A Spanish-style home
Spanish-style decorating is used in homes in the West and the South in the United States. Homes in western states often lean towards a convergence of Mexican and Spanish styles. Homes in the Southwest often merge Native American d cor with Mexican styles, resulting in a "Santa Fe" Spanish style. No matter where you live, you can create a Spanish style for your home. The key is to incorporate design elements that give the home authenticity in delivering a style that definitely says "Spanish." Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select interior wall paint colors that will give the room an open feeling. Stick to warm neutral colors in the white or gold range. Use a faux finish or stucco effect to add dimension. Choose a color palette from warm and earth tones, such as taupe, burnt orange, chocolate brown, deep indigo blue, terra-cotta red or deep mustard yellow
2. Use tile or wood flooring to bring your Spanish-style theme to life. Select tiles in rich and dark terra-cotta shades rather than light colors. Opt for hardwood floors with darker colors such as walnut or chestnut, instead of beech woods or lighter hardwood colors. Use stains and finishing treatments that not only protect the flooring surface but also enrich and darken the colors of the floors.
3. Use area rugs imported from Mexico or those with Native American designs and motifs to accent areas for living room and dining seating and in bedrooms.
4. Add wood beams in darker wood shades or expose existing beams to enhance the ceiling and create a hacienda look. Varnish the beams or leave them raw to give the room the effect you desire. Paint the ceiling in white or neutral colors so the beams stand out.
5. Consider leather furniture or micro-fiber upholstery fabrics in rich, earth-tone colors. Look for embellishments such as brass tacks around the armrests and trim to keep your design authentic to the Spanish style. Incorporate dark, rustic wooden pieces as benches, cabinets or armoires.
6. Accessorize with pieces in wrought iron wherever possible, such as a chandelier, candle holders, sconces, wall decorations, fireplace accessories or as handles or knobs on furniture. Utilize tapestries for wall decor and artwork in dark frames of Spanish or Mexican subjects. Keep window treatments simple with light-colored woven fabric and perhaps wrought-iron curtain rods. Use pottery as accent pieces.
7. Place large potted plants such as avocado plants and ficus trees indoors. Place the indoor trees in key areas such as an entryway or foyer area and within large rooms such as the living and dining room area. Adorn outdoor patio and poolside spaces with citrus plants. Use terra-cotta planters to create an outdoor container garden stocked with sage, oregano, mint, thyme and coriander plants ready for cooking use.
Tags: Spanish style, give room, Native American, neutral colors