When I was growing up, our "rich" family decorated in French or Italian Provincial. Back in the 1960's it was huge, shiny fabric covered and over-the-top ornate. My second cousins (women who were mom's age and more like aunts to me) would not let any children touch, much less actually SIT on any of their living room furniture. Funny that it was the only room in their homes they actually didn't live in! *giggle*
One evening the three sisters, their mom along with my family got together. The women visited in THE LIVING ROOM. I sat so still my legs went to sleep because I didn't want to have to leave that fancy room. LOL.
Today "Provincial" gets it's inspiration comes from the humble countryside or province. It's nothing like what I grew up around...I like this much better. How about you? Photos: Bike for getting around the countryside; Provincial Kitchen; Provincial Canisters online; Provincial Botanical Print; Provincial Hallway; Provincial Shopping Basket-Carryall; my "rich" relative's idea of Provincial. 
39 comments:
Hi Janean,
Love the bike and the shopping cart. Actually I like the fancy armour. I would not want a whole room of it, too over the top for me, but the armour would be wonderful for my "eclectic" shades of white and pastel cottage. It started as more of "beachy" type cottage, but in the last year or two I have been drawn to more detailed, curvy furniture, more "French" styles. Have a great day!
Lynn
What a nice story..i really like all the pictures accept th bedroom i find him uggly..sorry !! ..........
I have bought such a bitdcage last week !!
Have a good sunny monday enjoy your week ..........hugd from me......
Ohhhhh.....Ahhhhh, I like your taste much better than the stiff, overly decorated untouched rooms.
My Mom's livingroom was her pride and joy, she could be on the other end of the house and hear one of us step a toe into it! My how things have changed.
Love the birdcages on the wall over the bench.
hugs
Sissie
Provence... just a simple word that sets the stage for me. It's a small rosemary topiary in a metal vase that's been painted creamy white and over time has chipped off.. just simple and sweet.
thanks for the posts
with love,
Olivia
Love the look, Janean. Have a great Monday!
Robin
What a gorgeous post, lots of beautiful things!
Leeann x
All so pretty! I never have had or wanted a formal room, I love a nice house but one that is lived in.
I love that bicycle and you just gave me an idea for the back of my house which is enclosed in our deck. The bird houses, I am such a bird person anyway why not. Now finding square ones so they will go up against the house may take awhile.
thanks Katie
love the bike !! all the pictures are lovly..happy monday!!
Love the kitchen. It looks very warm and inviting!
I love the kitchen, the bike and I even like the bird cages as wall art but would probably "dress" them a bit more. I don't like the last photo at all. I like several of the pieces but would prefer them used in an eclectic fashion. That many ornate pieces used together is too much for me.
I have started a design inspiration folder for beautiful rooms I find online. Even though I bookmark pages and sites, I can never seem to find my favorite photos when I'm ready to do a little redesigning! I'm hoping this will help.
Those first two pictures make my heart sing. Oh I love that look. Have a great week:) BTW my mom's best friend had a green room that we could never walk through. I remember that like yesterday!
pretty pictures!
HELLO JANEAN,
I LOVE THE BICYCLE, THE BIRD HOUSES AND THE BEDROOM...IT SEEMS MAGICAL AND WHIMISCAL.
I TOO, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SET ON THE FURNITURE AND WHEN SHE WAXED THE FLOORS, WE STAYED OUTSIDE ALL DAY OR IN THE GARAGE....EVEN WITH ALL THAT I LOVE...LOVE HARDWOOD FLOORS. IT WAS NICE TO VISIT WITH YOU. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK.
HUGS
SIMPLY DEBBIE
Oh yes....I remember the LIVING room. For company! It was like the "parlor" in a previous era.
The only time I really spent time in the living room growing up, "the formal room"...was to dust and vacuum it on Saturdays when it was on my list of chores, which my sister and I traded each weekend. It always felt "stiff" to sit in there. But my mom had French Provencial furniture. It as the rage then, and yes..today it is more the Country French that is so popular and much more comfortable to live with. It is touchable!!!! Thanks for a neat post. I love the porch scene with the birdhouses!
Oh I definitely prefer the casual french country style. I remember the decor your describe as well as the over the top mediterranean -- black gates and plastic slip covers that stuck to your skin.
I absolutely love that look! So country, casual and easy to clean. My aunt had white carpet in her living room and no one used that room except at Thanksgiving and Christmas....what is that all about?
I love it when you tell stories...
I love the picture of the kitchen, I just love the texture of the walls. I remember my aunt had a room like that and it always seemed silly, because we were not allowed to go into it. I guess that was why her kids spent all the time at our house. People lived all over our house. Love your posts, Janean.
Good morning Janean - I love the provencal style, but looking at the stone floors makes me shiver. I love my in-floor heating and I don't think it existed way back when!
I smiled at the thought of your lady relations. I remember visiting a house that was furnished with gold brocade 'French Provincial' covered in ........(are you ready for it?) .....plastic slip covers.
We weren't allowed to hardly walk through our living room, much less sit on the couch or chairs. I often thought there needed to be those velvet ropes around the whole room.
I loved every one of the rooms in your photos with the exception of the last one (the bedroom). It's just a little to ornate for me but to each his own.
I love the woven shopping cart. When I was a girl, we actually used to do our shopping with a cart similar to that one, only it was a wire basket. Also love the wooden bench with rush seat! Not a fan of the ornate bedroom.
Another beautiful post....so peaceful, here.
Hugs, andrea
I am drawn to this look. The bike with wicker basket reminds me of my own pink beach cruiser and basket...I look forward to many days of riding this spring/summer. They have chairs like the ones in the second pic at IKEA right now...for only $15 each. I'm thinking I need to get some and creat this look.
I love the new look too. I remember growing up, going to my Grandma's, we had to be on our best behavior and when we set on her special sofa, we had to sit very still. What memories I have of those days. Florence
Love this! Which this? ALL of THIS! :)
Love that mix of stone wall and chandelier. Your posts are beautiful, just the inspiration needed on a Monday morning!
Tracey
I admit.. I LOVE it all.
The bicycle pic is ADORABLE..
The last picture.. I wouldn't have the whole room with every piece in it.. but I still would take it over most styles around today!
I love Shabby.. Country.. French.. Victorian.. it's ALLLLLL GOOOOD!
Yes, I like the shabby chic. I still have my french provincial bedroom suite that I had as a girl. But I scuffed it up a bit to look shabby. Man, it has held up, even the posts for the canopy that I used to swing on. (My daughter, too.)
I don't know allot about it but I can tell you that I love what I see in the pictures.
Janean, Oh why haven't I met you before! YOur blog is beautiful and your images are so inspiring! I love french style both ornate and simple and everywhere in between. Thank you for this creative shot in the decorative arm! I am following you!
Yvonne
Janean, I love French Provincial and kept this theme throughout my home for many years, I only changed to modern a few years ago and have been missing my old look very much.....just may go back to it soon.......:-) Hugs
Love the photo with the bike and the one with the little basket on wheels. Enjoyed your story about getting to sit in the families fancy living room. Stuff like that leaves an impression on a child doesn't it.
Visiting your blog has become a wonderful addition to my work day, when I need one of those mental breaks, this is where I come to visit.
Blessings.....
Very lovely! I so want a bicycle with a big basket!!
Hugs, Lisa
I agree, I much prefer this updated "provencial" version! Baskets, raw wood, "country" French in the real way! It was my first love.
Debra
Oh, the living room! I remember the living room - the only time we were allowed in it was to play the piano. The candles never got lit either, they were just props. The "living room" concept is an interesting one ~
Beautiful pictures!
:) Sarah
I love the stone wall
and sunflowers
but the furniture...a wee bit stuffy..but nice to visit
right now I don't know who I am
or what I like....blah!
Oohhh those pics are fabulous. I love a rustic french look. My mom had an aunt who had a victorian living room, all antiques and we always just passed through on the way to the rest of the house. We didn't even want to sit there, it looked so uncomfortable!
Beautiful images in your post Janean. I love that basket full of roses on the bike.
I have a friend who has one of 'those' rooms too. I wouldn't dare even go into it even now. I'm a 'tuck up my feet on your sofa' kindda gal.
hugs
I love this style. I have an old bike I found by a neighbors garbage cans. It sits near our front gate with a basket full of flowers attached to the handle bars.
Great story, Janean!
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