Choose Tuscany decorating styles for a warm, welcoming, relaxed feel.
Recreate that magical Tuscan landscape, and idyllic, laid back lifestyle, in your own home. Here's what to do ....
If you have ever been to Tuscany, or even, never been to Tuscany, you will surely want to capture the feel of this wondrous landscape, and bring it into your own home.
Recapture the sights, the smells, the colors, the sunshine, the warm relaxed atmosphere, the sounds of bird song and laughter echoing across the hillside, and the taste of warm, crusty bread and juicy fruits in your mouth....
Wish you were there?
If you recreate a Tuscany decorating style in your home, you can feel that relaxed Tuscan vibe, any time you like…
A Tuscan decorating style is actually really easy to achieve in your home. Choose a Tuscany decorating style for any room in the house – or all rooms – whatever you choose…!
To get the Tuscany decorating look just right, you want to create a warm, laid-back, rustic style - with a decor that all the family can enjoy relaxing in.
Walls and Color
Getting your walls right is, perhaps, the most important way of getting this look. Your walls should be textured - with the look of old plaster or ‘stucco’ to give a really rustic feel.
Try a faux finish with paint, or for a quick and easy way to get the look, try textured paint, with a suede effect finish.
Or try a color wash over your base coat. Choose a slightly darker shade of the same color (slightly diluted is best). Apply the top coat with a brush or cloth, in random swirls or strokes. This will take a fair bit of practice to get an acceptable finish – but it will be worth it to get a really authentic Tuscany decorating look!
Color itself, is vital to recreating the Tuscan decorating style. The Tuscan look is warm, earthy and tones are muted. Try warm yellows, rustic reds, burnt orange, copper and even peachy and pink shades for walls. Mix these with earthy olives, rust, tan and accents of Mediterranean blue and teal.
Add a bit of interest to your walls by choosing pictures of Tuscan style scenes. Rural landscapes, with typical cypress trees, farmlands, olive groves and vineyards are all ideal.
Also look for pictures featuring anything to do with wine - grapes, bottles, glasses etc. Olives too, are a typical subject to include in your Tuscany decorating scheme.
Tapestries are a good way to get the Tuscan decorating look – and are great hung on your walls, giving your room a really cosy, welcoming feel – they will really cosy your room up a lot if you live somewhere where it is not usually as beautifully warm as Tuscany. Take a look at some of these Tuscan inspired tapestry wall hangings. These incredible works of art can be used as decorative wall hangings or as beautiful window treatments.
Consider making a focal point out of your tapestries or art work – and really bring that Tuscan feel right into your home.
Include a large mural, or ‘trompe l’oeil’ frieze on one of your walls, based around one of the above subjects. It will be a really beautiful centrepiece, and focal point for your whole Tuscany decorating scheme.
Take a look at this great little video clip helping you to bring a real flavour of Tuscany into your home...
Just click on the picture to start the player ... and enjoy!
Flooring
Think natural for your flooring too – wood, stone, terracotta or clay tiles, or even the luxury of marble, will all suit this style perfectly.
Make sure you include some rustic style rugs to cosy up your look – and to make it feel really warm and friendly – particularly if you are bringing a Tuscan style decorating look into a colder climate (your cold little toes will really thank you for it!)
Furniture
Tuscan style furniture is really easy to achieve – and there is plenty of choice here too. Look for good quality, solid, wooden furniture in a rustic or distressed style. Look for rich, dark woods, everyday pine or painted wood with a distressed finish.
Learn how to create your own distressed-look furniture from new – with just a few, easy steps:
Make sure that your furniture is clean, dry and free from grease.
Add a little wax to areas of furniture that would wear naturally, such as corners, edges, steps, etc.
Paint your furniture in white, or in a color of your choice – two thin coats are usually better than one thick, gloopy coat.
When the paint is dry, rub the areas you waxed with a little sandpaper, or wire wool – so that the wood shows through, and you get a fantastic, genuinely distressed look!
Look out especially for linen cupboards or armoires - fitted with chicken wire in the doors. You can use them in any room, and they give a fantastic Tuscan feel. Line the chicken-wire doors with fabric, if you want the contents of your cupboard to stay private!
Also look out for lots of decorative, wrought iron work in your furniture – find it on chairs, table legs and even cupboards. Look out for wrought iron combined with marble, for a really elegant Tuscany decorating look – round bistro tables are ideal.
Accessories
Wrought iron is a great way of getting the Tuscan interior design look in your accessories too. Look out for wrought iron candlesticks, light fittings and wall sconces, as well as beautiful, decorative, wrought iron wall hangings for your walls.
As well as tapestries on your walls, look out for tapestry style fabrics when choosing your curtains too. In the Summer, or in warm climates, choose light cotton, linen or lace. In Winter go for luxurious tapestries, brocades and damasks. Don’t forget to hang your curtains from a beautiful, wrought iron pole!
The Tuscans love their beautiful fabrics, so choose luxurious linens, draperies, lace and throws, wherever possible.
More accessories which you can get, to add to the Tuscany style decorating look in your home, are rustic style Tuscan pottery and ceramics - display plates on walls or sideboards – or arrange flowers in jugs, pitchers and urns.
Also look out for hand-worked, metal bowls and platters (usually pewter) in a rustic style – and display these items proudly in your Tuscan style room.
One of the best places to browse for Tuscan inspired goodies is eBay. I have got some really unusual items, and great bargains.
Take a look now... This is a live feed from eBay - and is constantly updated. Just click on a product for more information, or to bid or buy...
Happy Shopping - I hope you manage to grab a bargain...
It certainly wouldn’t be a convincing Tuscany decorating style without including plenty of plants and greenery, and even dried flowers and herbs, in your room – so make sure you include a touch of nature – and bring the outdoors in…!
Now, relax back and enjoy your beautiful Tuscany decorating style. Feel the warmth of the Tuscan sunshine as you bring to mind that beautiful landscape and happy, relaxed atmosphere.
