Spanish style home decor is at once simple and elegant, with an old world sophistication and a contemporary predilection for functionality. Although traditional Spanish style favors grand open spaces, it is easy to add a few Spanish elements to any home to give it some continental panache. Add some chunky metal accessories, ornate wall hangings or hand-painted tile and soon your home with be speaking with a Spanish accent. Does this Spark an idea?
Types
There are different types of Spanish style home decor, although most of their elements overlap or combine well. The colonial style favors bold wooden furniture, solid doors with ornamentation, window seats with bright cushions, chunky glassware and metal platters. Hacienda style features romantic lighting, vessel sinks, decorative niches, draped fabrics in bedrooms and tall arched mirrors. Rustic Spanish decor has earthenware vessels, mismatched vintage pieces, handmade cabinetry and rough, contrasting textures. The Mediterranean style is warm and inviting, with an earthy palette accented with seaside colors, romantic lighting and crisp white linens.
Features
The classic features of Spanish style home decor are ornate architectural elements. Columns, cornices, ceiling medallions, ornate window frames and moldings create a bold and stately look. Wooden furniture of solid construction is typical. Woven textiles adorn windows, tables and walls. Spanish style includes metal accents such as wrought iron planters, copper bowls, mirrors framed with scrolled iron, and chunky hardware on cabinets and drawers. Any elements that bring the outdoors to the inside of the home are welcome, such as plants, bowls of fruit and vases of flowers.
Artwork
Spanish style home decor is no place for minimalism, so walls, shelves, counter tops, gardens and niches should feature works of art. Spain's aesthetic preferences were deeply influenced by the Italian Renaissance, as well as the seventeenth century golden age of Spanish culture. Large scale paintings and antique gilded frames lend a home interior an old world charm.
Palette
The Spanish style palette tends toward dark wood accented with bright textiles. Curtains, pillows, blankets and rugs may have rich reds, earthy browns and indigo blue. Walls may be painted with faux distressed finishes in antique shades of cream, gold, yellow and beige. Kitchens and bathrooms often feature ceramic tile painted white and cobalt blue. Red and gold are common shades in the kitchen. The Mediterranean palette also features hues of green and blue reminiscent of the ocean and sky.
Function
A complete Spanish style home decor is a major economic undertaking. Fortunately, doing a couple rooms or a few accessories in Spanish style can work well in many types of interiors such as Tuscan, French Country or Mexican rustic. The recent trends in green design are ideal in a Spanish home decor, because both styles favor earth tones and natural materials such as wood, metal, glass, stone, ceramic and cotton.
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