African colonial style in the interior. colonial style

The colonial style in the interior belongs to the centenarians of design. It originated in the 15th century, when the countries of Europe began the active development of new territories and sent their ships towards Asia, Africa and America. Bringing with them not only trophies, but also new ideas for arranging housing, the Spaniards, French, Italians and British launched a new fashion trend. Which did not want to remain in the status of a fleeting trend, but became a classic - in the XVIII-XIX centuries it degenerated into an independent direction, oh characteristic features ah which we can safely say today.

"Color"

The interior in the colonial spirit is distinguished by restraint, solidity, and does not seek to splurge. Using a bright palette is not about him, but an achromatic scale and all shades of brown will come in handy. You can’t do without the traditional for most peoples of Asia and Africa red, orange and yellow shades, but in combination with dark tones, they will lose their power and look more relaxed.

"Peculiarities"

As a rule, colonial interiors were distinguished not by exotic finishes, as , but furniture and accessories, that is, those that the colonialists brought with them as trophies. You can choose the finish to your taste, as long as it is in harmony with the filling. Like, colonial is distinguished by the use of a large number natural materials, although being processed. These are wood, clay, dried plants, natural undyed fabrics. Floors should not be covered with laminate, replace it with stone or simple parquet board decorated with skins.

In European homes, traditional heavy furniture made of durable wood gradually began to be replaced by more light structures- here we can see both primitive wicker furniture in, and larger, but elegant chairs and armchairs. They were mainly made of dark wood - teak, rosewood, at the same time Europeans learned about exotic species - bamboo, rattan, jute.

"Living room"

• The colonial style in the interior of this living room clearly shows us how interesting the fusion of conservative and modern looks. It is in such an environment that unusual things for us become especially noticeable. Moreover, it cannot be said that they are the main ones - look at the photo below, the blue armchair, no doubt, stands out a lot, but does not overshadow the fireplace and patterned carpet.
  

• British interiors from the moment the colonizers settled new lands began to look more light and open. Traditionally, dark walls or wood paneling complemented the same gloomy plush and dull carpets, and the use of a more cheerful oriental palette and animal skins allowed the houses to look more dynamic and fresh. In a word, the colonial style is ideal to "shake off the dust" from the bored design.

• Europeans madly liked the idea of ​​the absence of strict zoning of premises and the use of screens and curtains as partitions. The interiors were filled with Chinese, Japanese, Indian wooden and silk screens, cornices were hung in the middle of the rooms to decorate them with fabrics. This trend has firmly entered the European mentality, designers beat this theme to this day.

• You should not think that the colonial style has simplified refined European interiors - no, their secular spirit has not gone anywhere, it just acquired new shades. Now you can completely move away from the standards and create your own variation on the theme, moving from simplicity to glamour. About how playful the combination looks Pink colour and zebra print, we mentioned in the article about, here you can see it again. And the introduction of rococo elements into the resulting mix - mirrors and chandeliers - makes the living room even more elegant.
  

• Colonial style home must be filled big amount trophies - animal heads on the walls, horns on the mantelpiece decorated the home of the conquerors. If you rather turned to the aesthetics of the man-made art of various peoples, you can arrange clay vases and jugs, dishes painted with primitive patterns or wooden figurines around the room.

"Bedroom"

In order not to create a style in the bedroom that completely repeats ethnic, give preference to one thing - furniture or decoration. As we have said, it is desirable to stop at the first. Complementing the decor with accessories brought from a particular country, you will achieve the desired effect.

• The symbiosis of the desire for comfort and craving for simplicity can result in an interesting colonial style of the bedroom interior, where typically Western furnishings are played up in an Eastern manner. This is an unusual dark furniture with wicker inserts, hard carpets from bamboo fiber, wooden blinds, a dressing table with stone inlay - and at the same time, soft sofas and puffs, and silk underwear.

• The use of light domes made of fabric and canopies over the beds prompted the Europeans to develop an oriental flavor in their bedrooms. In addition, fabrics were imported to countries in huge quantities, hitherto unknown materials and thin drawings sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow drove travelers crazy. Carpets, bedspreads, curtains, pillowcases flooded European homes, and where, if not in the bedroom, they could unfold in all their glory.

• The following photo shows a similar example. It combines examples of classical European art, such as massive columns, wide arches, coffered ceilings and elements of oriental style - a bed with uprights and canopy and ebony chairs.

"Kitchen"

The interiors of colonial-style kitchens can be divided into two types - the first are dark, a little pressing due to high dark wood sets and massive dining tables. The second ones are European-style light and more spacious, where imported exotics are found in not so significant details. But you can also create pure eclecticism by mixing Scandinavian, African and in your kitchen.

• A combination of shades of dark chocolate and vanilla will look especially impressive in the kitchen, the basis for which will be simple plaster and wooden beams. The vaulted ceiling can be decorated in the Middle Eastern style, as in the illustration below. And the combination of dark wood with gold or brass sheen is a typical feature of African interiors, which is easy to embody with the help of sparkling dishes.

• For those who consider minimalism the best of possible solutions, the colonial style will not work, as it is not so practical and rather saturated. But it turned out to be limited to the minimums of accessories here too - in the interior in the next photo, only chairs and a massive coffee grinder can be attributed to its characteristic features. But even in this form, it strongly stands out from the category of ordinary design.

No matter what culture you use, when creating a colonial style in the interior, do not allow the room to be overloaded. Remember the idea of ​​moderation proclaimed by the East - and everything will work out perfectly.

Colonial!

In the age of minimalism and hi-tech, the old colonial style for some reason is becoming nicer and more in demand. What is this style and how did it come about? In the 15th-17th centuries, Europeans set off to conquer unseen countries. Thus, the Portuguese and Spaniards were in South America and Indonesia, the British opened the world to the beauty Indian world, the French - African exotic. Arranging their life in the colonies, the settlers brought into their native culture the features of the interior of the country where they found themselves.

Usually, Europeans did not need money and had a lot of free time, enjoying the exoticism of their new homeland. So from habits, traditions, new details and way of life, a style gradually began to take shape, which, however, was not at all homogeneous.

Colonial style in architecture and interior: main features

Colonial style is easily recognizable by common features:

- Huge ones overlooking the garden allow the owners to feel one with nature and enjoy a huge amount of air and light.

- The rooms in the house, although they have certain zones, are still interpenetrating, and screens, curtains, wooden columns are used to delimit the space (carved Indian ones are especially good).

— Simplicity of furniture, window and doorways coexists with a richness of finishes and small details, usually handmade.

- The use of natural materials - stone, wood, copper, clay, as well as - wool, linen, silk - makes the atmosphere of the house natural and cozy, and in our time also very rich due to naturalness.

- Exotic, adjacent to the classics, is typical of the colonial style. So, rattan chairs have classic cushions with covers, and strict English lampshades are kept on an amazing coral leg, carved wood or . Leather suitcases, wicker wardrobe trunks, ship chests, so necessary on the way, have now turned into furniture. The legs of tables and chairs represent the paws of animals.

Dining group in colonial style

- The colonial style implies the obligatory presence in the house of all kinds of trifles from a particular country: figurines, vases, dishes, mats and rugs, sometimes masks and weapons, religious objects. All this wealth is located on wide shelves of reliable cabinets made of walnut, rosewood, fat, oak.

Colonial wardrobes

Colonial style in the interior of a modern house

Today, a similar style is one- or two-story buildings made of stone, with wooden details such as lattice shutters or wooden doors, so the colonial style is preferred in suburban construction more than in a city apartment.

colonial house in south america

Inside such a house, the walls should be light. Together with huge windows, they will give the effect of endless air space - as a reminder of a hut among palm trees in the region, where you do not need to escape from frost and winds, and only a tropical downpour brings coolness, knocking on a reliable roof.

In such a house, even the doors - massive, made of durable wood, with huge forged hinges and an iron handle, resemble the entrance to some house in Agrabah or Madras. Seeing this in Europe is very exciting, as if somewhere behind the door there are forty jugs with hidden robbers.

Colonial style house interiors

Colonial style walls

Because of the bright details and colorful fabrics walls it is better to paint in a solid yellowish or pastel brownish color so that they, like a background, keep the interior in a single space. Moreover, the walls will never remain empty: they will feature paintings in antique frames, mirrors, exotic items from distant lands.

Colonial style: ceiling

Ceiling may have wooden beams, reminiscent of either a Dutch house or an open Indian dwelling. Sometimes it is finished not only with wood, but also with leather, for example, using copper rivets or imitating them - it turns out a room, like an old ship chest, in which the colonial style once arrived in Europe.

Lighting in the interior in the colonial style

Central chandelier– forged, in English classical style, with several shades, rounded or pyramidal. In different rooms, ceiling lamps can remain classics, or they can turn into magical Oriental or African lamps. Peculiar, for example, lampshades made of porcupine quills.

In general, in such a house there should be a lot of light: during the day - sunny, and in the evening - from numerous lamps, and for some people from old oil lamps in wall niches (also a feature of the colonial house).

Floors in a colonial house

Floor in this interior is good made of stone or wood expensive breeds: oak, mahogany or lapacho. Ceramic tiles or laminated board as artificial substitutes are possible, but ... the colonial style is also reflected in its expensive performance.

Textiles in colonial interiors

Textiles include many components: curtains and carpets, mats and bedspreads, blankets in chairs and fabric on a screen, pillows, furniture upholstery, a canopy over the bed. The main color is bright, red-white-black, with geometric pattern- if the emphasis is on African motives. Or golden, with glitter and rulix - if Indian.

Often the colonial style uses blinds on the windows or Roman blinds, but this is by no means artificial materials, and transparent, linen, cotton or silk fabrics.

Colonial style: furniture and accessories

Furniture in the colonial style is more conducive to relaxation than to work - armchairs and sofas comfortable, wicker or heavy, into which you dive - and drown in the soft.

Bed has wooden or forged backs, as well as a canopy that can look like a tent in the spirit of the oriental tales of Scheherazade. Or it can be wooden racks with curtains stretched around the perimeter - as in the homes of wealthy Indians.

A TV in such an interior is undesirable, it is better to hide it in cupboard with massive doors, standing against the wall, or in a typically English chest of drawers walnut tree.

Paintings in heavy frames, adjacent to shiny crockery cupronickel or silver, elegant glass- This is also a sign of the colonial interior.

Convenience, comfort, material independence hosts and calm- this is the basis of such a situation, read by an observant guest from things in colonial style interior.

Among the huge number of methods for decorating a modern interior special attention deserve images that have been able to pass through the centuries without losing their appeal. So, colonial, which arose over three centuries ago, has survived to this day, retaining its main features. They are what made him famous...

The history of the colonial style in the interior

The formation of the basic features of any style is influenced by a real need or a way of life of people in certain historical periods. The canons of the colonial style originated in the days of long-distance sea voyages and the redrawing of the world map. Having reached our days, they have not changed much, thanks to which modern man has the opportunity to travel back to the era of pirate battles, colonial conquests and large-scale migrations.

The definition of "colonial" was based on the Latin word "colonus", which was used to name persons who rented territories on the outskirts of the empire. In other words, "colonial" is "provincial", "peripheral".

In the 17th century, strong European states began to increase the territory of their possessions. The development of new lands by people became the reason for the mixing of cultures: the colonists built their houses the way their ancestors did, but over time, their interiors were enriched with the traditions of the local population.
The largest number immigrants stayed in the New World, less often Europeans chose tropical islands and other exotic places for permanent life.

The housing of the pioneer colonists was simple and reliable houses. The main things for the settlers were practicality and long term service, and aesthetics was of secondary importance. Therefore, the first examples of the colonial style were clumsy copies of the popular in Europe.

With the growth of the prosperity of the colonists, their dwellings became much more elegant, and their interior decoration enriched considerably. Wealthy inhabitants of the New World borrowed the Empire traditions fashionable in Europe, adapting magnificent ideas to their needs. The colonists, buying on the continent for fabulous sums only appeared paints, spent them very sparingly, endowing the same features of pragmatism.

The American direction of the colonial style owes its appearance to the Civil War in the United States. It was this event that radically changed the tastes of Americans. The fact is that in the post-war period, the English heritage began to be eradicated, and it was replaced by new traditions in the design of housing. For example, Americans began to use individual color scheme when finishing each private room and in the choice of decoration for her.

The formation of the colonial style was also influenced by the use of the ethnic traditions of the indigenous people by the conquerors. This was most clearly manifested in the South American colonies, where materials such as clay, local colorful fabrics, and the skins of wild animals began to be increasingly used for housing decoration. The culinary traditions of the inhabitants of Africa were also borrowed, implying the presence of a special kitchen utensils and hearth.

Generally speaking, there was a merger of the European rules for creating the interior of a dwelling with national traditions conquered and colonized territories, which led to the appearance of images inherent in a new style called colonial.

It is noteworthy that the formation of the colonial style was carried out not only in the process of developing new lands. Many colonists who left Europe for only a certain period, upon returning home, began to decorate their homes with things that served as a reminder of the time lived on another continent. It was both South American exoticism and expressive African features. For example, the Spanish direction of the colonial style absorbed many oriental motifs, among which Moorish motifs predominate, which have become perhaps the most valuable "trophy" from the wars, because they had a great influence on the formation of the culture of Spain.
Far from their homeland, the conquerors tried to bring as many memories of their former lives as possible into their homes. They reverently honored the traditions of their ancestors and introduced them into their everyday life. And when they returned to Europe, they, on the contrary, enriched their interior with materials and objects that serve as a reminder of the adventures they experienced. This bilateral process was significantly intensified in the 19th century, when transport links between the continents improved and it became possible not only to move to another country for permanent residence, but also simply go on long journeys.

We decorate the interior in a colonial style

Conceptual features of the colonial style

1. An original interior design that combines the solid style of Medieval England with exotic decor.
2. The colonial style is characterized by large windows. Which allow you to be closer to nature and the garden to which they usually go.
3. The abundance of wooden decor and furnishings: lattice shutters, massive doors, columns, furniture, etc.
4. Adjacent spaces and walk-through rooms. large areas, usually separated by using decorative screens, columns and curtains.
5. Natural finishing materials: wood, stone, linen, cotton, clay, copper, etc.
6. Calm color palette, mostly cream tones.

Choice of finishing materials and room decoration

Finishing the ceiling is in most cases its coloring or decoration using natural wood or painted wood.

The floor is made of wood or ceramic tiles. The presence of a large carpet is appropriate handmade, wicker mats and homespun paths.
Door and window openings should ideally be arched, and instead of interior doors, it is better to use blackout curtains. When decorating a room with attributes that convey the flavor of Africa, it is better to use blinds made from natural fibers. The spirit of the French colonists can be conveyed using ordinary light curtains, and in order to achieve a Spanish-Moorish atmosphere, you should equip the windows with wooden shutters.

Furniture

When choosing furniture equipment, preference should be given to low wooden products, characterized by durability and practicality. Ideally, they should be made from mahogany, ebony, bamboo, meranti, but less expensive woods will do.

Focusing on the reliability of furniture, you should not think that it should be completely free of decorations. In most cases, ornaments of the country whose appearance is reproduced in the interior are used for this. Animal silhouettes and ethnic patterns are found in the design of cabinets, chests of drawers, kitchen cabinets and coffee tables.
Wicker furniture with capes, covers and many pillows made of natural fabrics is relevant.


Range furniture stores in Lately significantly expanded due to the appearance of rattan sets for the bedroom and living room. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that each of the rooms should be furnished with taste, but by no means of the same type. If all pieces of furniture are made in the same technique, the interior will become monotonous and to some extent official, which goes against the nature of the colonial style, which should be distinguished by immediacy and leave room for creative freedom.

Color solution

For interior design in the colonial style, two main color concepts are used.
The first is based on the use of white and light, pastel shades. This color scheme is primarily used in hot countries, where the constant feeling of stuffiness is psychologically refreshed with the help of light colors.
The second concept is the creation of an interior with the help of bright, saturated shades. Cinnabar, azure, light yellow and mahogany will give the colonial interior liveliness and dynamism. Initially, this colorful exotic in the decorations of European dwellings, especially English ones, lost some brightness in order to meet the requirements of continental fashion. But at present, the richness of tones in colonial interiors has begun to revive, bringing them closer to historical traditions.

The main directions of the colonial style

There are several main directions of the colonial style: English, Spanish and American.

The English colonial style in the interior involves the use of images of representatives of African flora and fauna, textiles with a pattern of wild animal skins, elements of meranti wood or other, more expensive exotic species, such as ebony or rosewood.
This direction of the colonial style also has Indian features, which is explained by the long-term colonial actions of England in relation to this state.
The main features of the modern English colonial style include: a wide range of colors, richness of colors, a large number of exotic-themed elements made of natural materials(wood, leather, fur, stone). As for architecture, the described direction is characterized by the use of arched elements. And although most of the British are in no hurry to change their rectangular windows to arched ones, they are happy to reconstruct the internal doorways, giving them the features of Indian temples. The arched theme is also widely used in the design of mirrors and fireplaces.

The Spanish colonial style, at first glance, combines the features of many Mediterranean destinations, but upon closer acquaintance with it, you can see that it is dominated by Moorish features. They appear in almost everything, starting with the severity of the tint range (white, blue, terracotta) and ending with the richness of ornaments. ceramic tiles.
But if you are not limited only to Moorish features, then the Spanish direction of the colonial style is characterized by a rich color scheme, represented by all shades of colorful warm tones and brown. To soften it, lighter sandy shades are used, and the role of the delimiter is given to black, brown and dark blue colors.
hallmark Spanish colonial style is the use of a large number of ornaments. They can be made in the form of woodcarving, painting on textiles, in the form of mosaic patterns or stained glass panels. The use of such materials as dark stained wood and leather, densely strewn with copper staves, the edges of which are limited by forged corners, is welcome.

In the American colonial style there is more damn country music, it traces a significant imprint of European traditions. This direction involves the design of the home with the use of light colors. Previously, natural materials were mainly used, but now they have given way MDF boards, artificial fabrics, drywall and plastic products. Thanks to their use, it is possible to achieve the effect of "naturalness" in the interior.
The American direction of the colonial style is characterized by such features as practicality and pragmatism. The decoration of the premises should be symmetrical and centered, while each element should perform a certain function, so to speak, justify its existence, and not just clutter up the space.
To decorate rooms, choose bright hues as close to white as possible. The use of a light palette contributes visual magnification space, and thus enhances the feeling of freedom. To create a contrast, elements painted in various shades of wood color (from light beige to dark brown) are used.
Textiles should be present almost everywhere. These can be canopies over the beds, bedspreads on the beds themselves, multi-layered curtains on the windows, capes on the chest of drawers or bedside tables, etc.
For upholstered furniture it is appropriate to use canvas covers in dark muted shades, which are enlivened by decorative pillows in rich tones. The ideal setting for the living room of American colonists is a sofa with the same bright cushions and high old English chairs with straight backs, standing by a wicker coffee table.
A win-win decor option for an American colonial style room is fresh flowers. They can be as tall as a sunflower, standing in a high floor vase, and medium in size, and small, and exotic, and indoor in pots.

The incredibly attractive colonial style appeared thanks to the English colonists, who, during the Age of Discovery, got acquainted with the cultures of other countries. They wanted to bring elements of a new and unusual environment for Europeans into their homes.

Features of interior design in the colonial style

One glance at the photo of the colonial style in the interior is enough to understand that this is real. The combination of classics with ethnic and exotic motifs looks very original and unusual, especially when it comes to stiff England, where strict rules and pedantry prevail.

Feature 1: colonial architecture

– business card colonial style. This is not a very good solution for decorating a typical city apartment with low arches, but in the interior country house such architectural elements will look organic. If desired, such a ceiling is supplemented with vintage fans made of natural materials.

In warm countries, colonial-style houses often have open walls, wide arches, and openings without doors. Such a layout creates the effect of unity with nature and allows you to save on electricity due to the abundance natural light, but it is hardly appropriate in a city apartment. For styling the interior, only open doorways are suitable.

Arches and open doorways are a characteristic feature of the colonial style.

A feature of the colonial style are large windows, sometimes occupying almost the entire facade. window openings often located near the floor and play the role of doors.

A characteristic feature of the colonial style is wooden blinds that replace the usual textile curtains.

Hallmark of the colonial style - wooden blinds

Feature 2: use of natural materials for decoration

The basic materials for interior decoration in the colonial style are natural stone, wood, clay bricks. We want to make a reservation right away: this direction requires very solid investments, so there can be no talk of any alternative in the form of linoleum or plastic.

Feature 3: colors and ornaments

White is the dominant color in the colonial style, because with its help in hot countries they escaped from the exhausting heat.

In the interior of a city apartment, you can use a neutral palette of pastel shades, which will allow you to create a calm and easy-to-read design.

Saturated colors are suitable for the role of accents: brown, burgundy, brick red, olive. Remember that the colonial style is based on, which does not tolerate catchy and overloaded color combinations. Therefore, be careful when using two or more colors at the same time.

The colonial style is impossible to imagine without exotic ornaments. These can be various plant motifs, such as palm leaves, monsteras, hibiscus flowers and orchids, as well as ethnic patterns and animal prints.

Feature 4: specific interior decor

During the Age of Discovery, the colonists were attracted by the incredible decorations that they met in different countries.

So, various heraldic symbols, which were used both in oriental and in European countries. This decor is appropriate in the interior of offices, workrooms and libraries.

Another specific decoration was panels made of expensive wood species, decorated with amazingly beautiful carvings.

Such accessories look very massive and fundamental, and it is best if they are the only focal points in the interior.

Feature 5: colonial style lighting

Colonial-style designs require good and competent lighting. When choosing lighting fixtures bet on styling. Forged lamps, classic sconces and table lamps, chandeliers with glass and metal shades will be appropriate in the interior.

Feature 6: colonial style furniture

Colonial style allows you to use furniture from completely different parts of the world in the interior. From African countries, the colonists brought wickerwork from rattan and palm branches to Europe. Such furniture creates an incredible exotic atmosphere, while its elegant appearance does not overload the interior.

Eastern countries also influenced the formation of the style of the colonists, so you can use objects with a characteristic oriental bias for design. However, be selective when decorating the interior with oriental furniture, because its abundance will lead to the fact that the design will lose the European features that are inherent in the colonial direction.

The eclectic component of this style makes it possible to weave it into other designs. Modern interiors are organically complemented by colonial furniture.

Spacious wooden bed, decorated with a translucent canopy, antique chests with wrought iron decor, original folding tables and chairs with ethnic features will play the role of the right authentic details that will give the design a unique look.

Feature 7: colonial accessories

The main commodity imported by the colonists from Eastern countries, was textiles. It is used in abundance as bedding, decorative pillows and bedspreads. Colonial-style designs are best suited for natural fabrics with exotic prints and paisley patterns.

In addition to textile decor, it is worth using various ethnic accessories, vintage navigation devices, bird cages, animal skins, African masks in the interior.

Feature 8: Abundance of living plants

The colonial style in the interior is inextricably linked with the lush vegetation, which smoothly flowed from the jungle into European houses. Therefore, when creating a design in the spirit of the colonists, do not forget about tubs with palm trees, ferns, hibiscus or ficus.

living plants - required attribute design in colonial style

Even if you are not going to completely decorate the interior in the colonial style, but only want to use a few characteristic features of this trend, using the tips from our article, you can create a stylish and original design in your home.