Mexican Style Home Decor Ideas
When talking about Mexican home decorating style there are some people thinking that this type of decor encompasses pottery, chili peppers and cactuses. This is in fact a simple way to look at the real essence that is comprised in the Mexican design and heritage.
The Mexican home decorating style is in fact inspired by many sources that history brought over time, such as Spanish and Native Americans and even Chinese. These nations have come with a powerful influence that left a print in the spirit of Mexican people, this influence being added to the spirit of the natives creating what is known today as the traditional style of the Mexican people.
The history of Mexican home decorating style goes back into the 16th century before the Spanish conquest took place. At this time the more intricate structures that Spanish monks have built started to replace the simplicity of the adobe structures of the natives. When both styles were combined, a new type of design came into existence. This combination is the thing that most people think of the Mexican home decorating style.
Mexican homes exuberate a warm feeling, and have a very welcoming and inviting feel to them. With their colorful and bright surroundings, Mexican homes can pep up anybody, when they come back home after a long day. If you are planning to do up your home and are considering Mexican interior design for it, then here are some interesting and useful Mexican interior design ideas that you can make use of.
Mexican Home Decorating Ideas:
Color Patterns:
Cobalt blue and fiery red are dominant colors in Mexican decor. In the Spanish influence, these colors are seen in tiles, pottery and wall color. In the years before the Spanish occupation, however, Mexican folk art made use of these colors in toys, pottery and painted bowls.
Put these colors to use in your Mexican decor, pairing them with brilliant yellows and greens. Ochre walls and red cabinetry are a lively combination. Pair dark blue upholstery fabrics with green and yellow pillows for a cozy mix of color. Balance the brilliance with white-washed wood floors and rough-hewn wood benches and footrests.
Walls:
Go Mexican is the clue! Experimenting with bright colors, such as blue, deep red, green, terracotta, pink and ochre, is an ideal bet for this scheme. You can paint the walls in multiple colors. Use one color for the upper half and another for the lower half. This will add a unique touch to your interiors. You can also experiment with different painting techniques, which are in tune with this style. By using stucco plaster effect or suede effect, you can give the room a textured and layered look.
Arts and Crafts:
The walls and floors of Mexican homes are often spare and open, but the Mexican craft tradition provides an endless source of art and material for display. Bark paintings, woven baskets, clay masks, serapes, light sconces, wrought-iron chandeliers, gilt or silver mirror frames and statuary all can relieve the straight lines and bare surfaces.
Furniture:
Mexican furniture is greatly influenced by the Spanish, Chinese and Mayan culture and designs. The furniture is usually straight lined, with lots of ornamentation on it. Furniture made from pine wood should ideally be used in Mexican interior designs. Otherwise, walnut and cherry furniture look equally good. The furniture items, whether sofas or beds, should be very large and broad, almost similar to country style furniture.
Since a Mexican look will be incomplete without a riot of colors, you can paint the edges of the various furniture items with typical Mexican colors such as red, orange and blue. Central tables or side tables, which have ceramic tile inlays on the top, can be teemed with this furniture to give a bright look to the room. When choosing the flooring of the house, ceramic tiles or clay tiles gel really well with Mexican interiors. If you want a wooden flooring, you can go in for hardwood flooring, which looks equally good in a Mexican house.
Accessories:
Traditional Mexican folk art, pottery, tapestries or tiles are a great way to add some additional splashes of color to the room. Traditional Mexican folk art includes wooden carvings, statues, religious art and hand-crafted ornaments. Elaborately decorated skulls and skeletons are also a typical element of a Mexican design.
You can decorate the walls with hand woven wall-hangings, made of metal like tin and copper, ornate mirrors, terracotta plaques or tiles and mosaic borders. You can place Mexican pottery with geometric patterns or traditional colored Mexican basket at various places, to add a more rustic touch. Hang Mexican masks on the walls to complete the look. Try a muted and soft lighting scheme with candles and shaded lamps.
Fabrics and Upholstery:
Wall to wall carpeting should be avoided in Mexican interior design homes. But you can use lots of small rugs, especially the hand woven ones, of bright colors, in all the rooms of the house. Throwing a number of multi-colored cushions on the sofas and beds is another way to get the perfect Mexican interior design look. While choosing fabrics for the curtains, go in for natural materials such as cotton. The curtains in a Mexican house should be layered and fancy, with lots of geometric or Mexican folk art designs on them. For upholstery, leather, which gives a ranch like look to the house can be used.
