Provence-style curtains for the kitchen: types and design ideas

People living within the city really miss calm, serene landscapes, truly fresh air, peace and quiet. That is why today in the interior there are more and more rustic trends that can create coziness and harmony in an apartment. This is especially important in kitchens, where most families not only cook and eat, but also share their impressions of the whole day.

Provence style is one of those directions that makes you feel at home, relax and have a good rest. It is not difficult to arrange "Provencal" kitchens, although many nuances have to be taken into account. And the choice of curtains becomes a very important task, because they must necessarily correspond to the general theme of the style.

The Provence style originated in southern France, where residents were fortunate enough to admire the stunning seascapes every day, inhale the sweet scent of flowers and enjoy the fresh, country air. The Provence region, which gave the name to the direction, completely relieved of the bustle of the city, everything breathed in it with peace, comfort and harmony. That is why any buildings, both inside and outside, were as natural, simple, and light as possible. This trend continues today.

Let's consider some features of the style in general:

• exceptionally light finish - there can be no dark wallpapers or floors in the interior;
• materials of natural origin: wood, stone;
• light wooden furniture, preferably artificially aged;
• a certain color scheme for accessories: lilac, blue, pale purple, cream;
• natural fabrics: linen, matting and others;
• lightness in the interior - it is unacceptable to overload such a design with numerous decor items.

As for the choice of Provence-style curtains, they also have certain characteristics:

• can be plain or with floral ornaments, images of rural animals, landscapes, the cage also looks interesting;
• various decorative elements are welcome: ruffles, lace, garters, bows;
• the fabric is only natural, airy, there can be no velvet curtains in such a kitchen;
• the length is desirable short, floor-length curtains in Provencal interiors are used quite rarely and only in large kitchens.

Rustic styles are characterized by maximum simplicity, so the material for curtains should be lightweight and not hide the space. Flax is a good idea in the first place. At first glance, it may seem rude, but it perfectly protects from the sun and heat. Linen curtains are durable and not too difficult to maintain, they can be additionally decorated with lace and fringe.

Suitable for window decoration and cotton fabrics, for example, satin or poplin. These fabrics are soft and durable, hypoallergenic. In addition, it will not be necessary to iron the garments after washing, the materials keep their shape well.

An elegant and non-standard solution will be thin lace curtains... They will add tenderness and airiness to the room. You can knit such curtains with your own hands or entrust the production to professionals.

Separately, it is necessary to mention and tulle. This lightweight material has been seen in a variety of designs for many years, and it will look good in provence too. Tulle helps to expand the space, hides possible flaws in finishing, uneven walls and floors.

Those who have at least once come across a choice of curtains know how huge a choice the manufacturers offer.

Let's dwell on some of the options recommended by the designers.

• Short. These curtains are the perfect choice for Provence, they will fit into the kitchen of any size. It is worth noting that the cut should be as simple as possible, for example a drawing, but not too eye-catching. The shape of short curtains can be different, for example, rectangular or arched curtains are often found.

• French and Austrian... Both options are very similar, they are usually short and have a unique custom drape. Products from France are draped along the entire length, and Austrian ones - only at the bottom.

• Cafe curtains. They got their name due to the fact that they are very often found in cafes or restaurants. They are located in an unusual way - on the lower part of the window, thanks to which the kitchen is constantly flooded with light. Such curtains can be successfully combined with lambrequins, and if there is too much light, they are complemented with "doubles" from above. The uniqueness of such models is that the window can be opened without touching them.

• Blinds... Allows you to recreate real rustic comfort. However, preference should be given only to natural materials, plastic will not work here.

• Roman. Such models will be the ideal solution if you need to fully open the window sill. They have a mechanism that allows you to raise or lower the product to the required level. They look very nice decorated with bows, frills, ruffles, braid.

• With lambrequin. For a lambrequin, it is worth choosing the simplest curtains without pretentiousness. Monochromatic is desirable, but an unobtrusive plant print is allowed. Lambrequin should also not be too pompous - give preference to light drapery.

• Knitted. Knitted curtains look very natural and beautiful, and will be fashionable for more than a dozen years. Many designers advise you to knit or weave them yourself, but if you don't have knitting skills, then the purchased options will be no worse.

When buying curtains in the Provence style, you need to remember that this direction welcomes the shades found in nature in summer.

Instead, it is recommended to choose pastel, cream, beige colors. Against their background, the following tones will look great:

• blue;
• Red;
• yellow;
• green;
• lavender;
• blue.

Besides pastel backgrounds, a good solution would be curtains in colors such as soft green, light lilac, powdery pink, sky blue, sand... In all these tones, bright colors will look attractive.

Another interesting option would be checkered curtains. As a rule, they are mainly purchased in pastel colors, and the cell here is red or bright blue. Stripes also look good, which must necessarily alternate: a light stripe invariably follows a colored one, and vice versa.

When choosing curtains, the first step is to decide on their length. Mostly they buy short curtains - this saves space, besides, they expand the space and look compact. Long models can only be selected if you are decorating a spacious kitchen or kitchen-dining room. But such models should be as simple as possible - jacquard, velvet, silk should be left for the classics.

The next point is the choice of variety and material... French, Roman and knitted curtains will look great in absolutely all Provencal kitchens. You also need to remember that unnecessary heavy draperies and metallized fabrics are inappropriate here.

As for the material, it must be chosen with moisture-repellent properties, because humidity in the kitchen is far from uncommon. If the window is close to the stove, buy curtains as short as possible, preferably with fire protection.

Having decided on the above parameters, you can proceed to the choice of design. Kitchen curtains should not be "alone", it is very important that the interior has similar textiles. That's why experts advise buying a whole set - for example, curtains and tablecloths, towels or oven mitts. This will give the interior a finishing touch. But you should be careful with textiles and combine curtains with one thing, for example, with a tablecloth, otherwise the exquisite interior will become a mixture of colors that will ripple in your eyes.

In addition, the print should be noted. If your kitchen is large, then you can select both small and large patterns. Large items will not work in small kitchens, they will immediately take all the attention on themselves and hide the space.

The Provence style, although it has certain features that must be observed, still leaves designers with a huge scope for creativity. Let's consider several successful examples of the use of Provencal curtains in kitchen interior design.

• Long curtains with a bright close print suitable for large, spacious kitchens. In combination with an unobtrusive wallpaper pattern and white furniture, they successfully draw attention to themselves, and the abundance of living plants only enhances the atmosphere of comfort and peace.

• Curtains gathered on one side will help you to fully open the window and let the sunlight in. Beautifully laid out, they go well with light brown furnishings, a lightly ornamented white table and light-colored walls. An interesting and eye-catching solution is a flower pot, which almost repeats the print of the curtains.

• Provence style always accepts floral motifs, which can be clearly seen in this photo. The set, consisting of curtains of different designs, but with the same print, fully meets the stylistic direction.

• Elegant light furniture, an abundance of dishes and decor will be successfully accentuated with simple but beautiful cafe curtains. Moreover, such curtains are located both at the top and at the bottom of the window.

• Blue color - one of the most common in nature. It is enough to raise your head on a clear day and the abundance of blue and blue will instantly bring harmony to your soul. A calm room decorated in this tone will have the same abilities. Everything is perfectly matched here: decoration, curtains, furniture. Blue tones echo cream and go well with white curtains.

Next, watch a video with designer's tips on the selection of Provence-style curtains for the kitchen.