Baroque culture originated in Italy at the end of the Renaissance, that is, from the 17th to the 18th century. At that time, the authorities and nobility in the country began to lose their positions because of the strong influence of France and Spain. To maintain at least the appearance of their power and prosperity, the church and aristocrats demonstrate their wealth, exposing to the public eye the external signs of their well-being. Never before did the outfits of the Italian grandees have been so magnificent, and the interiors of the houses are so provocatively luxurious!
Expressiveness and dynamism of the Baroque style is reflected in art. Baroque literature, painting and architecture are now perceived as one of the most vivid and memorable phenomena in the history of world art.
Modern baroque has preserved its original features in many respects, therefore baroque interiors still amaze with imagination wealth and beauty. In this article we will talk about how to decorate a baroque-style bathroom.
Features of the
style The baroque style has its own unique features that make it possible to single out it in a separate direction in the interior design:
- observance of the principles of symmetry;
- minimum of straight lines and angles, preference is given to rounded shapes and smooth bends;
- furniture and building designs are decorated with plentiful decor;
- stucco on the walls and ceiling as an indispensable decoration element;
- columns, fireplaces and sculptures;
- use of expensive materials;
- a large number of jewelry, signaling about luxury: gilding, crystal pendants, inlay, etc.;
- painted on walls and ceiling - mostly floral and floral ornaments;
- scale murals as an indicator of luxury;
- contrast color combinations;
- saturated color palette;
- use of original pieces of furniture, for example, ottomans and canapes;
- works of classical art as decor elements.
Who will do?
The classic baroque is a very decorative style, in which there are many luxuries and ostentation of luxury. Comfortably in such an interior will not be for everyone, but there are a lot of fans in this direction in the design.
You should choose Baroque as the dominant style in the interior if:
- In your apartment there are spacious rooms and high ceilings, so you are not afraid that columns, sculptures and stucco on the ceilings will simply "eat" the whole space. In addition, we should not forget that furniture in the baroque style is quite massive, therefore, you need to be prepared for the fact that the wooden sofas, armchairs and chests of drawers will occupy all the free space.
- Your ideas about comfort consist in beautiful and comfortable furniture( soft sofas, spacious chests, etc.), a lot of decorations, heavy curtains, expensive finishing materials. In this case, the interior in the baroque taste for sure you will like.
Color solutions
In the traditional baroque interior there are bright, saturated colors. Dark shades - red, blue, green, bronze - are given a clear preference. Modern baroque( which is also called neo-baroque) offers more calm color solutions.
For the interior design, no more than three colors are taken, with the main color pair often representing a contrasting combination. The third shade, as a rule, is brighter and is used as additional color spots, so that the interior does not look monochrome.
Today, in the baroque interior designers actively use light shades - pearl, ivory, champagne. Red, as well as gold, are still the most popular colors for decorating rooms in the Baroque style.
Furniture
Baroque - this is exactly the style in which furniture should be a lot and it should be everywhere - even in such a small room as a bathroom. The furnishings of a Baroque-style bathroom are not limited to a curbstone under the sink and a box for towels. It also includes an elegant little table, a small carved chest, a couch on curved legs - and everything that the room dimensions allow.
Furniture in the baroque interior must necessarily be wooden, with a lot of decorative elements, like carved ornaments and graceful pens. Since we are talking about the bathroom, the wooden furnishings must have a special coating that prevents their rotting.
As for the color and pattern of the furniture, it can either preserve the natural wooden texture or be painted in white, black, beige, brown or other soft shade. The modern baroque interior looks very impressive furniture with a glossy finish.
Finishing materials
Initially, baroque is a style of very wealthy people, so the materials used for finishing the premises were the most expensive - marble, precious wood, ivory, gold, etc. Interior, executed in a similar spirit, and today will cost a lot, so recreating the authentic Baroque in the bathroom( and in any other room) will be quite problematic.
The best solution for finishing the bathroom, regardless of the style of its decoration - is ceramic tiles. Today, manufacturers of finishing materials use modern production technologies and the latest raw materials, as a result of which in the building stores are exhibited collections of tiles, which represent the most real masterpieces.
The tile that is used to finish the floor and walls in a baroque bathroom should be if not expensive, then it is necessary to look expensive. The picture imitating the texture of marble, classical floral patterns, metallic fringing, bas-reliefs, etc. are welcome.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the main elements of the interior of the bathroom in the Baroque style. It is necessary to choose the right fixtures, which will contribute to the overall feeling of luxury and magnificence. If the ceiling height allows, the central place should be taken away from the classic chandelier - a massive, multi-level, with a lot of jewelry. Very to the place will be a ceiling lamp, made in the form of an old chandelier. Of course, the real candles will have to be abandoned, but today it's easy to find light bulbs in the form of flaming candles.
Lighting in a baroque interior should not be too bright - it's better if the light is slightly muffled, as if it comes from burning candles. Similar effect can be achieved by placing in different places the wall lights - sconces. In the baroque bathroom harmoniously will look lamps from metal with a spraying under bronze or gold. Preference should be given to glass or textile shades of classical shape.
Decor and accessories
The abundance of all kinds of decorative elements - one of the main signs of the interior in the Baroque style. Even in the bathroom, which usually contains only the most necessary interior items, accessories and decorations occupy a rather significant place.
An important role is played by the mirror. It should be not rectangular, but round or oval. Choose mirrors in a lush, curved frame made of wood or metal, always with gilding or other decorative coating.
Baroque "loves" the decor of textiles, so drapery from heavy, expensive fabrics, such as gold and brocade, are present in this style in large numbers. In the bathroom, these can be curtains on the window( necessarily fitted with tapes with brushes) or upholstered furniture, for example, couches or chairs.
To decorate the interior of the baroque bathroom can works of fine art, because the Renaissance was incredibly rich in artists, sculptors and other representatives of artistic professions. Therefore, the imitation of the frescoes and small copies of the sculptures of the masters of that time will be in such an interior as it is impossible by the way.
Features of the design of the
Baroque abounds with all sorts of architectural excesses, and this applies not only to the facades of buildings, but also to the interior decoration of the premises. Marble columns, stucco moldings on the shelves, bas-reliefs on the walls - if the customer's funds allow, then all this can be present in the Baroque bathroom.
The choice of plumbing for installation in the bathroom in the Baroque style should be given particular attention, and this point is unlikely to be saved. Standard sanitary equipment is not the place. Instead of an acrylic bath it is better to buy a font from artificial marble of round or oval shape. Another suitable option - this cast-iron bath on legs, stylized in antiquity.
Accessories for plumbing must match it in style. Forget chromed single-lever mixers - choose "old" models, with a coating of bronze or gilding. Very impressive will look models of unusual shapes, for example, in the form of animal heads.
Creating a unique interior
- Designing an interior for a bathroom in the Baroque style, remember your visits to the opera house or the museum of classical art - most such establishments are furnished in this stylistic direction. In search of inspiration, explore the interiors of the palaces of European monarchs, who ruled in the 17-19 centuries. Perhaps, some of the design solutions you will be able to repeat.
- To arrange furniture and sanitary equipment in the baroque bathroom should be in accordance with the notion of beauty and harmony that prevailed in those days, but do not forget about their own convenience. Do not try to place all the items around the perimeter - it's better if the font takes center stage. In an environment, try to keep symmetry - so take care of buying paired items.
- Contrast - one of the favorite stylistic devices of baroque. Most brightly it is shown in a choice of color combinations. Black and white colors are often used together in the interior of the baroque. It can be a combination of black walls and white furniture or black and white tiles on the floor, laid out in staggered order.