I am looking for paint ideas for my new townhome. All of my decor and style I want to go with is like the Italian/tuscan/french style old fashioned streets and cafes. A lot of deep reds, blues, yellows, greens. I need some images or good mags to get for insparation. Want the living room walls to be red. Kitchen to maybe be rustic tans and creams. Any pics, links? TIA!
Here are some elements of Tuscan style than can create this look in your home.
Rustic and simple are the hallmarks of Tuscan style. True Tuscan rooms can be low-ceilinged, dark, and small, though you'll likely want to modify that look for your home. Instead of "dark rooms", use warm, cozy colors, sturdy furniture, and lots of terra cotta and wood.
The exterior of a Tuscan home often has a tile roof, vine covered walls, and old rustic shutters on every window. Driveways and lanes are lined with rows of tall cypress trees.
Crooked and crumbling stone walls outline walkways, patios, and other outdoor areas. Grottoes are another traditional outdoor feature, using lush greenery and statuary in small cool corners of a garden.
Garden paving might be brick or stone set unevenly and planted with grass between each stone.
A variety of colorwashing and faux wall techniques are appropriate in Tuscan interiors. Look for mottled, uneven colors, and an old-world, time-worn finishes in warm golden tones.
Architectural features include small, deeply set windows that frame vistas of farms and vineyards. Arched niches, rustic ceiling beams, stone floors, and simple moldings will underscore a Tuscany theme.
Flooring in a Tuscan room might be brick, clay tile, or uneven stone.
Furniture is simply fashioned from rustic wood and might have accents of tile, iron, or marble. Dark woods, pine pieces, or painted furniture might be used, and include heavy distressing and aging to add to the time-worn feel.
Chicken wire cupboard door fronts are another Tuscan element than can easily be incorporated into kitchen cupboards or an armoire.
Tuscan colors spring from a range of earthy ochres, deep golds, sunny yellows, rich browns, and warm terra cottas, accented with deep blues, black, rusty reds, and olive greens.
Tuscan themes include agricultural products such as olives, grapes, and flowers.
Terra cotta tiles are an important element of a Tuscan room. Terra cotta is also essential to the Tuscan color palette.
Tuscan kitchens often have dark timbered ceilings and tile or textured walls. Storage includes sturdy open shelving, free-standing cupboards and tables, and chicken-wire covered cupboard fronts. Natural stone sinks and rustic sink hardware are another essential. Range hoods are often a prominent feature in a modern Tuscan kitchen and can incorporate a large structure and a display shelf.
Use copper pots, tin accents, marble, and stone in a Tuscan kitchen. Decorate with sturdy pine storage pieces, a big farmhouse table or island, and bunches of hanging herbs.
you might want to go to B&N and check out different mags like Elle Decor, Dwell, Coastal Living, Met home for ideas
-- Edited by mikacat at 13:37, 2005-06-27
-- Edited by mikacat at 13:38, 2005-06-27
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Check out Elle Decor and Interior Design magazines. The Interior Design one is a little harder to find, but they have it at Barnes and Noble. I am going to school for interior design and those are two of my favorites when I need ideas. Hope these help!