Stone lends an interior rustic charm.
Elegant yet comfortable, old world Italian decor has classic charm. Robust colors and grand architectural elements create a lavish backdrop ideal for entertaining. You can update a room quickly with rustic finishes and tile details that evoke a Tuscan villa, or spend more time and money on a full Italian home makeover. Personalize your old world style by integrating into your Italian decor family heirlooms, favorite Italian handicrafts and framed artwork. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Design your home with classic Italian architectural elements. Columns, arches and pedestals create an elaborate look, while a stone wall or fireplace has a homey effect.
2. Paint your walls with earthy hues. Rich terra-cotta red, golden yellow, olive green or cream work well in old world Italian interiors.
3. Accent your walls with hand-painted details. Create a faux vintage fresco design of an Italian landscape or ocean view by watering down paint or using milk paint to apply it, or by sanding away at a painted image to make it look distressed and timeworn. For a simpler effect, add a stenciled pattern of vines and flowers. If you prefer not to paint, try applying vinyl wall decals along the base of walls or around window and door frames.
4. Furnish your home with solid pieces featuring distressed finishes or artistic touches. A long wooden dining table might consist of weathered gray wood, while an armoire or cabinet features a painted scene, embossed trim on the wooden frame, hammered tin panels inset into the doors or tiled shelves. Wrought iron adds an old world touch to bed frames, headboards, table frames and shelf supports.
5. Illuminate your Italian decor with multiple sources of light. A wrought iron candle holder adds ambient light to an entryway table or fireplace mantel, while a Murano glass chandelier serves as a focal point in the living room or dining area. Supplement ambient lighting with task-oriented lighting such as floor lamps and table lamps with stained glass shades.
6. Accessorize your interiors with Italian handicrafts and foods. A painted Italian ceramic vase or bowl holds bright lemons and limes. A rustic wooden shelf in the kitchen serves as a display area for bottles of olive oil and wine.
Tags: Italian decor, architectural elements, home with, Italian handicrafts, walls with
