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Southwest Decorating Style

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Published: November 29, 2006

Though you may not reside anywhere near Mexico, you still may hanker for the Southwestern decor seen in so many hacienda style homes. For these people, obtaining a Southwestern decorating scheme is not hard once you know the basics.

The Southwest decorating style encompasses everything about Southwestern living. From the color scheme to the rustic furniture's distressed finishes, every detail invokes thoughts of old-time Spanish haciendas and colorful Mexican homes.

The basic colors used in Southwest decor are all earth tones. The colors often seen in each decorating theme are cactus green, adobe red and desert tones such as beige and stone. These fundamental colors are accented with splashes of bright yellow, faded orange and turquoise. These wine and tan colors are predominant in a Southwest styled home.

The rustic furniture used in Southwest decor can be described as heavy, big pieces. Knotty pine usually comprises the wooden furniture and is finished with a distressing treatment. The rustic furniture in Southwest decor looks old and weathered, calling upon feelings of the Old West and desert qualities. Beyond the wood, leather and suede are commonly used as upholsterers for the furniture. The leather is usually in the brown family whereas the suede tends to be of the beige family when choosing upholstery colors.

The furniture is accented with striped serapes, or colorful wool shawls which can be draped over chairs or couches to add sprays of color throughout the room. These serapes can also be used as wall decor, acting as tapestries to bring a dimensional quality.

Talavera pottery and painted ceramic pieces from 16th century Mexico adds color to a Southwestern styled room. Often time woven baskets and western artwork adorn the space to give an aesthetic appeal.

Rough textures and hand crafted pieces ornament these rooms, providing the area with a rustic and homely air. Hand painted tiles on walls, floors and counter tops make each home unique and are beautiful pieces to add when styling your Southwestern home. Wrought iron hangings frequent the walls in Southwest decor and heavy wooden beams can be used to line the ceilings to add dimension and depth to the room.

Once a person has learned the central aspects of Southwestern decorating style, they can begin to revamp their own home with these rustic and colorful accents. Southwest decor may not be for everyone, but when done with style, it can prove to be a beautiful design for any home, on the border or not.




HGTV. 19 October 2006. 19 October 2006.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_styles_west_Southwes t/0,1792,HGTV_3533,00.html

Tradicione's. 19 October 2006. 19 October 2006.
http://www.Southwesternfurniturerustic.com/