort to imitations, but of extremely high quality and environmentally friendly.
The French are subtle connoisseurs of beauty, traditionally jealously guarding their history. That’s why you can often find antique furniture in their kitchens, which has become one of the main features of this style.
French cuisine has an extraordinary charm, “airiness”, filled with sweet homely warmth and, at the same time, subtle, expensive sophistication, reminiscent in places of palace interiors. From here, certain directions began to be distinguished in the French style. And each has its own very recognizable features and details.
French style in the interior - wall decoration (with examples in the photo)
As already mentioned in the article “French-Style House,” the wall decoration should be done in discreet colors. The main task is to create a calm “backdrop” for furniture and other decorative items.
This could be wallpaper with a small pattern. Often they choose prints whose motifs are repeated in furniture upholstery, curtains, chair covers, and curtains.
You can also level the walls with plaster and paint them in a pastel color. Choose a slightly pale tone. It should look like the paint has faded a little over time.
Sometimes textured plaster is used. Here are examples of design where one of the walls is not processed. The “living” energy of bare brick brings fresh, dynamic notes to the kitchen interior.
A wall made of stone looks even more impressive.
Is it true?
French style in the kitchen interior involves the use of natural materials. What the Parisian spirit does not tolerate is plastic. If you still plan to use artificial materials to decorate walls or ceilings, choose options that imitate natural ones.
Secrets of interior design in the French style. How to decorate the ceiling and floor in the kitchen?
To maintain the French style when decorating a kitchen, they try to decorate the floor and ceiling in the same way. Sharp transitions and contrasts are not typical for this interior design trend. The entire design must form a single ensemble.
The ceiling is rarely made just smooth and white. The palace style is characterized by stucco molding, wide moldings, and a coffered ceiling is allowed. In Provence, rough wooden beams or their imitation are often used.
In a more modern presentation of the French style, the use of built-in lamps, various lighting, and two-tier ceiling structures is allowed. Here is a photo of the interiors. Look how interesting this direction is played out.
The floor in a French-style kitchen can be made of:
- natural wood;
- porcelain stoneware;
- marble;
- ceramic floor tiles.
At the same time, the color of the floor covering seems to merge with the general interior background.
Features of the palace style, French cafe and Provence
Important elements in the decor and furniture can be items characteristic of the palace style, for example, an elegant sideboard or a shelf with gilded carved elements, a wicker chair, forged metal decor, porcelain, crystal, etc. Not every kitchen can have a palace-style design. It is better to use it in rooms of at least twelve, or even fifteen square meters. Then you can really show all the beauty and elegance of the interior. Small rooms can be decorated in cafe and Provence style. And use a bar counter as a separator between the dining and work areas. Rustic household items in the decor will emphasize the comfort and hospitality of the interior. There are many examples of cafe and Provence style design in the photos on the Internet.
Wall decoration
For palace-style kitchen walls, it is better to use plaster, matte or pearlescent paint in light shades. The apron in the headset area can be laid out with glossy tiles in beige, cream or other not too contrasting and bright tones. Its surface can be either plain or with a pattern or ornament, but it certainly matches the style.
It is better to decorate individual areas of the kitchen with other materials. For example, highlight a place with a dining table using wallpaper or wood panels. Also, a good and original solution would be to decorate the wall with a painting with a characteristic French plot: a pastoral scene or landscape. Images can be found in photos online. There must be a plinth along the perimeter of the ceiling. It can be simple or with unobtrusive light carvings, white or match the color of the walls. In the cafe style, plaster or wallpaper with a rough texture is used for the walls, as well as wood panels with an aging effect. The same materials are used to decorate the walls of a Provencal-style kitchen. Shades should be as light and soft as possible, creating a cozy, warm atmosphere.
Floor finishing
The floor in a French style kitchen is an important detail. In addition to the fact that it must be reliable, durable and environmentally friendly, it must indicate the status of the interior, that is, look expensive. The materials used are: glossy tiles or porcelain stoneware, parquet boards, light-colored wood, for example, bleached oak.
To design a dining area or a place to relax, you can lay an expensive wool carpet on the floor, emphasizing the style in tone, color and decor. It is better not to use other cheap options, as they will only violate the concept of the palace interior.
The cafe and Provence style is also characterized by the use of natural materials in floor finishing. But unlike the palace interior, the floor should not look expensive and status. It is enough to use a wooden board or tiles, and decorate some areas of the kitchen with a wicker mat.
Furniture and decor items
To decorate the kitchen with furniture, it is better to use items in a classic style with graceful curves, carved decor, glass inserts and gilding or patina. This applies to both the palace style and the interior of the cafe and Provence. Only the last two directions suggest simpler furniture without gilded elements. In a modern kitchen, you cannot do without all kinds of household appliances, as well as other accessories that simplify work in the kitchen and allow you to conveniently use the set and other furniture. Fortunately, manufacturers offer equipment that can be matched to almost any style and fit harmoniously into the interior. Kitchen facades, as well as other furniture, should be made of wood, preferably light colors with visible texture. Doors with wooden grilles, as well as carved overlays and bronze handles with porcelain inserts can serve as decoration. You can advantageously emphasize the style with the help of balusters, columns and stained glass in the facades.
The tabletop set in a palace style should be made of marble, granite or artificial stone. Provence and cafe styles also require a work surface made of natural or high-quality artificial stone. A successful accent will be chairs with forged backs and legs, as well as other furniture with forged elements or wicker. Such furniture will decorate both palace and cafe or Provence style. Decorative items in all three interiors are similar, but have some differences. For expensive, high-status rooms, it is better to use porcelain vases, crystal chandeliers, and mirrors in carved frames. The style of the cafe should be decorated with textiles with floral decorations made from natural materials, black and white photos in retro style or frescoes. Provence includes cute handmade items, wicker baskets, flower pots, plants in flower pots and ceramics. French style in interior design is a good solution for any home. If the area does not allow the use of elements of a palace style, then it is quite possible to decorate the room in the theme of Provence or a café-bistro. Such a kitchen will always create a feeling of peace and well-being, and the atmosphere will delight you with an abundance of natural materials and light natural shades.
Furniture - what is its role in French-style kitchen design?
So, the design of the walls and floor is clear. Let's move on to choosing furniture. In a French-style kitchen, it plays the main role. Sets, island tables, open shelves, chairs - sometimes it seems like there's too much of everything. But it is enough to delve a little into the essence of the Parisian style to grasp the main thing. There is nothing superfluous here. Each decorative element carries a certain functional and emotional load.
Here are examples of palace style furniture. There seems to be an aristocratic spirit in the air. Take a look at these noble shades, shapes, and exquisite openwork carvings.
Furniture takes up a lot of space and plays a major role. Mirrors are often used. They help fill the space with light (due to reflection). And the mirror inserts harmonize perfectly with the gilded finish.
French country style is characterized by tables and cabinets with paint worn off over time (or artificially). In the decoration of facades you will hardly see flat shapes anywhere. Only textured surfaces. As a rule, the upper elements of kitchen sets have stained glass. This allows you to display expensive antique dishes.
Coffee shop style kitchen. Decor elements
Add typical cafe accessories to your kitchen decor. These elements have a simple charm that can be used as decorative elements for our designs. Giant pillar candlesticks with wide candles, large antique mirrors, figurines and rustic lamps might all suit your style.
Vases, figurines or pillows will look good on the chairs, and a vase with a bouquet on the stool. A slate board for writing a menu might work well for our style. Also pay attention to the distinctive cutlery.
The cafe style kitchen is a fairly popular and unusual decorative theme that will decorate and elevate any dining space.
French country: how to place accents in the kitchen interior?
What will be the finishing touch in the interior of a French kitchen? Sometimes a design comes together like a puzzle into a whole completely unexpectedly. It could be:
- a homespun carpet carelessly thrown on the floor;
- Grandma's old dishes, which are placed on shelves for decoration;
- light and airy textiles;
- bunch of red peppers hung on the wall.
Here is advice from the designers of the Decorin project: do not use for design something that is energetically alien to you. Focus on decorative items that evoke pleasant associations and emotions in you.
How do you see a French-style kitchen? You went through the basic principles of “constructing” the design and looked at the photos. Now it will be easy to “assemble” your French interior. Take your time, be patient while searching for the right decorative element. Find exactly those lamps, candlesticks or chairs that fit perfectly into the design. A little effort - and you have a fashionable, stylish kitchen. And, most importantly, filled with the warmth of home.
Zoning and selection of furniture
A bar counter is appropriate in a cafe-style kitchen interior. What brought her to modern kitchens was the styling of beautiful and comfortable catering establishments. You can opt for a shelf-rack, an extension of the work surface, a kitchen island, a window-sill-opening, or a semi-partition stand. The choice depends on the general idea and size of the kitchen.
The coffee shop style kitchen space is divided into three functional areas: kitchen, bar and dining areas. The kitchen and dining room, which are located against the walls, are separated by a bar area. A characteristic detail of a cafe-style kitchen is a stand for wine bottles. One of the cabinets may have an open wine rack, or it may be built into a kitchen island, cabinet, or bar counter.
It is better to choose a small table of a round or oval shape. An option for a bistro interior is a small high table and high chairs included. If there is a bar counter, such chairs are placed next to it.
For a kitchen in the style of a French cafe, a table with forged elements or an all-metal, openwork one is suitable. To imitate a European cafe on an open veranda, use wooden folding chairs.
The dining area can be designed as an isolated restaurant booth.
If you like strict and elegant design, then you should like a Scandinavian-style kitchen.
If you live in a P-44T type house, then you have a kitchen with a bay window, read my tips on arranging such a kitchen and study photo examples.
