A Tuscan design influence is bringing elements of nature into the home with the use of stone, wood, and a color palette reminiscent of its countryside.
Colors are sun washed and weathered, soft and subdued, including hues of terracotta, olive green, deep browns, brick, golden yellow and Mediterranean blue reminiscent of the earth.
Many stone walls were left exposed within the old Tuscan farmhouses, and their influence is widely seen in Tuscan designed interiors.
You can incorporate the different types, granite, marble, limestone and terracotta easily in kitchens, bathrooms, as a fireplace surround, as wall treatments (real or faux) and as a decorative element in furniture.
- granite it is very strong and is used for countertops.
- Limestone on the other hand, it is very absorbent and can easily stain. It is used for floors (but not high traffic areas) and in the bathroom.
- Marble accents a floor in the foyer. Tumbled can be used for kitchen backsplash, while
- Terracotta tiles can look good in a sunroom or around a fireplace.
These are just some of the many ways to use this natural element of the earth.
Furnishings are aged with down-to-earth charm, but can blend beautifully with the grand and ornate. The finishes are a matt wax with a weathered look that is reminiscent of natural wood when it darkens over time. Nothing wants to look new or have a shiny finish.
Tuscan furniture styles will have stone, leather, and wrought iron as decorative accents. A sofa table with a marble top and wrought iron stretcher base is one example.
Tuscan-inspired decorating keys to use in your home.
- Geraniums or lemon trees in a terracotta pot.
- Display stone statues indoors on a pedestal.
- an inner fountain, to balance the earthy elements that are so prevalent in Tuscan-style décor.
- Terracotta olive jars above an entertainment unit.
- Long wooden kitchen tables ladder back chairs with rattan or fabric seats.
- An iron bed in the guest room.
- Unpolished metal containers for holding flowers.
- Lots of wrought iron accents including sconces and wall sconces.
