Look throughout the Mediterranean and you’ll see so many rustic homes. Their interiors are humble yet so sublime. They’re really the ‘salt of the earth’ kind of interiors. Made with amazing natural materials, they are full of sun, sand and earth tones. Red and orange are the two biggest colors that homes in Italy’s Tuscany region use.
If you go further south to Naples, you’ll see amazing pastel pinks, and ocean blues. In Spain you’ll see so many rustic homes that utilize bright yellow and sandy tones. In Portugal, rustic homes use a sandy beach tone. In all of these homes, you have a cosy homely atmosphere and the interior is a celebration of mother nature. It’s quite incredible to see so many different variations of the same design philosophy. If you would like to have a more sunny rustic home, you need to take inspiration from all of these great nations and their takes on what a rustic home should really look and feel like.
Reclaiming your home
You’ll begin to notice one thing the more you explore rustic Italian homes. Reclaimed wood is incredibly powerful in this design style. Interiors all around the Tuscany region make good use of this material. It looks worn, shows signs of wear and tear yet it still stays structurally strong. That’s why reclaimed wood is even used as support beams in such homes. Where can a modern home utilize this kind of wood? It can be your front door or perhaps the back door into your garden. Your flooring can also be made from reclaimed wood. In fact, it’s probably going to be a little cheaper than a contemporary floor since it’s aged and worn out wood. If you are really impressed with this kind of rustic approach, your dining table can also be made from reclaimed wood. It’s a good idea to keep it in a dark earth tone.
A Glorious Orange
Rugs are very important in rustic homes. Why? Since rustic homes are made out of natural materials and they’re also designed in an older style, there’s not much in the way of insulation and heating efficiency. It’s also because this style is in a very hot parts of the world so there’s no need to focus on additions that would keep the home warm for what is essentially a very short winter. Nevertheless, an amazing orange rug would not go amiss. Terracotta orange sisal rugs would go brilliantly in your living room or perhaps in the center of your open floor plan. Intricately woven, this is a rug made using artisan skilled hands and designed to bring warmth to cold hard floors.
Creative Stone
Large stone vases are seen all throughout gardens in the Mediterranean. They can brave the sea salt air and oxidisation that brings. Putting some plants in them and placing them in your garden would take the rustic style out into your garden.
Mediterranean rustic homes are difficult to get right because it’s easy to confuse it with Western European rustic styles. Focus on sunny earth tones like red, yellow and orange.