Features and design of semi-antique kitchens

When they talk about semi-antique kitchens, they represent aged Provence-style headsets, retro plumbing or country-style furniture made of solid wood. But there are other areas of interiors that have come to us from the past - the palace styles of Baroque, Rococo, some types of classicism. Fans of such interiors live in large mansions and their kitchens also have the right to be called "antique", since they have nothing to do with modern types of design. Today, human survival in the "stone jungle" is complicated by the flow of information and vanity that leads to a nostalgic desire to plunge into the calm atmosphere of the interiors of our ancestors... Retro kitchen is one such opportunity.

Vintage designs are done in two ways, using antique, old furnishings or by aging furniture made today. Both methods do a great job of creating retro interiors and get the desired end result. To decorate an antique kitchen, you can use some of the styles working in this direction.

The trend is borrowed from the southern province of France, so it combines rustic simplicity and French charm. These kitchens are done in pastel colors, they are cute and cozy. They contain many pieces of furniture, textiles with ruffles, dishes, figurines, and an abundance of fresh flowers. This style uses only natural materials, it is characterized by open shelves, shelving with kitchen utensils on display.

This trend is often confused with Provence; it uses the same delicate pastel colors and aged surfaces. But in contrast to the rustic style, "shabby chic" uses expensive furnishings for the interior. The design emphasizes a once rich, luxurious setting that has been around for quite some time. Aged furniture, faded textiles, time stamp on everything. In such a kitchen, calmness and an atmosphere of romance reign. Small handcrafted details set the tone for the style; handicrafts are a prerequisite introduced by the founder of shabby chic. Curtains, an abundance of pillows, tablecloths with lace, handmade napkins, often with a floral print, are characteristic. The decor includes stucco moldings, figurines, candlesticks.

Country style is more suitable for spacious kitchens of country houses, but if you arrange a room in a city apartment in this way, there will be a complete illusion of being in a country house. This style uses simple, practical furniture made from sustainable materials. The room may have a solid oak or stone floor, wooden beams on the ceiling, curtains made of natural linen or cotton, many open shelves, doors of furniture facades with panels.

If you buy materials with country interior design requests, a simple rural kitchen will not be inferior in price to a palace one. Natural stone, solid wood, good decor costs a lot. But we live in the 21st century, when materials imitating wood, stone, non-ferrous metals actually reliably repeat the originals, besides, they are much lighter than natural ones, which is important for the arrangement of city apartments.

This style requires large territories, but if desired, it can be squeezed into an urban kitchen (at least 10 sq.m), otherwise the concrete, wood, stone and brick used in the interior will squeeze with their massiveness, compressing the space even more. The style uses poorly processed materials that are as close to nature as possible in texture. The furnishings of this trend are similar to the rustic country style. But unlike him, imitation is not allowed in the interior. The ceilings are necessarily decorated with beams, metal or earthenware is displayed on open shelves, and the design includes cotton tablecloths and curtains.

This is an amazing style that has absorbed the cultural and historical traditions of different centuries. It arose in the 16th century during the Renaissance, when practicality and comfort were not enough, the refinement and beauty of the interiors was needed. Having gone through time and absorbing all the best from Rococo, Baroque, Empire, Classicism, he has carried the design of delightful, rich interiors to this day., but at the same time restrained in their manifestation. Kitchen sets in the classic style are always symmetrical, with straight shapes, they have delicate undertones: pistachio, cream, olive, ivory. Such environments are created for large rooms, but if everything is thought out well, it can be accommodated in standard housing.

The palace style is one of the most expensive; it is used to decorate theaters and exhibition halls. In large country houses, you can apply the baroque direction to create a kitchen interior. Finishing, furniture, decor are made in light colors. Each element of the interior emphasizes luxury and pompous chic, therefore, gold inserts and decorations are used. The furniture is light, pretentious, made of natural wood, smooth, rounded shapes with figured elements.

The Gothic style is beautiful and austere, it carries a mystical character. In city apartments it is difficult to embody the Gothic in its pure form, but for large country houses it is quite acceptable. Solid oak furniture in dark colors with paneled facades suits the style. It is characterized by vaults extending upward, literally in everything: in windows, furniture, arches, niches, and so on. You can safely enter forged metal, heavy hanging chandeliers, fireplaces into the interior, and candlesticks and torches into the decor.

This style is called imperial, it emphasizes status, wealth and is not suitable for city apartments. If you remove the partitions, forming at least 60 squares of free space, you can create an Empire-style kitchen in a city setting. This trend needs high ceilings, as it will need columns, massive and at the same time refined furniture, heavy crystal chandeliers. The decor should include a fireplace, sculptures, real canvases of painters, and not stamped reproductions in frames.

Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the calm vintage atmosphere of the past should be ready to use only natural materials or their imitation in decoration.

The wall covering will become the backdrop for future furniture. When starting a renovation, you should have an idea of ​​the style and color of the headset. It is worth paying attention to the following recommendations:

• for the direction of Provence, you can use bleached plaster, painting in pastel colors, wood panels or wallpaper with a floral theme;
• country and rustic styles for wall covering use wood, stone, ceramic tiles, monochromatic painting of all shades of brown;
• the baroque style uses luxurious furniture, which becomes the center of attraction for admiring glances; walls for such an interior should be monochromatic, two shades lower than the color of the headset.

A semi-antique kitchen floor should reflect the touch of time.For such interiors, artificially aged tiles are produced that imitate cracked stone, with light scuffs, chips, and uneven seams. For a rustic style, a stone or solid wood coating is suitable. For palace kitchens, they also use natural stone or parquet made from pine, oak, and larch wood.

When creating antique interiors, stretch ceilings should be abandoned. They do not even suit palace styles. In baroque, rococo, empire design, white, sometimes multilevel, curly ceilings with stucco and gold inserts are decorated. For interiors in rustic styles (rustic, Provence, country), the technique of decorating the ceiling with wooden beams is widely used. Plastering, monochromatic painting is suitable for the ceilings of such interiors.

Antique interiors can be rustic or palace style. Accordingly, the furniture will be radically different for these areas. The imperial and palace style does not need a special aging of the furnishings, on the contrary, it should shine and surprise with its sophistication and high cost. And everything old, dusty, faded and faded should be left for well-worn Provence and shabby chic. Here, indeed, you should work with the furniture in order to achieve age-old dilapidation. There are different techniques for this: surfaces are stained, bleached, painted with a craquelure effect, wax is used to imitate patina.

The set looks spectacular in the Provence style, the facades of which are decorated using the decoupage technique. In the Gothic style, the vaulted doors of the headsets are decorated with stained glass windows. In the direction of country and rustic furniture is made monolithic, oak, to serve for many generations. Antique interiors are majestic and noble. It is pleasant to spend time in them, they bring peace and tranquility.

An overview of a semi-antique kitchen with wood forging in the video below.