Cuisines Provencale

WHAT IS THE FRENCH PROVINCIAL STYLE?

In the south of France, the warm, dry weather paints the countryside in an intense and vivid palette. Artists such as
Paul Cézanne made this casual, colourful region their life’s work. In following this style, bringing streams of sunlight, aged timbers and the scent of lavender into the home environment has made the French Provincial style one of the most enduring interior trends.

The style has its origins during the reign of Louis XV, when craftsmen in the countryside started replicating the ornate furniture that was popular in the bustling centres of Paris and Lyon. Essentially, these pieces were pared-down versions of the more refined ‘town’ furniture. Instead of using highly polished, exotic timbers such as mahogany or rosewood, provincial furniture was produced from local timbers such as oak, beech, walnut and fruit-tree woods. The resulting rustic, understated style was complemented by colours taken straight from the surrounding environment: sunny yellows and soft golds, burnt rust, greens and cobalt blue.

French Provincial Kitchens are based on this traditional design that provides both style and utility, perfectly fused together. Although this style was originally developed in France, it has become widely accepted as one of the most attractive and functional ways to design the kitchen space. Many home owners and interior decorators are now choosing to take advantage of this magnificent traditional style.

Columns and Corbels are amongst some of the trademark features that you can expect to find in French Provincial Kitchens.

Traditionally the colour theme would be neutral, based on coffee and creams, with very little contrast. The stone-look finish is also implemented to accompany the colour palette. One of the commonly characteristic features of this design is Turned Posts. These are made from solid timber. Wooden Columns are used to create an opulent effect. If you want to achieve a classic touch in your home, you can opt for a hand-painted finish to get a special overall look. This is copied from the traditional ‘limed’ finish. Aged patinas always appeal and catch the eye. It opens up the past and allows us to appreciate the artistry of days gone by.

Liming is a traditional technique best suited to open-grained timbers such as oak, maple, pitch pine, elm and ash. With its soft, ghostly white appearance, a limed finish imparts instant history to any room. Real lime was once used on floors and furniture to prevent damage by insects, but today a ‘copy-cat’ paint finish gives a similar look. The technique of lime finishing wood has been around for centuries. Also known as the ‘whitewashed’ finish, it originated in Europe in the 1500s to protect the wood pieces from worm. Slaked lime was applied to the wood which, inadvertently, also gave it the decorative finish that became in vogue. Today, the whitewashed look along with lightened wood, bleached finishes and limed finishes are growing in popularity and are being seen in many recent ‘Interior Design’ publications.

Limed finishes are sometimes also called ‘Cerused‘ or ‘pickled finishes‘ and they vary depending upon the nature of the underlying materials. Reclaimed wood will generally produce a more rustic and ‘aged look’, whereas new materials will feel a bit neater – even if deliberately antiqued. In order to enhance the effect, the grain of the wood is sometimes exposed with a wire brush.

The picture immediately to the left shows the now classic ‘Veranda’ magazine cover with Edouard Vermeulen’s pigmented, whitewashed wall.

Attention to detail is also another unique feature of French Provincial kitchens. In the good old days, the ceilings were always quite high and the cornices would be made to extend all the way up to the ceiling.

Inside the French Provincial kitchen if space allows a central spot is frequently taken by an Island Bench.

Granite tops are common for such benches, as well as all the kitchen bench tops, however neutral colour themes that include a variety of earthy colours are favoured. The island is not all about good looks, but rather it serves many practical purposes. In fact it can be transformed into a complete alternative workspace in the kitchen. Contemporary interior designers enhance the utility of island benches by adding sinks along with cupboards, drawers and perhaps a microwave space.

The French made sure that their kitchens were designed to provide adequate storage space. Wall-hung decorative cabinets were a prominent feature of French Provincial kitchens. Conventional back-lighting, positioned to enhance displayed items or work spaces, can also be tastefully incorporated into the design. Quite often the French incorporated a Dresser into the kitchen design as well. Sometimes the dresser was made to fit into one of the corners of the kitchen and would often hold the fine china or crystal glass ware. Ornamental Carvings and Windowed Cabinet Doors were some of the design elements of these dressers.

One of the most essential components of the French Provincial kitchen style is the Mantelpiece, which was included in every kitchen. There is no doubt that this mantelpiece was designed to serve as the central focus of the room, but it can be incorporated in a very practical way. Many contemporary interior designers make the mantelpiece serve as the area where the stove top and range hood are located. This helps to create a friendly, warm area for cooking.

The French Provincial kitchen is very well organised and it is never overcrowded. It is a rather sophisticated kitchen decorated with many interesting design elements.

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