Chest of drawers Provence and its features, as well as advantages and disadvantages

Sometimes, into the modern interior of a city apartment in a noisy city, you want to bring warm notes of rustic comfort, romance, simplicity, but not rough, but with provincial chic. These interior design features correspond to the Provence style, characteristic of the sunny, flourishing province of Southern France. Comfortable furniture is the central part of the style - a sofa, a chest of drawers, a wardrobe, a sideboard. It is the Provence chest of drawers that is an obligatory element of this trend, most of all characterizing the attitude towards rustic romance and simplicity. In order for a chest of drawers to fully correspond to the style, it is necessary to choose it correctly for different rooms, taking into account the color design, design and size.

Style Features

The combination of sophistication and simplicity of the Provence style creates harmony in the interior. Furniture, like the decoration of this style, is distinguished by the following characteristic features:

simplicity of pattern, shape, design. A Provence style chest of drawers is distinguished by its smooth shapes: its legs are curved, the corners are rounded, and there is often a carved pattern on the walls;
laconicism, naturalness - this is expressed in the use of natural materials for the manufacture of furniture, primarily wood. Wooden furniture looks stylish and modern in any interior, and Provence reveals the warmth of this material;
use of decoupage technique;
natural, pastel colors - there are no bright colors; instead, you can use deep, rich, but muted tones. They will be accentuated against the background of the main shades - milky, beige, soft pink, yellow, blue, gray, light brown. Even white in Provence and country style is not bright, but muted;
The decoration of furniture, walls, and textiles is predominantly floral (floral, fruity) or geometric with a small pattern. This design emphasizes the authenticity of the style. The side walls and facades of furniture are painted with naturalistic or primitive patterns, which must be given the effect of fading in the sun;
A Provence style chest of drawers, like other furniture of this style, is made with a special coating that imitates abrasions in order to achieve the effect of antiquity. Coating the chest of drawers with craquelure paint will help achieve the same effect;
using a large number of hand-made pieces of furniture, decor, and accessories. For this reason, what is most valued in a Provence interior is a chest of drawers made independently using the decoupage technique.

Provence furniture is characterized by versatility, that is, a wardrobe or chest of drawers will fit organically into a living room, a hallway, or a kitchen. Examples of this are presented in the photo.

Vintage style chest of drawers

If you want to create a chest of drawers with a more original design and curly, unusual cuts, then you should not look for other, more complex options.

Chest of drawers for a summer residence

The scheme of work will coincide with the one below, differing from it only in matters of design.

For a chest of drawers with indicators H90 - W102 - D35 you will need 2 pieces of fiberboard or chipboard and 2 sheets of plywood 122/60. The design is applied to the workpiece with a marker and nail polish remover.
The parts are cut out with a jigsaw, assembled and secured with glue and screws.
The edges of the parts are sanded to achieve an “aged” effect.
Putty is applied to the wooden base. The screws are also puttied.
Now it’s time for the primer (for a chest of drawers, an ordinary one will do).
The chest of drawers is painted first with brown acrylic paint, then, when it dries thoroughly, with white.
All parts of the chest of drawers are assembled and secured. The chest of drawers is almost ready, just a little remains - a spectacular design in the Provence style!
Using stencils (they were described in detail in the item “List of Necessities”), paint is applied to the front panels and sides of the chest of drawers.
To enhance the “aged” effect, you will need bitumen wax, which is applied to all wooden panels of the chest of drawers.
Metal handles are attached (preferably brass). If the shade does not suit you, you can use durable acrylic paint with a golden or bronze tint.
Voila - the antique Provence style chest of drawers is ready. All that remains is to come up with a beautiful and romantic legend for him...

Scheme 1

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Scheme 4

Form

Chests of drawers in the Provence style are, first of all, simplicity and smooth lines, and no abstract shapes or complex designs. It may have curved legs of varying heights, the corners of the lid surface are rounded, and it may also have sides cut deliberately roughly. The legs must be stable and durable, and their length depends on the dimensions of the chest of drawers - the smaller the piece of furniture and lighter in weight, the higher the legs. High legs add even more sophistication to the chest of drawers. As a rule, their shape tapers downward. The fittings do not have to have an aged look; they can be modern, but not noticeable to the eye. The use of handles on metal drawers made of bronze, copper or brass is encouraged. These should be elegant forged elements that emphasize the elegance of a French-style chest of drawers.

The appearance of a Provence chest of drawers should inspire a feeling of lightness and romanticism, therefore the manufacture of this piece of furniture with a rough, heavy shape and bulky dimensions is contraindicated.

In addition to the traditional linear shapes of square and rectangular, there are oval and corner chests of drawers. The traditional form of a classic chest of drawers, made in Provencal style, is rectangular furniture with sliding longitudinal drawers.

The size of the chest of drawers is selected in accordance with its location and functions; there are no standards as such. Dressers can be narrow and high, or wide and low. Obviously, the size of a chest of drawers that has decorative value will be different from a chest of drawers that serves a specific practical function. Thus, corner chests of drawers are usually compact, and often serve a decorative function or are intended for placement in small rooms such as a hallway.

Tips for choosing

When choosing furniture in the Provence style, it is necessary to take into account not only its consumer characteristics. The appearance and color of products are no less important. For example, the same white chest of drawers will look different against a blue or milky wall. Accordingly, the approach should be balanced, taking into account the characteristics of the room.

Classification of shoe chests, popular colors and designs

When choosing a chest of drawers, it is advisable to pay attention to the following parameters:

compliance of the dimensions with the room area model;
functionality - number of drawers, their capacity;
the quality of materials and fittings, the service life of the furniture depends on this.

Decorative finishing must correspond to the chosen direction. For Provence style, it is simplicity, elegance, harmony of natural shades. A chest of drawers, like a small piece of furniture art, will become a real decoration of any home if it is in its place and in a decent environment.

Color

Faded, slightly peeling paint in matte pastel colors or deep, but muted shades - this is what a Provencal chest of drawers should be like. The pastel color palette of the Provence chest of drawers is varied:

it consists of matte shades of white (milk, ivory, champagne, pearl);
brown (beige, sand, all shades of natural wood);
gray (silver, dove, dove, zircon, ash, mole);
blue and violet (pale cornflower blue, sky blue, niagara, gray blue, light blue, light turquoise, lavender);
green (light aquamarine, straw, pale lime, ambrosia, pistachio, pale olive);
yellow (linseed, peach, khaki, corn, mustard);
pink (apricot, smoky pink, salmon, light coral).

The shades should be matte, since natural wood materials are not glossy, and artificial materials should not be used in the manufacture of Provence chests of drawers, especially glossy plastic. Even white color should be muted so as not to be conspicuous by a bright spot. To decorate the chest of drawers in an original way, use decoupage techniques, craquelure varnish, or use two shades to decorate the furniture. For example, the design of a chest of drawers in two shades looks elegant and fresh - deep, “velvet” blue and matte white. Decorative panels (moldings) on drawers and legs are painted blue, and dark blue handles can be used. The white color serves as the background for a blue chest of drawers in the Provence style. Modern Provence style chests of drawers are also decorated in black; this option is often found when placing this piece of furniture in the kitchen.

Very skillful hands: working on furniture design

Despite the fact that a lot has already been said about finishing a chest of drawers in the Provencal style, it is worth devoting a separate paragraph to it. There are a great many ideas for decorating a chest of drawers: in addition to simple and easy-to-use stencils, you can paint pastoral pictures using oil or acrylic paints directly on the front slats.

The design can be anything: simple vignettes painted with gold varnish, luxurious, just blossoming roses, lovely angels, pictures of rural life, and even book tomes.

Adherents of the minimalist style may like the ideas of completely plain and matte chests of drawers, but painted in shades of mint sherbet, lavender, and ivory.

Chests of drawers painted in two colors (brown + white, chocolate + blue), where the darker base shows through the lighter one, look very stylish.

Some creators of hand-made furniture paint only the lid and side panels of the chest of drawers, leaving the front ones not painted at all. This option will look very stylish in any interior, in addition, it will require fewer consumables for its creation.

“Vintage” furniture in the southern French style can be decorated not only with drawings, but, say, with ceramic medallions in the form of angels, plaster casts of handles, and silk lining of drawers.

The highest class is the creation of relief patterns from wood on the front panels of the chest of drawers. To create such furniture with a luxury finish, you will not need chipboard panels, but real cut wood. In addition, only very experienced craftsmen can complete such a design.

Accommodation options

A stylish Provencal chest of drawers is universal: it can be placed in any room - living room, bedroom, nursery, hallway and kitchen. The only condition is that the room should not be small, because the classic Provence style chest of drawers is quite large.

For the bedroom, a chest of drawers is perfect as a replacement for a closet. If the bedroom does not have a large area, one Provence chest of drawers, in addition to the bed, will be enough to perform the necessary functions. If the bedroom is spacious, the chest of drawers can be supplemented with two identical bedside tables near the bed. It is usually placed near the wall opposite the sleeping place, or between two windows in the wall. You can place a large mirror on this piece of furniture, turning it into an elegant dressing table.

There are more options for placing a chest of drawers in the living room. It is often used as a TV stand. In the living room, large chests of drawers are usually used, on the tabletop of which various decorative accessories are installed - paintings, vases with flowers. Just like in the bedroom, you can install a wide mirror on it. This furniture is usually placed between windows, opposite the seating area, in niches and partitions, or with the help of it they zone the space of a large living room. This can be done if, for example, you place a chest of drawers behind the back of a soft corner.

In the kitchen, a tall chest of drawers will replace numerous hanging cabinets or cabinets. In the hallway it can replace a shoe rack.

Differences in designs for different rooms

The design of a Provencal chest of drawers largely depends on the purpose and location. Various functional areas of a house or apartment influence its design and purpose.

The purpose of this piece of bedroom furniture is to store things and linen. Therefore, the design usually includes five to six longitudinal drawers, sometimes two more small drawers on top. For easy storage of small items and accessories, the drawers can be divided into many internal sections. To perform the function of a dressing table, the tabletop is complemented by a large wide mirror in an elegant frame, decorated in a Provence-style decor. If there is a lot of things, a tall chest of drawers can be complemented with opening doors. Functioning as a bedside table, this piece of furniture is compact in size, and usually only has one or two small drawers.

In the kitchen, this piece of furniture is designed to store cutlery, napkins, and other serving items. Moreover, its design can consist of many small boxes. If the function of a sideboard is performed, that is, furniture for storing dishes, the chest of drawers is necessarily complemented by glass doors, behind which several shelves are hidden. The shelves can also be open. Moreover, this furniture is quite tall. When placing such furniture in the dining room, the tabletop can serve as a serving table. In addition, furniture for storing wine bottles would be an interesting interior solution. This type of design includes open shelves with special recesses for storing bottles in a horizontal position.

A sideboard for a living room, as a rule, performs more of a decorative function than it has practical value. In this case, the chest of drawers should be small in size, and also be combined with all other pieces of furniture in the living room. Under the window you can place a low, long chest of drawers with two or three drawers or doors. It will expand the area of the window sill to accommodate decorative accessories, and also create a storage system for all sorts of small items in the living room.

A chest of drawers for a hallway should be designed so as not to take up much space, and the tabletop should have enough area to accommodate a small mirror, gloves, keys and small accessories. A chest of drawers made in Provence style is ideal for placement in a children's room, especially for a girl. The design of a children's product should be such as to accommodate a large amount of children's clothing and toys.

The bright decoupage technique will perfectly complement a children's closet, and the presence of sides on the tabletop will make it a changing table.

For your office, you need to choose a cabinet for storing business papers, filing cabinets, and books. It should have a simple design with no frills in appearance. It is better if it is coated with colorless varnish so that the furniture has the color of natural wood. Its design should be such that it is possible to organize business papers, for example, contain many small boxes, the facades of which can be beautifully decorated with information about the contents. Such an example is shown in the photo.

Nuances of choice

To create a stylish, organic Provençal interior, you need to take a responsible approach to choosing furniture. To do this, you need to consider the following recommendations:

furniture should be made only from natural wood. If funds are limited, you can opt for MDF or chipboard, but not PVC;
The size of the furniture must correspond to the area of the room, as well as its functionality and the main purpose of the room. So, a cabinet with glass doors in the hallway or attic would not look very practical;
for a small room, it is recommended to choose multifunctional furniture, for example, a chest of drawers combined with an ironing board, a serving table, a dressing table, or a changing table, as well as a TV stand.

To ensure long-term operation, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of the drawer guides. In contrast to the appearance of the furniture, they should be modern. It is best to choose flush-mounted slides that are attached to the bottom of the drawer. This ensures its maximum extension without the risk of distortions or falling out.

Creating the base for a classic chest of drawers

This stage of work is the most important. Extreme care when making the base for stylish French-style furniture will help you avoid annoying mistakes. So, it's time to get creative!

To make parts from chipboard, the facade of the base of the future chest of drawers, the beams and sides, and the back panel of the base are cut out.
To assemble the base you will need glue and 44mm screws. The beams are attached to the back of the base, and construction adhesive is applied to their back edges to hold the beams together as much as possible. Then glue is applied to the front edges, and the front of the chest of drawers is attached to their sides. Screws are screwed into the bases of the resulting connections.
The sidewall and back walls of the apron are cut out. In the sidewalls you need to select the mounting holes in accordance with the picture. A nuance: the left side will be the reverse image of the right.
Then the runners for future supports are cut out, assembled, fastened with glue together with clamps, and their diagonals are measured. 20mm screws will be needed to secure the center of each support.
Assembling the frame is the next stage of making boxes. Construction adhesive is carefully applied into the resulting grooves of the side panels, after which they are pushed into the supporting places with the ready-made front edges of the side strips. The back of each drawer is secured with nails and construction adhesive; The shield slats will also be attached with its help to the places previously marked with a marker under the bottom drawer. The frame is secured with screws. The supports are drilled. After the work is completed, they are countersunk. Glue is applied to the top back of the dresser base, then the piece is screwed to the frame.
To make a quality support, you will first need to make a face frame. Frame parts are cut out according to the diagram. It is secured with finishing nails and construction adhesive or Secunda. Glue is applied to the edges of the blanks, then they are joined and cut to the required size. A semicircular cutter (the best option is 19 mm) will be needed for processing the side and front parts. Then the treated lid is placed with its edge touching the frame. The plank cover is secured with 32 mm screws.
To make the most important part of the chest of drawers - the drawers, you will need to sequentially cut out all the strips of the box drawers in accordance with the design, and make small grooves in their walls for fastenings. For our model we will need six such boxes.
The figured facade with decorative elements is cut out with a slight rounding of the outer edges. The facades are attached to the drawers with ready-made screws. All that remains is to secure the metal handles to the front slats of the boxes.