Ethnic masks in interior decor. Mask - a souvenir from travel can be dangerous Venetian masks in the interior of the apartment

The Venetian style in the interior is an atmosphere of romance and luxury, refined aristocracy and a special spirit of the Renaissance, appreciated by many. The design, typical for the interiors of Venice, can be easily recreated in any of the rooms of your own apartment, and the advice of recognized designers will help you with this.

Reflection of art and luxury in style

The Venetian style in the interior appeared in the XIV century, it was at that time that the development of art received a powerful impetus. Perhaps the halls of the Doge's Palace can serve as examples of the Venetian interior.

Recognized masters experimented widely with the used shades, lines, the most bizarre forms. The interior of the house was equipped in accordance with the latest trends and technologies of that period.


The design of the house in the Venetian style can be described as unique and sophisticated. It has a number of distinctive features that allow you to immediately guess it by the slightest detail interior.

  • First salient feature Venetian style is color. The interior in the spirit of Venice is designed on the basis of a complex color palette. Especially popular in interior design are purple, emerald, deep blue and beige shades.
  • The decor is distinguished by volume and complex texture.
  • The interior design is necessarily selected taking into account the use of silver and gold decorative elements, they will always emphasize the luxury of the apartment.
  • The Venetian style is also the creation of certain accents that can emphasize the luxury of the whole environment.
  • A house in this style is unthinkable without laying stylized or marble tiles on the floor.
  • In the photo in the Venetian interior, you will definitely see massive mirrors framed in heavy frames made of natural and noble woods.
  • Venetian plaster is widely used in the design of the walls, and silk-screened wallpaper can also be used.
  • For an apartment in the Venetian style, an exclusive decor is selected - carved, openwork headboards for the bed, twisted columns supporting the ceiling vault, gold leaf items. It is customary to lay expensive carpets on the floor handmade.

Furniture selection

The design of the house in the Venetian style must be selected taking into account the use certain models furniture. The style requires the use of massive interior items, but at the same time, both in the living room and in the bedroom or hallway, the furniture should be predominantly wooden and sophisticated.


Such upholstery materials like velvet, tapestry, silk. Furniture for the kitchen and living room should also contain stained glass (or Murano) glass. Mandatory in the Venetian interior bookcases, large in size and containing valuable collector's editions.

A house decorated in the Venetian style also requires old (or pseudo-old) geographical maps and globes. They are especially relevant in the library or living room.


The Venetian style in the interior includes figurines placed on a chest of drawers, lamps of certain shapes, carnival masks and souvenir plates. Such gizmos that create the necessary surroundings can also be placed on the mantelpiece. In addition to the fireplace, if space permits, you can install a stylish table with a massive marble top in the living room or in the kitchen.


Almost all the furniture used to create interiors in the Venetian style is impressive in size. And therefore, the dream of such luxury can only be realized in large rooms.


In doing so, it must be taken into account that classic house Venice is, first of all, beauty and chic, and only then - comfort and coziness. This feature is not convenient for everyone, therefore, when considering the future design of your apartment, consider your needs.

luxury bedroom

The Venetian-style bedroom will let you imagine a trip through the Italian canals before going to bed. It should be borne in mind that the traditional Venetian bedroom has several characteristic features.

  • The room should have a wide bed made of noble wood.
  • Attached to windows heavy curtains.
  • Interior decor must be represented by such items as candelabra and figurines.
  • A crystal chandelier covered with gilding is fixed in the middle of the ceiling.

Bathroom and kitchen decor

Bathroom and kitchen in the Venetian style - this is the obligatory presence of columns and arches. Small niches are also specially created, where it is customary to exhibit elegant and expensive accessories.


The shades of the walls in the kitchen and bathroom should be predominantly pastel, light plaster or wallpaper is selected for this. An interior in this style is unthinkable without large mirrors and good lighting because Venice is always a holiday and luxury.

Spacious living room

The Venetian living room is a large room with high ceiling. Choice colors style is wide enough. It is necessary to use wallpaper with deep and noble shades.


Venetian plaster will help give a respectable look to the room. One of the walls can be pasted over with Italian-themed photo wallpapers and panoramic shots. The presence of paintings by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian is welcome on the walls.


A must-have decor that creates the right accent for the style of the entire room is heavy curtains made of expensive and quality material. For the living room, you should choose handmade furniture, which will make the design unique. The decor of the Venetian living room is floor vases, antique clocks and bronze figurines, crystal products.

Venetian plaster

A unique look of the house can be created if you use such finishing material like Venetian plaster. This quality modern plaster transparent in appearance, and on the walls allows you to achieve a matte effect.


Plaster may well replace wallpaper, especially since it is sold in the form of a material that can be painted with a color scheme in any shade.


The depth and transparency of Venetian plaster is achieved by observing the technique of its application. Masters use a triangular spatula for this, and then apply a special beeswax which protects the walls from scratches and damage.


Venetian plaster provides many advantages, the most important include:

  • water resistance of the walls (due to this, they can be washed as much as necessary);
  • durability (only the warranty comes up to 10 years);
  • fire safety (in addition, the plaster does not emit toxic substances and foreign odor)
  • versatility (you can use plaster for finishing the walls of the hallway, living room, kitchen and even the bathroom: the high wear resistance of the material has been confirmed by numerous tests).

Apply Venetian plaster on the walls you can do it yourself, the main thing is to carefully study the laying technology.

Despite the many demands luxurious style and significant costs for its implementation in the interior, fans of Venice create in their homes an atmosphere that is reminiscent of gondolas, stilts, the Adriatic and pigeons in Piazza San Marco.

Masks hide the face and decorate the interior. Of those that decorate the interior, there are fashionable and unfashionable. In this article we will talk about fashion. Don't take others. The exception is if they sunk into your soul.

Europeans noticed them at the beginning of the 20th century. African masks attracted attention with mystical forms, appearance and complex, but beautiful patterns.

In Africa, they realized that it was possible to earn money on such an addiction of Europeans, and they launched the production of masks in industrial scale.

However, as it happens with many other things, the masks have not lost their popularity and are still used as souvenirs and home decorations. The reason is that modern examples copy the ancient ones worn by shamans during rituals or which depicted gods and heroes.

Today African masks are found in two types:

  • those that are made in-line production (the price is about 1500 rubles);
  • those that are made by hand (the price for them is different).

Venetian masks are divided into three types:

  • antiques;
  • modern;
  • souvenir.

They are made by hand (they are expensive, but very beautiful and excite the imagination) and in-line production (cheaper, but suitable for home decor). How the decorations of the masks go: beads, feathers, silk, brocade, bells, drawings from acrylic paints, gold or silver foil, enamel, etc. The latter is used to make the masks look like antiques.

To decorate the interior, they buy masks made of porcelain, ceramics, leather and papier-mâché.

Don't be scared. And do not think that you should not decorate the interior with them, because they are scary. On the contrary, they not only decorate the house, but also improve the situation. According to legend, frightening masks drove out evil spirits from the house, which brought misfortune and trouble. In addition, in ancient times, such masks were given to wish good luck, a rich harvest, health, good hunting and strong children.

If you hang the masks at random, then even the most beautiful specimens will look stupid and ruin the look. To prevent this from happening, hang masks on one wall, not on all.

The perfect place- hallway and other places through which hosts and guests often pass.

bad places- solar. When the sun shines on the masks, they lose their mystery and turn into ordinary objects.

If the mask is large, hang it in the middle between the floor and ceiling.

Conclusion

Our designers know how to decorate the interior not only with masks. If you do not have time to think about the design of housing on your own, entrust the repair to us. Refurbishing and furnishing a home at its best according to the wishes of the owners.

That's all. Stay with us.

While creating classic interiors The final fashionable touch will be Venetian masks on the wall. The tradition of using masks as wall decor came from the century before last from Italy.

Today, if you don’t see a Venetian mask on the wall in every house, you can certainly see in the apartment of those owners who appreciate the beauty and elegance of their surroundings.

  • Initially, Venetian masks were widely used in Venice at the annual carnival. It is not known when this tradition was born, but all the inhabitants of Venice participated in the street festivities: both ordinary poor people and people of high classes.
  • Masks helped the latter to remain incognito on the streets and merge with the crowd, have fun and walk along with commoners, remaining unrecognized. Thus, many destinies developed, many marriages were created among the Venetians of that time.
  • In Italy of the 15th century there was even a special profession - a masker. By the way, the masks themselves were not divided by class and price: they all looked and cost almost the same.

Venetian masks can be divided into two main categories: classical and comedic. This natural division allows us to choose for home decoration suitable models masks.

The most famous Venetian masks were the faces of the heroes of the street comedy Del Arte: Columbine, Harlequin, Pierrot. And the most recognizable - Zanni - a half-mask, devoid of expensive jewelry with a long nose curved down, resembling the beak of an outlandish bird.

Classical Venetian masks: Cat, Volto, Venetian lady. The most massive of them is Volto, which is also the most neutral, simply copying the main features human face and remaining faceless at the same time.

The popularity of Venetian carnival decorations grew and they began to be used not only on carnival night, but also to decorate houses with them. So the masks "migrated" to the wall, and gained worldwide distribution as an exquisite element of decor.

Venetian masks on the wall this moment made of various materials: metal, plastic, pressed cardboard, tin and lead alloys, bronze and even porcelain. The choice here depends, for the most part, on the financial capabilities of the buyer.

DIY Venetian masks

The most used as decoration various materials: silk, furs, veil, colored feathers, gems, pearls, glass, crystal and gold.

Depending on the popularity of the manufacturer, the materials used and decoration technologies, the prices for these products will also be different. But the mask can also be made by hand if you are confident that you can handle such work.

Venetian wall masks made by hand using papier-mâché technology are considered popular. Perhaps each of us has come across a similar technology of working with hands more than once, starting almost from kindergarten.

The manufacturing principle is as follows: soaked paper and a bandage soaked in glue are applied in layers to the base of the future mask. The base, in turn, we make, say, from clay for creativity, alabaster and similar sustainable materials.

Quite interesting you can get using this technique.

  • There can be several dozen layers, depending on the complexity of the configuration of the future product and the desired thickness. After the mask is formed, it separates from the base and dries natural way.
  • It is necessary to give the mask enough time to dry, otherwise, as a result of further finishing, it may deform and lose its shape, and this is not very beautiful.
  • Then the resulting "semi-finished product" is covered with paints or enamel and decorated with improvised means. First, it is better to prime the mask with light paint. On a light base, further decorations are better visible, and the decor itself is not lost.

The final stage of finishing is the coating of the finished mask with varnish. You can use glitter to add some sparkle to the piece. If this is your first time making a mask in papier-mâché technology, it is better to stop using too complex patterns for decoration.

The mask is ready. Price Supplies small, compared with a similar purchase, but its value is incomparably higher.

If you don’t want to make a Venetian mask with your own hands, you can buy it in stores souvenir products or specialized decor salons.

Based on materials from the site http://elite-bronze.ru

It is unlikely that I will tell you something new by calling Venice an unusual city. Its dissimilarity to other cities is a well-known fact, and it manifests itself in almost everything: from a unique location to souvenirs that are so different from the standard tourist package. In memory of Venice, you can bring absolutely amazing things - sparkling Murano glass, the most delicate lace from Burano, stationery"antique" and, of course, masks - a symbol of the carnival, which glorified Venice throughout the world.

For many centuries, carnival and masks have been an integral part of Venetian life, although (oddly enough!) They were not always connected. Both of them trace their history back to pre-Christian times - even the ancient Romans, celebrating the feast of fertility - Saturnalia, used masks. Masks not only hid the faces of the celebrants, but also erased social boundaries, making freemen and slaves equal during the fun. It is generally accepted that the first Venetian carnival took place in 1094, although other dates are also given. After a couple of centuries, the carnival becomes an annual event that takes place before a long Lent. By the way, in the first centuries of the carnival, the Venetians did not wear masks or special costumes during the holiday, but simply had fun. But in the following centuries, masks became so popular that they were worn even without a carnival.

Lovers who did not want to advertise their relationship, and noble citizens who visited gambling houses and other dubious places, hid their faces under masks. Sometimes real criminals were hiding under the guise. The masks were in great demand, and the artisans who made them were as famous as the Murano glassblowers or the Buranese lacemakers.

Several times the city authorities tried to ban the wearing of masks outside the carnival, but the Venetians stubbornly violated the law. Masks disappeared from the everyday life of the Venetians around the end of the 18th century, when, having experienced a rapid flowering, the Venetian carnival also ceased to exist. And the famous carnival was revived not so long ago - just over thirty years ago. And immediately became an event that attracts thousands of tourists to the city on the water. Yes, it has become a part tourism business, but carnival Venice in festive decoration is so good, lively and spontaneous that you can ignore everything else.

If not all guests of the city manage to come to the carnival, then you can admire the variety of masks at any time of the year. Carnival masks for every taste and budget are sold literally at every step, but a truly Venetian product is best looked after in special workshops, where beautiful papier-mâché or leather masks are made in the same way as centuries ago.

There are many types of Venetian masks, and it is absolutely impossible to show them all. But brief digression I still allow myself. For a long time, the masks of commedia dell'arte, a special street theater that arose in Italy during the Renaissance, were very popular. These are Pantalone, and Brighella, and Harlequin, and the Captain, and the Doctor, and Pulcinella in various variations and, of course, the female character - Columbine.

Today, these simple, characteristic masks are not very popular with buyers, except perhaps for collectors. The exception is the Colombina half mask. However, look at how bright multi-colored products, decorated with beads, rhinestones and lush feathers, differ from a simple black half mask.

Another group of Venetian masks are those that arose over the many centuries of carnival existence. The simplest of them is Bauta, which repeats the shape of a human face. In combination with a black hat and a long black cloak, she made the perfect costume for a person who wanted to remain unrecognized (Venice - after all, not very Big city!) In such a mask, the voice changed, which added anonymity to its owner. The mask with a black cocked hat is called Bauta Casanova - in honor of the very Casanova who, going in search of adventure, preferred to wear just such an outfit.

The Venetian lady is a beautiful mask depicting the beauty of the heyday of Venetian power. Feathers, jewelry, gilding, various hairstyles and exquisite headdresses are her distinctive features. The more magnificent and luxurious - the better! It is not surprising that this mask is also loved by modern carnival participants.

Such a black mask is now made only by special orders. But once Moretta (or the Silent Servant) was one of the most popular! The mask is designed in such a way that the woman wearing it cannot speak - the fasteners of the mask must be clamped with teeth. They say that Moretta was especially appreciated by Venetian husbands, tired of women's chatter.

The terrible mask of the Plague Doctor and the origin is no less terrible. In the Middle Ages, the plague was one of the most devastating disasters - it sometimes killed entire cities and emptied countries. In reality, such a mask was worn by doctors during epidemics, wrapping themselves in a long cloak and carrying a long stick with them so as not to touch the sick with their hands. Fragrant oils were placed in the long hooked nose of the mask and medicinal herbs- to protect against infection and not to feel the stench. Nowadays, this mask is simply very popular - for some reason, everything terrible attracts people!

The Volto mask, also known as the Citizen, is also very famous. This type of mask could be worn by representatives of all classes (hence the "democratic" name). Simple in form, it is perfect field for creativity contemporary masters. After all, you can paint and decorate such a mask in a variety of ways!

One of my favorite masks (I'm sure you guessed it) is the Cat. There is an unlikely legend about a cat brought from China that caught all the mice in the palace. Doge of Venice and became a local celebrity. True, then the cat returned to its homeland anyway - they were paid as the greatest value for expensive Chinese silks. I don’t know what about the Chinese cat specifically, but there were actually few cats in Venice (and more than enough mice). And the mask is very cute, isn't it?

No medieval celebration, be it in a royal palace, a noble house or in a city square, could do without a jester. Therefore, the Jester mask (there are many variants of names) is one of the most famous at the Venetian carnival. Its main attribute is a long cap, to the ends of which are attached bells ringing with every step. This mask was accompanied by a corresponding costume, sewn from bright multi-colored patches.

The variety of Venetian masks is truly endless. In addition, contemporary artists (you can’t call it otherwise), while maintaining ancient traditions in technology, keep up with the times in the subject. Nowadays, you can find masks in the form of aliens, goblins, elves, sea monsters and heroes of modern cinema! There are also products based on famous paintings or evoking historical and literary characters. There are also unique masks born from the unbridled imagination of artists.

In addition to laconic leather and richly decorated papier-mâché masks (by the way, they are often artificially "aged") in Venice, you can find items made of ceramics, porcelain and even metal. These are the so-called interior masks, designed to bring a little Italian flavor to our home. Indeed, having bought a mask in Venice, you can use it not only for its intended purpose, putting it on for a carnival, or as a souvenir reminiscent of a beautiful city, but also “put it to work” to decorate your home. By the way, such masks do not have to be brought from Venice, they can be bought in other countries. And many artists (including those in Russia) create, if not real "Venetian", but wonderful artistic masks "in style", which can add a special touch to the design of any interior.

When choosing a mask to decorate your home, you can focus on an existing design, or you can, on the contrary, beat the acquisition by making changes to the design. Any mask will do - the main thing is that you like it! Or suited your character and your outlook on life (after all, a mask can tell a lot about its owner!).

Venetian masks look very good in combination with antique mirrors, exquisite curtains and matching porcelain, glass or small plastic. But also in modern interior devoid of all sorts of "dust collectors" and "trinkets", they can become an interesting contrasting note.

In my opinion, wall-mounted Venetian masks are good both on their own and in matching frames.

Paired masks, matched by theme or color, can become bright accent living room, dining room and even kitchen. How do you like these options?

Funny miniature masks on stands can serve as a cute decoration dressing table or chest of drawers. As they say, options are possible!

If you are embarrassed by the idea of ​​hanging masks on the walls (I often came across the opinion that this is a bad omen), and you like the mood of the carnival, you can use accessories in the style of "Venetian masks" in the interior. I especially liked the table - I would like to find one!

And for needlewomen (who, I know, there are many here!) I can offer a sketch of an embroidery depicting the Venetian carnival.

In our house, Venetian masks are used to decorate the so-called "arts corner" (my husband's term). I confess that all this was bought without any ideas - simply because I liked it. But now it seems to me that my most favorite albums (and many of them are devoted to Italian painting and architecture) are well located in such an environment.

What do you think about Venetian masks? Would you "let" them into your home?

Svetlana Vetka , specially for Etoya.ru