Achieving an Italian bistro look in home decor
Whether you are trying to recapture a memory from a trip to Italy, you want to honor your Italian culture or you just appreciate the look of an Italian cafe or restaurant, you can paint a room to look like an Italian bistro. Choosing the right colors for a Tuscany or Mediterranean feel is key. Add the right textures, furniture and accessories, and bravo -- your bistro with an Italian flair is ready for your favorite meals. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Research photos of Italian bistros on the Internet, browse through home decor magazines, or visit Italian cafes and restaurants in your local area for design ideas. Take note of colors used, paint techniques on walls, paintings, linens, furniture, flooring, lighting fixtures and other accessories so you will be able to paint your room to effectively resemble an Italian bistro.
2. Choose your wall colors. You want to use bold, warm tones such as terra cotta, burnt orange, deep yellows, olive green, brown or Mediterranean sea blue shades. Avoid using bright or pastel colors, and opt for weathered-looking or muted hues.
3. Paint your walls using painting techniques that add definite texture to your walls. Try a Venetian plaster technique, for example, or purchase textured paints, like a suede finish paint. You can also create texture by adding some sandbox sand to your paint to give it a gritty feel and look. Another option is to use a faux paint finish known as crackled antique plaster. Home improvement stores will often provide workshops on these paint techniques, however, the stores usually offer brochures with step-by-step instructions, and you can also find instructions on the Internet.
4. Paint your countertops using faux painting techniques as well to create a marble look. It is a less expensive alternative to using marble, granite or stone on countertops for that Italian bistro look.
5. Paint your kitchen cupboards and give them a distressed look. First, rub some wax on pieces of the wood cabinets and then paint them in your desired warm color. The paint will not stick to the waxed areas properly. Allow to dry. Using sandpaper, rub over some areas of the cabinet to take a little paint off. This will further create an aged, rustic look. Focus on putting the wax on areas of the cabinets that would wear naturally over time, such as corners and edges. An alternative is to paint one coat of paint on the cabinets and then use a different color as a top coat instead of using wax. Rub through the top coat so that little bits of the contrasting color shows through.
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