Mediterranean decor can bring that carefree, bright and windswept feeling of being on vacation in a beautiful, ocean-side resort back into your heart. The Mediterranean Basin merges Turkish, Italian, Spanish, Greek and Moroccan designs that could add a splash of refreshing boldness and charm to your daily dwelling space, transforming it into a retreat chalk full of cultural tradition.
Why such vivid colors? The Mediterranean people believed that mix-and-matching, using vibrant colors was a way of showing individuality and ethnic pride in a world where rulers were always coming and going. Additionally, the bright-painted houses located on terraced cliffs also helped sailors recognize their particular homes from the sea, where they made their livings fishing.
In your living room, contemporary Mediterranean decor strives for simplicity, with bright white paint and furniture, relying on stylish accents – for example: the Fez lantern or the Cleopatra’s Star throw pillows. A popular choice for living room Mediterranean décor is texturized walls with Mediterranean setting artwork and sheer white curtains. You can also choose to install a “Moorish” ceiling made of ornate woodwork to give your room a unique, Church-like serenity, while the “Imperial Moroccan” door reveals additional medieval character in your living room space. Both the “Mediterranean Table” and the “Farah Table” offer contemporary designs. Large windows, tropical plants and an Alexandria vase can make a nice addition to your room. If the living room isn’t all that large, adding the Arabesque mirror can give the illusion of having more space.
In the kitchen, some decorators paint their walls with vivid sunset red, cobalt blue or egg yolk yellow. Others choose blue and gold mosaic tile for countertops, dining room tables and stove backdrops. In the window, terra cotta pots filled with spices and herbs or brilliantly reflective vases is a nice touch. You can throw brightly-colored dish sets into the mix for a kitchen with truly Mediterranean décor.
Most Mediterranean bathrooms have old-fashioned tubs or whirlpool tubs built into marble flooring. Bathrooms are another great place for functional mosaic wall, countertop, sink or floor tiles. For the very ornate, a Moorish wooden arch can be placed over the “canopy” style bathtub, with sconces and lanterns providing the lighting for this breathtaking room.
Bedrooms can benefit from the beautiful headboards, armoires, mirrors and chests we have to offer. You’ll want to keep this room simple and basic, for the most part, to aid in nighttime relaxation. Choose one or two main items and keep the walls and bedspreads a neutral terra cotta, olive, pale blue or gold. Lamps are a nice way to add a subtle splash of artistic design, without overdoing it.
The backyard garden can benefit from Mediterranean furniture as well. The King’s Fountain will be the centerpiece of your yard, providing the tranquil sounds of running water. Building a wooden archway and weaving white lights and a vine-growing plant like ivy is another stunning arrangement. Many of our tables – like “Sahara Sand” or “Emerald Nights” – were built out of sturdy materials to withstand outdoor elements.
The great thing about choosing a Mediterranean theme for your home, is that every room will end up looking different. At the end of the day, you don’t want your home to look crowded and cluttered with a circus of conflicting themes and patterns; you want something stylish, unique, relaxing and quintessentially “you.”