Italian style - the breath of the Mediterranean

Italian or, as it is often called, the Mediterranean style of interior design cannot be confused with other areas. It has absorbed the sunniest tones of this fabulous peninsula, but does not have such expressive emotional outbursts inherent in the mentality of the locals. It may seem strange, but temperamental Italians, creating their own special Italian style in the interior, managed to make it traditional and restrained. The peace and tranquility that the decor brings is due to the use of special natural materials that allow you to fill the house with charm and comfort.

The most common finishing materials in this direction are stone and wood. It was from such materials that the coastal houses of Tuscany were built. Pine and oak are the most loved by Italians, which are used in natural or lacquered form. Since the traditions in this country are systematically continued in subsequent generations, this explains the presence of a large number of antiques in the interiors. A separate line in this list is antique furniture. But the achievement of progress in this original style is not easy to enter. However, this does not bother the Europeans at all, and they are happy to use this direction when decorating their homes.

In fact, the Italian style in the home interior is a mix of antique luxury and rustic simplicity.. Monumental columns, ornate ornaments, expensive decoration here are adjacent to the riot of splendor of living plants, shabby wooden furniture and beams.

Italian style: subtleties of decoration

Ceiling

The presence of Italian style in the interior is perfectly emphasized by stretch ceilings in off-white, cream or beige.

Let's start considering the specifics of finishing work from the ceiling. The most budget option, but not the best, is its coloring. The surface will be perceived fully only if it can be painted evenly. Therefore, do not rush and work according to the stage-by-stage staining technology, which provides for coating in several layers. Maximum attention will need to be paid to the choice of paint tone. If the surface to be finished has some flaws, then you should not work on it with light and cold shades. They only highlight the problems.

An alternative to budget coloring can be well-known liquid wallpaper with a grainy texture or embossed wallpaper without a pattern. The specific texture of the material will hide all the flaws. However, this does not mean that the wallpaper can be put on an unprepared ceiling. Even in this case, it is impossible to do without leveling and plastering the surface.

Another competent choice of ceiling cladding material to recreate the Italian style in the interior will be a special tile.Of course, it will hide minor flaws, does not require specific care and can be easily repainted in the desired color, but it is very difficult to combine with stucco elements, without which the Italian interior will be incomplete.

There are much more advantages for ceiling structures assembled from drywall. Suspended ceilings create unlimited possibilities for placing lighting fixtures. In Italian decor, the ceiling can have a glossy sheen or remain matte. Bohemianism and unprecedented luxury will be presented by textile coatings. Their printed design will remind you of the chic of the palaces of Florence.

You can decorate the ceiling with wooden beams, but only dark and massive enough.

The presence of Italian style in the interior is perfectly emphasized by stretch ceilings in off-white, cream or beige.

As you can see, the ceiling in the soft interior of sunny Italy accepts almost any type of cladding, so focus solely on your wallet.

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Walls

Venetian plaster is very suitable for finishing the walls of a room decorated in the Italian spirit. Its texture produces the effect of hand-made painting and makes the room luxurious, individual and simple at the same time.

The Italian style also accepts the combined use of materials. You may well experiment with mosaics, stucco and wall paintings. Mosaic tiles will effectively emphasize the Italian style of decoration not only in the interior of the bathroom, but also in the kitchen or in the central rooms. Being antique and having uneven, as if burnt edges, it will perfectly draw the line of antiquity in the decor. A kitchen apron can generally be decorated with a tiled panel of an ethnic Mediterranean theme.

Although natural stone is welcomed in Italian interiors, however, its use should be approached in a dosed manner. You should not lay out the entire wall with them, a fragmentary decor will be enough. Fireplaces, arched openings and columns can also be trimmed with stone. Since natural stones are not cheap, when recreating the Italian style in the interior, they can be replaced with artificial facing material, stylized as natural counterparts. Today, for wall decoration, whole panels imitating masonry or made with wood veneer are on sale.

floors

The integrity of the room, finished in Italian style, gives the floor. It is desirable that it be in a single texture over its entire area. Marble floor tiles or matte tiles perfectly match the stylistic requirements. When dwelling on this type of finish, you need to remember the specifics of our climate and the fact that tiles are a representative of “cold” materials, therefore, they will require the equipment of the “warm floor” system, without which the house will not be very comfortable.

You can make a wooden floor, but its texture must be neutral, because in the Italian interior the walls play the leading role.

The most economical way to finish floors is to use linoleum. The solution is not the best, however, if you choose a material of good quality, then such a coating will be perceived no worse than natural.

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Italian style in the interior: lighting nuances

Do not be afraid to experiment with combinations of lighting fixtures, because the Italian style in the interior is the most fertile and rewarding ground for such games.

Given the general palette of colors of the Italian interior and the maximum dominance of the walls in it, the designers insist on focusing on organizing the correct focus of lighting.

The beauty of a stylish decor is simply emphasized by diffused soft lighting. Modern requirements for lighting rooms decorated in the Italian style are somewhat contrary to the usual canons. In such interiors, there is a need to zone the space with light, and use cold white lamps to illuminate large spaces. By and large, the lighting of interiors furnished in a Mediterranean style is always a puzzle, the solution of which must be approached comprehensively. Do not be afraid to experiment with combinations of lighting fixtures, because the Italian style in the interior is the most fertile and rewarding ground for such games. You will surely find that golden mean that will satisfy stylistic requirements and give rise to maximum comfort.

So, for the main lighting, you will need four or five lamps, which will be located around the perimeter of the room. Ideally, wall models combined in a common chain will cope with this task. Ceiling lighting is allowed, but the light pouring from there should be warm and diffused to the maximum. In such decors, there is no place for chandeliers and other dominant lighting fixtures, because, according to stylistic features, the middle of the room should remain slightly darkened. Even in the evening, the Italian interior should look like it is penetrated by the sun's rays. If one of the zones of the room requires additional lighting, then it is provided by additional autonomous lamps installed on its border. And they should be placed low - approximately at shoulder level.

As for the style of lighting fixtures, the Italian style is best suited for sconces and pendant lamps in the interior. They will fit very well into the decor if they look like antiques and carry a touch of antiquity. For example, a sconce can be made with simple copper or yellow forging, which will be crowned with a spherical ceiling and decorated with small forged details in the form of a bunch of grapes or ivy leaves. Country-style lamps look great in this decor, because they are also made of silver metal, and their design includes an elliptical shade and provides for the weighting of the lower part.

If your home is decorated in an Italian style, and you plan to use combined lighting in its interior, try to ensure that the lamps you purchase do not have a stylistic conflict. In this regard, assign the main mission to the sconces, and the additional one to a pair of table lamps located at different ends of the illuminated area. You can bring zest and add coziness to the interior with an ordinary kerosene lamp. If you want to emphasize the sunny character of the Italian style, place the lamp in an openwork floor vase made of translucent beige or yellowish glass. Feel free to fantasize. You may well come up with an equally curious version of lighting that will give the Italian style in the interior of your home a unique originality.

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A little about accessories

Accessories are among those stylistic details, without which the design will never be complete and complete. Italian style is no exception. For example, in the kitchen should be placed:

1. Wicker vases for fruits;
2. Decorative bottles filled with wine or olive oil;
3. Picturesque boxes with spices;
4. Flowers in clay pots.

By the way, there can be a lot of living plants in such an interior, because they can best convey the picturesqueness of the Mediterranean.

To decorate the living room fit:

1. Porcelain figurines;
2. Products from unusual Murano glass;
3. Paintings in antique frames;
4. Stylized sofa cushions.

An interesting fact: the Italian style is not disgusted by the fact that in the interior of one room there can be a bedspread made of simple fabric with a floral print and luxurious heavy curtains with fringe, tassels and lambrequin. Next to an ordinary wicker basket, an elegant figurine from the Baroque period may well stand. And such eclecticism can be traced in everything, not only in accessories. For example, against a shabby wall, chaotically and, it would seem, carelessly pasted over with a finishing stone, there can be luxurious upholstered white leather furniture. However, in this unique style, such incidents do not seem like blunders at all, but, on the contrary, add incredible charm to the setting.

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Conclusion

In general, the Italian style in the interior creates the feeling that you are in a sultry and incredibly sunny Mediterranean resort. Joy, comfort and a warm, light atmosphere will always reign in such a house.

Photo gallery - Italian style in the interior:

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