French Provincial, sometimes used interchangeably with French Country, refers to a decorating and furnishing style that originated in the provinces of France throughout the 1700s and 1800s. Parisian furniture of the past was highly ornamental and often over-the-top, with flourishes in the form of ornate gilding, molding, and paneling.
What makes French Provincial furniture so popular?
What makes French provincial furniture so popular?
- The Lines French provincial furniture has lines that are really delicate. There are curves in the designs with embellishments and carvings that have a feminine appearance. ...
- Natural Colours Mother Nature is the inspiration behind the colours that are chosen. ...
- Rustic Charm
How to identify French Provincial furniture?
The cabriole legs were a popular feature of French provincial furniture. They were basically curved legs featuring two arches, the upper one facing out and the lower one facing in.
What era is French Provincial furniture from?
French provincial furniture usually refers to pieces created during the 18th century, away from Paris, in the provinces and smaller French cities. The pieces were often simpler and more affordable adaptations of the luxurious Rococo furniture made for the Parisian monarchy.
What are French provincial chairs?
These French Provincial accent chairs feature rustic textures and rich colors that make any room feel more vibrant and inviting. The classic silhouettes never go out of style, but the abundance of colorful patterns and ornate details from which to choose ensure that these French country chairs have a truly distinctive appearance.
What is the Rococo style?
What was the purpose of a sideboard in the Rococo style?
What are the legs of a French cabinet called?
What wood did the makers use?
Why was French provincial furniture not uniform?
What were the two main techniques of decoration in French furniture?
What were the motifs of painting?
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What are the characteristics of French provincial furniture?
Features typically associated with French Provincial furniture include cabriole legs, and simple scalloped carving. Dining chairs often have a wheat pattern carving reflecting the country surroundings of the maker. The ladder back chair with a woven rush seat is the typical French Provincial dining chair.
What is French provincial style?
French Provincial is a style that blends the French countryside with Parisian elegance. From polished rustic looks to the ornate feel of antiques and knick-knacks, French Provincial homes can include exposed timber and chandeliers all in the same space.
What is French provincial furniture look like?
Dressers, tables, and chairs have curved legs that form an S shape, ending in a dainty but solid foot. Pieces often had scalloped carvings with flowing scrolls that mirrored the graceful legs, wooden ornaments and details, and somewhat intricate floral-inspired hardware.
What color is French provincial furniture?
Natural warm tones Popular colours for a French country interior are on the spectrum of white, neutrals, greys, creams, blushes and light blues.
Is French provincial out of style?
French Provincial design is especially popular today because it's a softer, more elegant take on minimal or rustic farmhouse decor. Plus, you won't be rushing to replace it in a few years because it's a classic we don't see going out of style anytime soon.
What kind of wood is French provincial furniture?
Provincial furniture was usually made of locally-available woods, which were much more affordable than imported materials. Oak, walnut, beech and cherry were the common choices and other fruitwoods like pear, peach and apple were sometimes used as well.
What is the difference between French provincial and Hamptons style?
Both Hamptons and French Provincial rely on wooden accents and furniture to make the space feel warm and lived in. The main difference here is French Provincial's tendency to rely on distressed wood and aged metal to portray a country lifestyle.
Is French provincial furniture solid wood?
Depending on the influence, the French provincial style can be solid and heavy in some cases, or light and streamlined. The wood types that were commonly used to make French provincial furniture include apple, beech, cherry, peach, pear and oak; these woods were readily and inexpensively available in the provinces.
What goes with French Provincial furniture?
French provincial interiors look best with pastel colors such as peach, lavender, old rose, lilac, or periwinkle. Feel free to paint your old furniture to match them to the rest of your decor. White, gray, lavender, antique rose: all those colors will work, as long as they remain harmonious with the rest of the room.
How do you modernize French provincial furniture?
A simple way to update a piece of French Provincial furniture is to give it a fresh coat of paint in a modern shade, such as coral or emerald green. Take it one step further and paint stripes, using masking tape as a guide, or paint a floral pattern using a projection as a stencil.
Can you mix French provincial with modern?
Stick to a simple colour palette of one or two colours and paint both the ceiling and walls in the same hue. The reason the French Country and Modern works so well comes down to conflict and contrast. Where French Country is soft and rustic, Modern is fresh and sleek. Where French Country is warm, Modern is cool.
What are French provincial colors?
French provincial style is representative of Provence region atmosphere : the sun, the countryside landscapes and the special scents. To get a Provincial home decor, you'll have to mix typical colors, prints and pieces of this beautiful part of France. Ocher, olive-green and lavender blue are the 3 colors to use.
What is the difference between Hamptons style and French provincial?
Rather than ornate and rustic touches, the Hamptons style has more emphasis on clean lines, simple design and crisp colours. As we've seen with the French provincial style, stone benchtops add a touch of elegance, and natural materials, particularly wooden floorboards, are widely used.
What is the difference between French Country and French provincial?
According to this article, “French Country” is a catch-all term, but it can split into even more specific categories, with French Provincial being the more elegant style and Country french being more rustic.
What are the different French design styles?
French interior design stylesFrench country vs farmhouse. Farmhouse and Rustic décor, that is a hallmark of the French country style, are in fact markedly similar home decor styles and are often difficult to differentiate. ... French provincial interior design. ... Parisian style home décor. ... French style bedding.
What mixes with French provincial?
Industrial French Provincial: The industrial and French Provincial styles are actually quite similar and can work very well together.
How to Identify French Provincial Furniture - Laurel Crown
How to Identify French Provincial Furniture. Does your home reflect the refined elegance of the French countryside? Beyond the rolling vineyards, pine forests, and lavender fields of Provence, many provinces in France set the tone for a popular decorating style now known as French Provincial or French Country.
What makes French provincial furniture so popular?
When we hear the word French style, our imagination quickly runs to classy, elegant, and sharp pictures depicting the old world charm. Thanks to the era of renaissance, a number of French style paintings and furniture are left behind that speak volumes about the perfection, aesthetics, art and superior craftsmanship.
So Your Style Is: French Provincial - Houzz AU
The French provincial look has its roots in the mid to late 1700s, as people in various provinces in France (particularly Bordeaux, Brittany, Normandy and Provence) began to emulate the lavish furnishings adorning chateaux and estates. It has evolved from focusing primarily on decorative luxury, to a warm and welcoming style that incorporates not just marble, wrought iron and carved timber ...
The History of French Provincial Furniture
To understand the origins of this legendary style, we need to go back a few hundred years and head to Paris, France. During the 17th and 18th centuries, we were introduced to three lavish styles of furniture fit for kings, specifically, Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI.
The Design Elements That Define French Provincial
The style of French Provincial varied from one region to the next but some iconic features stand out. First and foremost, these pieces were built well and meant to be used.
French Provincial Pieces in Modern Times
This style originated in the 18th century, but its popularity has peaked multiple times since. In the 1900s, the style made a strong comeback with reproduction pieces from an array of designers. Pieces were often available in stained wood or painted options, most commonly off-white with gold accents.
What is French provincial furniture?
The provincial furniture styles of the French countryside mirrored those of the Louis XV and Louis XVI royal court in Versailles, albeit with more restraint. Despite its more humble background, today you'll find French provincial furniture decorating luxury five-star hotels and Michelin-rated restaurants because, the style embodies sophistication and class while doing away with the gold-gilded pretension of its royal cousin. That's not to say that each doesn't have its own place, however, the provincial style does have the flexibility of fitting in in both formal and more casual settings (shabby chic being one example).
What is a dining room?
The dining room in any home is a place for family, a place for friends, and a place to create and hold unforgettable fine dining or family gatherings that will be cherished for years to come. It makes sense then to ensure that your dining room furniture is of stunning, heirloom quality.
Does Laurel Crown reproduce French furniture?
If you would like any assistance finding the right piece for your home or if you have a period antique you would like us to reproduce, give us a call today to see how we can make your decorating dreams come true. Laurel Crown proudly reproduces antique French provincial furniture styles that will make any room in your home look stunning. Select which type of furniture or room you are interested in below:
Is mahogany a good dining table?
We received our Mahogany Pede stal Dining Table at our vacation house this past week and it is absolutely beautiful! The quality of the wood is outstanding, the construction is world class and the finish is lovely. And, the price of the table coupled with the quality is a true value. Thank you once more for your excellent communications, great service and timely delivery. We plan on buying more pieces in the future!
What is French Provincial vs. Provençal?
In French, the word province is used for any place that is outside of Paris. Over time, the term provincial has become synonymous with being from the countryside. Provence is a region in southeastern France that borders the Mediterranean Sea and was one the first Roman province beyond the Alps. Known for its diverse landscapes, Provence has been a top holiday destination for many years. The term Provençal is used to refer to the dialect of the Occitan language that was once widely spoken in Provence as well as the people that live along the beautiful French Riviera.
What is the difference between Parisian and country furniture?
Parisian furniture of the past was highly ornamental and often over-the-top, with flourishes in the form of ornate gilding, molding, and paneling. Country furnishings, on the other hand, were far more rustic yet they seemed to strike a balance between beauty and comfort.
What is French country furniture?
Inspired by the warm, earthy colors of the neoclassical era, French Country furnishings usually feel lived-in and welcoming yet still impeccably styled. French Provincial furnishings are also quite playful with touches of botanical themes in art, fabric, wallpaper, and accessories.
Why is French furniture associated with Provence?
French Provincial furniture has long been associated with Provence, because rural life had remained relatively unchanged there with all its rustic textures, rich colors, and primitive furnishings. However, there is more to the French countryside other than pastoral Provence.
What are French Provincial furniture made of?
Materials: Drawing inspiration from the surrounding countryside, French Provincial furniture is often made of natural materials that lend to the simplicity of the style as a whole, such as rush-woven seats.
What is the language of Provence?
Known for its diverse landscapes, Provence has been a top holiday destination for many years. The term Provençal is used to refer to the dialect of the Occitan language that was once widely spoken in Provence as well as the people that live along the beautiful French Riviera.
What is the province of Provence?
Over time, the term provincial has become synonymous with being from the countryside. Provence is a region in southeastern France that borders the Mediterranean Sea and was one the first Roman province beyond the Alps. Known for its diverse landscapes, Provence has been a top holiday destination for many years.
What is the Toile de Jouy?
Toile de Jouy, best known as toile, is a traditional pattern printed on cotton or linen fabrics used for upholstery, drapery, tablecloths, and wallpaper in French country rooms . Toile de Jouy is also known as the "fabric of Jouy" because the 18th-century factory of Jouy-en-Josas located near Versailles became famous for printing the fabric.
What to put in a French country bedroom?
Add in a small crystal chandelier somewhere in the room, layers of soft and lacy white bedding with a toile comforter and curtains, and a headboard made of distressed wood or an old iron gate, and you have the makings of a beautiful bedroom. Use an old metal garden bench at the end of the bed as a sitting area. A bedroom is the perfect place for painted and distressed dressers and armoires.
What is a toile pattern?
The toile pattern is characterized by its designs of landscapes and figures of one color printed on a white or cream background. The beauty of toile is that it can be paired with many other patterned fabrics, such as stripes, plaids, checks, ginghams, sunflowers, and small florals. Other patterns used on French country fabrics include roosters, ...
What to put on a French country dining room table?
A rustic chandelier of distressed wood or metal with candelabra bulbs is a must in a traditional French country dining room. A lighter-toned wooden dining table surrounded by whitewashed, vintage, or mismatched chairs brings in a casual and welcoming look. For a casual feel, hang gingham curtains to the floor with a little puddling. Lightweight silk draperies puddled on the floor add a bit more formality.
Why is provincial style so popular?
It's a popular style worldwide because of its comfortable and casual elegance that's never ostentatious. Three distinct characteristics make up the style: You may also hear this type of decor called provincial style. Provincial style is recognized as a slightly more formal, refined look.
What is a French country kitchen?
A kitchen in this style is both comfortable and sophisticated. Cabinetry may look like regular furniture with molding and carvings. Casual kitchens of this style feature shabby chic and vintage touches, including pretty old jars and bottles that hold pantry items, quaint signage for wall decor, wrought iron pot racks, and plenty of copper pots. Modern French country kitchens are known for their signature, decorative range hoods.
What paint do you use to distress furniture?
The furniture is also characterized by distressed, painted, and often whitewashed finishes. You can use milk or chalk paint to distress furniture to get this style. French provincial furniture is a touch more formal with added embellishments than French country style, and its history explains why.
What is the Rococo style?
During the 18th century, the Parisian monarchy and court commissioned hundreds of luxurious and elaborate pieces and imposed the Rococo style, also known as Louis XV, and later the Neoclassical style, also known as Louis XVI. Today, those are the styles commonly associated with French furniture history. Away from the court, French provincial ...
What was the purpose of a sideboard in the Rococo style?
Cupboards were mostly used for storing dishware. The sideboard, also known as a buffet, was another popular piece with similar use and features as cupboards but only as high as a table. Tables usually had flat wooden surfaces. The stone tops, common in the Rococo style, were practically absent in provincial pieces.
What are the legs of a French cabinet called?
The cabriole legs were a popular feature of French provincial furniture. They were basically curved legs featuring two arches, the upper one facing out and the lower one facing in. French antique table with cabriole legs. The cupboard was one of the most popular furniture types.
What wood did the makers use?
Makers used locally-available woods like oak, walnut, beech and cherry. The finishing usually consisted of stain or paint. Many pieces had cabriole legs. Cupboards, sideboards and chairs with ladder or wheat backs were popular types of furniture. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Why was French provincial furniture not uniform?
French provincial furniture was not an entirely uniform style, mostly because each region had its own traditions and different influences. Also, local craftsmen each had their own techniques. As a result, some pieces were massive and ornamented while others were light and rather simple.
What were the two main techniques of decoration in French furniture?
There were two main techniques of decoration; carvings and painting .
What were the motifs of painting?
The motifs for painting decoration were diverse and included landscapes, mythological creatures, Biblical scenes and everyday objects. The use of veneer was rare. Provincial furniture was usually made of locally-available woods, which were much more affordable than imported materials.
