Elegant simplicity comes from France - DIY Provence style furniture

How to make it from scrap materials?

The distinctive features of furniture in the Provence style are soft and delicate colors, ranging from milky to turquoise or lavender, laconic forms, and rustic simplicity. Furniture items must have an aged appearance. There are scratches, small cracks, and chips on the facades. The color of objects should be blurred and muted, as if faded under the scorching southern sun.

Do-it-yourself bedside table in Provence style, watch in this video.

In fact, making furniture in the Provence style with your own hands is not so difficult. Especially if natural wood is used as the main material. Almost every man is familiar with the basics of carpentry and is able to make furniture blanks using ready-made templates. To work with wood you will need the simplest tools:

• screwdriver;
• wood hacksaw;
• sander;
• milling cutter;
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• electric jigsaw.

Materials that will be useful in the work process:

• tree;
• brushes and rollers;
• paints and varnishes;
• fastening elements;
• sandpaper.

As for forged furniture, the situation here is somewhat different. To make it, you must have a welding machine and know how to use it. Forged elements and decors can be purchased ready-made in the store and you can decorate your bed, coffee table or banquette with them yourself. The metal is coated with white paint and sanded with fine-grained sandpaper to give it an antique effect.

You can make the following furniture items with your own hands in Provence style:

• Wardrobes. They are made tall, massive and with two or three doors. Their facades are decorated with carvings and painted in delicate colors.

• Dressers. They are available in different colors, ranging from white, blue, and ending with pink. Dressers can be either elegant or large in size. They have original curved legs, worn surfaces, and are often locked with padlocks.

• Sofas. They embody good quality, softness, comfort and beauty. Their upholstery can be plain or with floral patterns. The main thing is that it is made of rough and natural fabric. A large number of decorative pillows made of linen, cotton or burlap must be placed on top of the sofa.

• Beds. They are given special attention, as they occupy an important place in the bedroom. The materials used to make beds are wood or metal. The products are distinguished by their impressive size, some roughness and snow-white flowers. Near the bed there are bedside tables on which forged lamps are installed.

Leaf ATTENTION : in the Provence style the use of glossy surfaces is not allowed. All furniture items are distinguished by their strict shapes and aged appearance.

The main stylistic features of furniture in the Provence style are:

• presence of carved components. Here it is worth considering that not everyone can make carved facades on their own. In this case, you can buy carved legs, sides, handles and the like in stores;

• decorative carnations , giving the furniture an antique look;
• decorative painting on facades. To do this, pale and slightly faded floral motifs or other compositions are applied;
• use of copper and bronze handles and other accessories.

Line Chart IMPORTANT : when making furniture in a rustic style, the use of modern materials such as chipboard, MDF or PVC is not allowed.

The main thing is that when making furniture in the Provence style with your own hands, do not be afraid to experiment in order to make interesting changes to the provincial interior.

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Conclusion

Information on how to repaint old furniture and how to decorate it will be useful to almost everyone. This work is not labor-intensive, but still there are quite enough nuances that affect the quality of the finished product. So you should at least read the tips above, as well as study the video in this article: then you will be able to work much more fruitfully.

If the furniture has lost its attractiveness or is tired of its appearance, then this is not a reason to get rid of it, because everything can be easily fixed by repainting.

Drywall is one of the best modern materials for finishing ceiling surfaces, allowing you to realize the most fantastic ones.

Sometimes functional interior items are suitable in practical terms, but their appearance ceases to be pleasant and loses its former aesthetic value.

Decoration

Decoration of furniture items for a Provençal interior is carried out using the aging method. The paint should look fresh, but natural materials may show through. Decorating furniture in a rustic style involves the presence of roughly processed facades with a patina, the presence of cracks, chips and other defects.

It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with the design of the walls and wallpaper in the Provence style.

The video will show a master class on the technique of decoupaging a chest of drawers in the Provence style.

You can decorate furniture for the Provencal style using different methods:

• artistic painting. Thus, fresh and bright notes will be introduced into the calm interior. For painting, discreet and pastel shades are used. Drawings are applied in the form of birds, animals and various flowers;

• decoupage technique. In this case, the facades, sides and interior space of furniture items are covered with themed napkins, wallpaper or natural textiles;

• decorative aging. This can be achieved by giving the products a shabby look, with paints faded under the sun's rays.

Technology of work execution

There are several techniques that can transform old furniture and radically change the facade of the furniture wall and its appearance.

Crackle

The whole process is based on the use of a special varnish called “craquelure”. This is a certain substance through which artistic microcracks begin to appear on the surface. The varnish is best used for processing wooden or glass objects

To ensure that antique furniture is painted correctly, it is important to follow the following instructions:

1. On the previously prepared surface we apply the first layer of paint - the base. When microcracks appear, they will take on the shade of the base;
2. Once the base has dried, you can apply the craquelure. In this case, all strokes should be performed strictly in one direction;
3. After drying, apply the color as the finishing coat. As a result of its use, long-awaited cracks appear;
4. We cover the resulting effect with furniture fixing varnish.

This method is perfect for those craftsmen who want to bring back the country or Provence style on their own. Making aged furniture using this technique will take very little time.

Apply paint

Apply craquelure varnish

Let the coating dry

Patina

Over the years, veins of a greenish-bronze color appear on the furniture, which indicates the “old age” of the item. This is patina. It is the result of high humidity or exposure to large amounts of precipitation. To achieve an illusory effect, you must take the following steps:

Varnish the wood. It is recommended to use a special mixture that will protect the furniture from harmful external influences and extend its service life; We wait until the mixture hardens completely and apply a patina to the surface; After a half-hour rest, you can start working with a wire brush.

It is important to note that the greater the effort, the brighter the effect becomes; Using a rag, we remove by-products of work in the form of dust; As in the first method, we finish the job with furniture varnish.

We wipe away the old paint

We prime the coating

Painting the surface

Applying patina

Wipe the coating with a rag

Varnish

Coloring

The main work is carried out using several colors. To achieve an antique effect, follow these instructions:

1. To create the effect of clumsiness and shabbyness, it is necessary to inflict minor mechanical damage. This results in artificial aging of furniture, for example, the effect of old Soviet furniture, because it cannot be in perfect condition;
2. We apply paint in such a way as to preserve the texture of the material;
3. We go over the surface with sandpaper to form spectacular abrasions;
4. Take paint of a different color, apply it with neat strokes and shade it.

Making cracks

Painting the surface

Process with sandpaper

Apply another layer of paint

Effect of artificial pollution

Things tend to get dirty and covered with dust over time. To produce a similar effect, do the following:

1. Selectively apply wax to some areas of the surface. Movements should be in the same direction, but with breaks. Next, coat the item with varnish;
2. If recesses were found on the item, the varnish will give them a darker shade, visually enhancing the effect of antiquity.

Any furniture, regardless of material or decorative design, requires proper care for a longer service life

It is worth paying attention to the following methods:

1. We rub old chipboard furniture with our own hands with mastic or wax. They contribute to the formation of protection against high humidity and repel water. The compositions should be rubbed using a rag or a soft sponge;
2. In addition, acrylic or a special varnish containing it is perfect. It must be applied periodically to “renew” the protection. You can cover the surface of the object with a mixture of acrylic and wax;
3. When dust accumulates, the furniture loses its presentable appearance, so we periodically wipe it with an ordinary lint-free cloth.

Apply wax

Varnish

Aging

There are a huge number of ways to age furniture. But for an independent work process, it is recommended to choose the simplest and most convenient option, which allows you to get interior elements that will look like real antiques.

Aged furniture and antiques bring us back to the last century

Furniture with scuffs in the Provencal style always looks aesthetically pleasing

Methods for aging furniture are divided into three types:

• mechanical , during which scratches, chips and abrasions are applied to the surface;
• thermal, allowing you to achieve the effect of antiquity with the help of open fire;

• chemical , using surface treatment with stain, craquelure varnish and ammonia.

Any of the above options is suitable for aging furniture at home . But before you begin the work process, you need to prepare furniture items in advance:

1. Their surfaces are cleaned of the old layer of varnish or paint.
2. The fittings, shelves and drawers are removed.
3. Products are rubbed with paraffin along the grain line of the wood.
4. Next, the furniture is coated with a new layer of varnish and the aging process can begin.

To visually age furniture, after treating the surfaces with paraffin and painting them with paint or varnish, simply wipe them with a sponge. The main thing here is not to overdo it and not leave bare areas on the furniture. The resulting result is once again secured with several layers of varnish.

Metal wool for aging furniture

Another popular method is aging furniture using steel wool , which is sold in hardware stores. To process furniture items, purchase black cotton wool. Products are carefully prepared for the work process (a layer of old paint or varnish is removed, surfaces are cleaned and re-coated with paints and varnishes). After this, you will need to walk over them with force with metal wool. It will not only slightly scratch the facades and sides, but will also add a layer of soot to them. Next, using a damp cloth, a certain layer of soot is removed, and the furniture is wiped with a dry cloth. As a result, beautiful abrasions are formed on objects. The fittings are processed in the same way.

Decorative cracks are created using craquelure varnish

You can also give the effect of antiquity using craquelure varnish. It is applied to objects in two layers. After it dries, decorative cracks form on the surfaces. They are treated with dark paint, and a finishing layer of varnish is applied on top.

Techniques for effectively transforming furniture with your own hands

Grandma's chest of drawers and floor lamp with a long-burnt lampshade - do they seem like they should go to the landfill? Nothing of the kind, their time has just come. The first will need to change the cracked varnish to a shiny white paint, the second will need to update the gloss and reupholster. Moreover, you don’t even need to buy expensive fabric to update the lampshade: a vintage tablecloth with printed or embroidered flowers along the border, taken from the bottom drawer of the same chest of drawers, will get a second life. The remains of the same tablecloth can be made into chair covers, which will eliminate the need to replace previously purchased modern models with artificially aged samples. The table is covered with a napkin made of coarse linen, and a plain blanket with a lace insert is thrown over the sofa.

How to paint?

Before you start decorating old furniture, you need to slightly update and refresh its appearance. This can be done using paint.

Painting and aging furniture with your own hands will be shown in the video.

Star ATTENTION : painting furniture will not only help give it the desired appearance, but will also hide the materials used.

When painting old furniture items, all defects are eliminated from their surfaces. If this is not done, the applied paint will soon begin to peel off and crack.

The process itself looks like this:

1. Old paint is removed from products using sandpaper.

2. The surfaces are treated with acrylic primer.
3. A new coat of paint is applied with a brush in a thin layer. The paint should be chosen in a muted and gentle tone, for example, beige, cream, light gray. Facades, internal shelves and corners are painted very carefully.

4. After the paint has dried, the corners are smoothed with sandpaper to give an aged look, and a layer of clear varnish is applied on top.

5. Furniture handles and fittings are cleaned with a wire brush and screwed into place.

Star Half Empty ATTENTION : if the design of the furniture allows, it is better to disassemble it before painting and process it in parts. It is recommended to dry painted wood outside in sunny and dry weather.

Tools and materials

To work on restoring furniture we will need:

• Spatulas for removing old finishes.
• Grinding machine with a set of abrasive blades.

The angle attachment on the sander is very convenient to use.

• A hand-held sanding block, with which we will process hard-to-reach areas.
• Brushes for applying primer.
• A set of painting tools: brushes for fine work, rollers or sprayers for treating large areas.

Note! The furniture will need to be disassembled, so a screwdriver and a screwdriver with attachments will also come in handy.

As for materials, it is advisable to purchase:

• Paints for processing wooden products or OSB/chipboard panels. Alkyd enamels are best suited, but water-dispersed compositions based on liquid acrylic can also be used.

White enamel for woodwork

• Materials for protecting metal parts from corrosion. Zinga electrically conductive paint will do a good job of this task.
• Specialized mixtures (fire-retardant paints for metal Polistil, waterproof pigments, bactericidal impregnations, etc.). A set of materials from this category must be compiled individually, focusing on the conditions under which the furniture will be used.
• Primers for wood.
• Removers for old paint based on organic solvents.
• Furniture putty.
• Protective and tinting varnishes.
• Materials with which decoration will be carried out.

In principle, if you approach the matter thoroughly, the price of the set will approximately correspond to the cost of a new product. So it makes sense to restore only furniture that will serve you for many more years. It’s not worth spending energy on a full restoration of “disposable” sets.

Decoupage

To apply the Provence style decoupage technique, you need to prepare old furniture pieces, for example, chairs, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers or a coffee table. In addition, you will need the following materials:

• dye;
• putty;
• palette knife;
• PVA glue;
• varnish;
• beautiful napkins with patterns or wallpaper with floral motifs;
• tassels.

Leaf ATTENTION: when choosing a paint color for the decoupage technique, the color scheme of the drawing is taken into account.

Tired of the sun: characteristic colors of the Provence style

The color scheme of the Provençal interior is defined by designers as pastel with bright accents. Mostly these are shades of blue and lilac, symbolizing sea waves and blooming lavender. Slightly less common are sandy yellow and bleached terracotta. This is a tribute to the sandy beaches and hundred-year-old forests. Greenery is required, but it does not scream, but only modestly reminds of itself with the shades of foliage scorched by the hot sun. All this fits into the white motif that runs through the entire idea. Selecting colors to reupholster or paint pieces of furniture is not difficult: this is one single color added to white in different concentrations. One could call this color scheme boring if it weren’t for the color “highlights”:

• juicy lilac thoughts carelessly thrown on top of a rough linen bedspread;
• bright peonies in a simple clay vase;
• a spectacular additional curtain, slightly released from under the thick curtain;
• knitted bedside rug.

The patterns of southern France are unobtrusive and unpretentious: stripes, small floral motifs, lace and blurry checks. At the same time, the elements do not overload the overall background, but only slightly emphasize it.

Table

The characteristic features of a table in the Provence style are:

• use of natural materials;

• lightness and openness;
• use of light and pastel shades.

The easiest way is to make a small coffee table from lumber. To do this, you just need to be able to handle electrical tools, have a limitless flight of imagination, and be diligent and patient.

Tree ATTENTION : when making furniture yourself, a competent drawing is created indicating all dimensions.

According to the existing diagram, the necessary parts (tabletop and legs) are cut out, and the product is assembled using self-tapping screws into a single structure.

The assembled piece of furniture is decorated in different ways:

• decoupage technique;

• aging effect;

• coloring;
• artistic painting.
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Tint IMPORTANT: tables made of rattan, natural wood, and forged metal will harmoniously fit into the Provence style.

The colors used are: gray, beige, brown, cream, olive and white shades. Tables for rustic style are made massive or openwork, and are installed on carved legs. It is allowed to use carvings on the tabletop. The table shape can be round, oval, square or rectangular.

A table made of forged metal looks very original

The rectangular tabletop emphasizes the spirit of true French Provence

Tables with rectangular tops look especially harmonious in a simple provincial style. They perfectly emphasize the spirit of real French Provence.

Zone distribution

The kitchen, combined with the living room, is usually divided into functional areas - zones. In our case, this is the kitchen, dining room and guest room.

Advice: it is better to start planning by determining the size of the kitchen space. How to do it? From experience! After all, only you know how much space you will have for cooking and “kitchen-living room maneuvers.”

Connoisseurs of ergonomic interiors should like that the layout of a kitchen in the Provence style is not limited by strict rules and involves the same arrangement of modules as in any modern direction.

In terms of convenience, the first places are occupied by the following layout options:

• Corner or L-shaped, the advantage of which is that due to the angle you increase the area of ​​​​the working surface and storage area. One “but” - this method of planning is not suitable for long narrow rooms;
• U-shaped - considered universal and optimal for rooms of any size and proportions, good because it allows you to place quite a lot of kitchen modules;
• An island is like an object not enclosed by a fence, which can be approached from any side, however, this option is only appropriate for medium and large areas.

All these methods allow you to create an ideal work triangle (or rather polygon) and organize a comfortable kitchen space.

Having decided on the size of the kitchen, we move on to sketches of other zones. What is their number, how much space will they take up and what will they look like - these and other questions will be answered by your powers of observation, as well as family habits and traditions.

If the combined area is large enough, all three zones can be placed on it, making the dining room a kind of border between the kitchen and living room. In this case, you will have a kitchen-dining-living room.

Don't you see the need for a spacious dining table? Then move the dining room to the relaxation area by placing a small table near the sofa, or reduce its size to a minimum. For example, if you demolish the wall between the living room and the kitchen in half, you can get another work surface, a mini-dining room for 2-4 people, and at the same time a zoning element.

Another option is to place a compact table using a sofa or a stylized bar counter for zoning.

Visually separating the kitchen from the living room will help with different designs of walls, floors, ceilings, as well as:

• partitions, racks, cabinets at the boundaries of zones;
• a small stained glass or frame partition or arch;
• sliding doors (for example, transparent);
• curtains (on windows or between zones);
• different lighting circuits.

In such a capricious room as the kitchen, everything should be as practical as possible. The basic requirements for all kitchen surfaces are resistance to moisture, high temperatures, ease of care and the ability to be cleaned repeatedly. If you do not think about good ventilation and strong exhaust, these requirements will also affect the living room.

For finishing the floor in the kitchen area in Provence style, the best solution would be ceramic tiles with a worn effect. Warmer options are suitable for the recreation area - laminate, parquet or just a carpet on top of the tiles.

It is typical for French country that the floors of different areas of the kitchen combined with the living room should not differ greatly in color or texture - and this is easy to achieve with the help of imitating materials.

The ceiling in such a kitchen-living room is made only matte, usually white. If you have a private house, you can make it with beams made of dark wood, contrasting against the background of light paint. If desired, the perimeter of the ceiling can be decorated with moldings with stucco. This is very much in the spirit of Provence, but it is more difficult to implement in an apartment.

In addition to separating functional zones, they also use unification - a completely opposite, but also necessary technique.

To combine two rooms into one will help:

• identical design of walls, ceiling or floor;
• similar or identical textile elements, textures of finishing materials;
• repeating patterns on different surfaces;
• similarity of shapes and contours - furniture, lamps, legs of chairs and tables;
• decorative elements.

Most of the walls of the kitchen-living room are unpretentious in design - decorative plaster is quite suitable for them, and coating with water-based paint is also possible.

But the design of a kitchen apron requires a special approach - here it is better to use ceramic tiles or waterproof wallpaper, plain or with a small floral print to match the textiles or other interior details.

A practical and unifying move is to lay the same tiles on the apron, baseboards, furniture ends and window slopes.

Illustrative examples of zoning and unification await you in the photo below.

Decor

A simple provincial style cannot be imagined without various attributes and decors. After all, they are the ones who give the furniture its finished appearance. It is easy to give antique furniture a fresh and aesthetic look using painting, patination, and decoupage techniques. Each individual decoration option is unique and inimitable in its own way.

We also have a separate article that discusses in more detail the issue of decorating a living room in the Provence style.

Decorative elements play an important role in Provencal style

Decoration items add comfort and beauty to the interior

Aging to renew: restoration of Provence furniture

Buying artificially aged furniture is not difficult: the supply generated by demand has suggested a profitable niche to manufacturers. There is another option, thanks to the advice of experts from the WESTWING shopping club, existing furniture is transformed: Provence is accessible even to a novice designer.

Wooden furniture primarily requires improvement.

. Old varnish or paint is removed from it with sandpaper, after which the surface is thoroughly degreased. The abundance of tinting varnishes on sale solves the problem of color selection. The provincial atmosphere is characterized by slightly reddish tones of wood: rowan, oak, apple tree. They will go well with red petals, which are popular in floral motifs. This kind of aging of Provence furniture will only take a couple of days, since with good ventilation the varnish dries in a matter of hours.

Painting furniture is no more labor-intensive process, but the color needs to be mixed for all prepared surfaces in advance, because even experienced craftsmen rarely manage to get a perfectly identical tone a second time. In extreme cases, the mixed paint should be enough to cover all external surfaces; for internal surfaces, slight discrepancy is not critical. Decoupage of furniture or simple stencil painting will be the most appropriate decoration.

Psychologists say that Provence in the interior is not only fashionable, but also useful. Soothing, gentle tones have a positive effect on sleep quality and reduce anxiety. A romantic setting promotes the expression of the most tender feelings. Provencal style - a corner of France in your own apartment.

Lamp

Lamps in the Provence style are distinguished by their simplicity and lightness of design. Their colors vary from sand, cream and to snow-white shades. The material used must be natural. A good choice would be: wood, bronze, copper, brass. To soften the rough wooden frame, delicate textile lampshades are created.

DIY lamp with a snow-white lampshade

Elegant glass lampshade with artistic painting

It is not at all necessary to look for a lamp in stores. It is quite easy to do it yourself. To do this, select an old metal frame from a lamp and attach a textile lampshade to it. Also suitable are old glass lampshades, which can be decorated with artistic painting using acrylic paints.

Drawing in Provence style

Painting furniture is a rather difficult task that requires patience, so many craftsmen prefer to decorate surfaces using the decoupage method. In this case, only small parts have to be completed manually. In addition, the task can be significantly easier if you use special stencils.

Our master class is devoted to a method that is popular among novice artists who want to paint with paints, but do not have sufficient skills to do so. For work, it is better to use acrylic paints, which are excellent for wood and create a waterproof surface. These paints are sold in sets and individual tubes, so you can buy only the colors you need in packages of the appropriate size.

Pillows

You can update your rustic interior with the help of self-made pillows. They will give the room more warmth, comfort and a pleasant homely atmosphere.

Provincial style pillows will give you a more homey feel.

When sewing a pillow, natural fabrics in soothing colors are chosen. They are embroidered with satin ribbons or lace.

Diamond IMPORTANT : it is recommended to use synthetic materials (holofiber or padding polyester) that are hypoallergenic as pillow filling.

Bows, lace, satin ribbons on the pillow highlight the Provence style

When sewing a decorative pillow, the main thing is:

• choose the right consumables;
• come up with an original product design;
• decide on the sizes.

History of Provence

The Provence style originates from the French countryside. It received this name in honor of the southeastern region of France. At the beginning of the 18th century, many bohemians tried to escape from the bustle of the city and purchased country houses. The interior of the premises looked very simple, but at the same time romantic. This atmosphere made it possible to escape from the everyday bustle and dissolve in the picturesque nature of these places.