Create Your Own Mediterranean Paradise

“For me, the Mediterranean’s synonymous with the light captured by Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh,” says high-end designer and event planner, David Stark. While we may not be able to run to our villa in Tuscany when life looks a little gloomy – or hire designers like David Stark, for that matter – we can create a lovely, Mediterranean-inspired décor in our homes.  As Stark says, it’s all about the light, color, and attitude.

A Mediterranean décor can be just as luxurious and expensive as you want – or just as budget-friendly.  As an article in the Washington Post’s Lifestyle section notes, you can achieve the easy, breezy look by adding touches like a “rustic blow-glass jug with yellow daisies.”  Spanish, Greek, Italian, Morocco,
Turkish, and French cultures have contributed to this very diverse, rich style, and because of this, there is a lot of freedom and individuality possible.

In general, the colors tend to reflect the nature of the area: we see sky and sea blues, but also lavenders, yellows, and terra cotta, which offer a much warmer look. These are palettes that are very easy to work with, no matter where you live.  In fact, what could be more comforting than a warm, terra cotta theme in the cold north?

Many Mediterranean-inspired pieces of furniture are rather ornate and feature heavier, more accentuated hardware.  There is a lot of burnished bronze, filigree detailing, and wrought iron touches, for which we can thank Morocco’s influence.  You can very easily add pieces like this to your home without overpowering the rest of your décor.  The Mira Mosa Swivel Bar Stool from Pastel Furniture, for instance, features a wrought iron frame that is delicately turned out, brown upholstery, and a lovely painted flower centerpiece on the backrest.  It is evocative of nature, but also the culture which we want to emulate.

Texture is very important with this type of décor.  Often, you will see textured walls.  You can create your own “plaster wall” simply by using a tinted drywall compound and colored beeswax.  Terra cotta is another texture (and color, of course) that is very common. Incorporating a little terra cotta tile is a great
way to bring the Mediterranean home.  You don’t have to do your entire floor; a backsplash or a small entryway will help create the look you want.  A big terra cotta planter with a fresh houseplant in it can do that as well.

As the Washington Post notes, “It’s a laid-back look, but it can also be quite sophisticated.”  We can’t escape to Santorini or Taormina whenever we want to relax, but we can escape to our homes.  Make it a Mediterranean paradise.

“For me, the Mediterranean’s synonymous with the light captured by Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh,” says high-end designer and event planner, David Stark. While we may not be able to run to our villa in Tuscany when life looks a little gloomy – or hire designers like David Stark, for that matter – we can create a lovely, Mediterranean-inspired décor in our homes.  As Stark says, it’s all about the light, color, and attitude.

A Mediterranean décor can be just as luxurious and expensive as you want – or just as budget-friendly.  As an article in the Washington Post’s Lifestyle section notes, you can achieve the easy, breezy look by adding touches like a “rustic blow-glass jug with yellow daisies.”  Spanish, Greek, Italian, Morocco,
Turkish, and French cultures have contributed to this very diverse, rich style, and because of this, there is a lot of freedom and individuality possible.

In general, the colors tend to reflect the nature of the area: we see sky and sea blues, but also lavenders, yellows, and terra cotta, which offer a much warmer look. These are palettes that are very easy to work with, no matter where you live.  In fact, what could be more comforting than a warm, terra cotta theme in the cold north?

Many Mediterranean-inspired pieces of furniture are rather ornate and feature heavier, more accentuated hardware.  There is a lot of burnished bronze, filigree detailing, and wrought iron touches, for which we can thank Morocco’s influence.   You can very easily add pieces like this to your home without overpowering the rest of your décor.  The Mira Mosa Swivel Bar Stool from Pastel Furniture, for instance, features a wrought iron frame that is delicately turned out, brown upholstery, and a lovely painted flower centerpiece on the backrest.  It is evocative of nature, but also the culture which we want to emulate.

Texture is very important with this type of décor.  Often, you will see textured walls.  You can create your own “plaster wall” simply by using a tinted drywall compound and colored beeswax.  Terra cotta is another texture (and color, of course) that is very common. Incorporating a little terra cotta tile is a great
way to bring the Mediterranean home.  You don’t have to do your entire floor; a backsplash or a small entryway will help create the look you want.  A big terra cotta planter with a fresh houseplant in it can do that as well.

As the Washington Post notes, “It’s a laid-back look, but it can also be quite sophisticated.”   We can’t escape to Santorini or Taormina whenever we want to relax, but we can escape to our homes.  Make it a Mediterranean paradise.