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what is provincial furniture

by Ayana Price Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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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.

Full Answer

Why was French provincial furniture not uniform?

Who were the main buyers of locally produced furniture?

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?

What were the two main techniques of decoration in French furniture?

What were the motifs of painting?

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What does provincial style mean?

The provincial style refers to rural France of olden times. It's especially associated with the Provence region with its elegant furniture, typical patterns and earthy colors. A warm, friendly and rustic atmosphere.

How can you tell if furniture is French provincial?

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 furniture style?

French Provincial blends Rococo, rustic and French countryside styles and imbues any room with an air of elegance. The features typically associated with French Provincial furniture include cabriole legs and simple scalloped carving.

Is French provincial furniture real wood?

French Provincial furniture combines carvings, curved details, and gentle tones to give each piece an elegant silhouette. The pieces are mainly made of wood, raw or painted, and other natural materials like wrought iron or linen.

What wood is French provincial furniture made of?

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 Colour is French provincial?

Colours and textures of the French provincial style The colours in a French Provincial home are all about keeping it classic. Choosing creamy whites, light grey tones with ivory and hints of soft blues and greens will keep your home in the delicate country style that French Provincial is known for.

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.

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 mixes with French provincial?

Industrial French Provincial: The industrial and French Provincial styles are actually quite similar and can work very well together.

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.

What era was French provincial furniture?

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.

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.

What era was French provincial furniture?

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.

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.

Is French provincial furniture still popular?

Rural simplicity meets chic chateau style. French Provincial style is one of the most popular design genres out there, whether it's describing the architecture of a home or the furnishings within it. Although it has somewhat lofty origins, French Provincial design is beloved today for its casually elegant vibe.

When was French provincial furniture popular in the US?

This aesthetic came to the US following the aftermath of the First World War. According to House Beautiful, French provincial-style homes became common construction in the 1920 and again in the 1960s, crafted by returning soldiers who took inspiration from the soft, elegant style.

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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.

The History & Style Characteristics of French Provincial Furniture

The Iconic French Provincial Design Few styles of furniture are more recognizable than French Provincial. From its curves to its detailing and even the iconic off-white and gold coloring of more recent reproductions, French Provincial pieces have made their mark in the furniture world. But what defines the style? How

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:

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.

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 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.

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 are the colors of French provincial?

Colors: Neutral and muted tones epitomize the French Provincial palette, with no shortage of taupe, ivory, sage, grey, and other earthy colors. In addition to neutral hues, you might also find sunny yellow or soft gold, fiery red or burnt rust, bright grass green or dark hunter green, and cobalt blue or soft ocean tones.

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.

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.

Who were the main buyers of locally produced furniture?

The provincial residents , who were the main buyers of locally-produced furniture, had less buying power than the Parisian elite and were usually not as deeply in touch with the trends of the capital. The local craftsmen would sometimes go to Paris and become inspired by the current trends. But they often adopted only a few influences rather than replicating the style.

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.

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.

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1.French Provincial Furniture: History & Style | Study.com

Url:https://study.com/academy/lesson/french-provincial-furniture-history-style.html

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2.Videos of What Is Provincial Furniture

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12 hours ago  · What is French Provincial Style Furniture? January 11, 2022. Rife with shapely silhouettes and punctuated by distressed finishes that evoke an air of tumble-down elegance, …

3.Provincial Furniture - Etsy

Url:https://www.etsy.com/market/provincial_furniture

3 hours ago 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 …

4.What is French Provincial Style Furniture? - Chairish Blog

Url:https://www.chairish.com/blog/what-is-french-provincial-style-furniture/

34 hours ago  · 6th Jan 2021. When you are thinking of different design styles that can actually transport you to another place, one of the first that should pop into your mind is French …

5.How to Identify French Provincial Furniture - Laurel Crown

Url:https://www.laurelcrown.com/how-to-identify-french-provincial-furniture

31 hours ago  · Unlike some of the more ornamental pieces of the palace, French Provincial furniture was intended to be a functional part of the home, and because of that, you'll usually …

6.The History & Style Characteristics of French Provincial …

Url:https://thecopperelm.com/blogs/posts/the-history-style-characteristics-of-french-provincial-furniture

6 hours ago Provincial furniture is a type that is very popular in some parts of the world like Canada and France. This furniture is well-known for its simplicity and solid construction. Provincial …

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8 hours ago Defined by elegance, French Provincial furniture blends aspects of Rococo with rustic and French countryside influencers to create beautifully delicate pieces, great for adding a touch of …

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