How To: Embrace Mediterranean Décor Into Your Home
In recent years, the allure of Mediterranean-inspired interior décor has captivated homeowners and designers alike. The Mediterranean region, known for its stunning coastline, vibrant colours, and relaxed lifestyle, serves as a muse for creating interiors that evoke a sense of tranquillity, warmth, and timeless elegance. In this blog post, we will explore the key elements and design principles that can help you infuse your home with the charm of the Mediterranean, bringing the essence of the sun-soaked shores right to your
doorstep.
What Is Mediterranean Decor?
The Mediterranean decor is a brilliant way to bring a relaxed, holiday feel into your home. Influenced by a melting pot of cultures from North African and Spanish to Tuscan and Greek, the Mediterranean style encompasses a huge array of different looks, from cool and coastal to rich and textured.
Relating to a huge geographic area, Mediterranean decor can conjure all sorts of different looks, from a Tuscan farmhouse to a Greek coastal villa and offers a wealth of inspiring decorating ideas.
Alongside the classic whitewashed look, characteristic colours range from rich, earthy tones to deep ocean blues.
There's also a huge focus on texture with rustic surfaces celebrated wherever possible, from warm terracotta floors to raw plaster walls.
Indeed, if you're lucky enough to have beautiful original features like exposed stone walls and weathered ceiling beams, then be sure to showcase these as part of the interior design as this is guaranteed to bring the sought after rustic character that Mediterranean decor is prized for.
Last but not least, Mediterranean decor blurs the boundaries between outside and in, so be sure to factor in plenty of houseplants such as palms, cacti and scented geraniums.
To get you inspired we've gathered an array of characterful home ideas perfect for bringing a Mediterranean feel to every room, from colour palettes for living rooms to beautiful bedroom ideas
Embrace rich, earthy colours
An instant mood-enhancer, vibrant paint ideas are a quick and easy way to transform the look and feel of a room. Conjuring the facades and roofs of Spanish and Italian buildings, rich terracotta, umber and orange shades are guaranteed to bring summer warmth into the home even on the gloomiest of days.
They make a particularly good living room colour, bringing a cosy and cocooning feel.
Opt for a blue and white colour scheme
Decorating with blue and white is an easy way to channel Mediterranean decor. A timeless combination synonymous with coastal style, blue and white is a brilliant colour scheme for restful traditional living rooms and remains ever-popular with interior designers for its versatility.
'Rich navy with white is such a smart combination, especially when the paintwork is crisp white too. It’s a classic and not confined to a beach house,' says Saffron Hare, creative director of James Hare.
To ensure a living room with a monochrome scheme has plenty of depth and interest try introducing a mix of fabrics in patterns, different textures and scales.
Use hot floral prints
If you're looking to embrace Mediterranean decor then consider drawing inspiration from its flora and fauna. Bougainvillaea is a common sight scrambling up ancient walls and over doorways in the Mediterranean.
A flamboyant floral repeat design will spark joy in any room. Alternatively, you could try it in a cupboard for a more subtle touch of pattern. Tropical leaves in artwork or prints can add an exotic feel to your decor.
Embrace natural materials
If you're looking to create a Mediterranean feel then you can't go wrong with a white backdrop. As white reflects sunlight, many interiors in the Mediterranean are whitewashed to help create cool and comfortable environments, as are the exteriors of buildings, for example in Greece.
While they are bright and airy, white living rooms can lack atmosphere – to bring added texture and warmth to decorate with furniture and accessories made from natural materials such as wood, linen, jute and rattan and consider updating your space with a few rustic accessories and cane furniture for a holiday feel.
Bringing natural materials and brighter tones inside for the warmer season can be a great uplift to your interior.
Try swapping more wintery vases for ceramics in cool shades, and natural woven planters and vases.
Layer up the textures
Cool and calming, whites and neutral tones are a go-to choice for a Mediterranean-style bedroom. To create a cosy environment be sure to introduce plenty of textural pieces such as natural jute rugs, rattan lampshades, woven baskets and a cane side table.
For an extra hint of Mediterranean style consider painting the inside of an alcove or cabinet in a rich indigo blue.
Mediterranean interiors are renowned for their warm and inviting lighting. Etched stoneware lamps create a soothing and ambient glow, which helps to set the mood and create a cosy atmosphere.
The soft light filtering through the delicate etchings creates a play of patterns on walls and ceilings, infusing the room with a sense of tranquillity.
Etched stoneware lamps can be placed strategically throughout your space to enhance its Mediterranean ambience. They work wonderfully as table lamps on side tables, providing a warm glow in living rooms, bedrooms, or entryways.
Larger floor lamps can become focal points in a room, adding an artistic flair while illuminating the space.
Etched stoneware lamps beautifully complement other Mediterranean elements in your decor. Consider pairing them with natural materials such as rattan or woven textures for a coastal touch.
They also harmonise well with warm-hued textiles, like patterned rugs or cushions, that evoke the colours of the Mediterranean landscape. The lamps can be the perfect finishing touch that ties together the various elements of your Mediterranean-inspired space.
Add in colourful pieces for a summer update
If you're looking to give your home a summer refresh then consider looking to the Mediterranean for inspiration, it's easier to add to your home than you might think.
Think large faux olive trees, plenty of natural wood finishes and pops of summery colours; I like citrus yellows, oranges and Aegean
blues can really help to bring that Mediterranean feel to life.
The Mediterranean decor is a vibrant mix of different cultural influences so there are a huge array of colours to choose from when it comes to capturing the look.
Rich warm earthy tones such as terracotta, umber, ochre, golden yellow and red are all guaranteed to bring a touch of Tuscan warmth to interiors.
Alternatively, for a cool coastal look reminiscent of a Greek island with a palette of crisp white and ocean blues, from deep indigo to captivating turquoise.
Simple accessory switch ups such as vases, soft furnishings and wall decor are cheaper alternative ways to make a big seasonal change and impact your space.
Embracing Mediterranean-inspired interior décor allows you to create a haven that exudes warmth, relaxation, and timeless beauty.
By incorporating a warm colour palette, natural materials, open spaces, patterns, and nautical accents, you can transform your home into a tranquil retreat reminiscent of the Mediterranean lifestyle.
So, go ahead, let the Mediterranean breezes waft through your space, and allow the soothing ambience to transport you to a place of serenity
