Combining the most interesting and vibrant traditions of the Mediterranean, Italian style in the interior is a harmonious fusion of luxury and simplicity, antiquity and country, conciseness and practicality. It combines the best qualities to create a cozy, comfortable and visually attractive home. The interior is expressive and warm, with the help of this style you can easily fill your home with southern color, which is sometimes very lacking in our northern latitudes.
What is Italian style? Key Features and Key Points
After looking at photographs of such interiors, two main qualities can be distinguished - versatility and saturation. The Italian style in the interior is contrasting or calm, made in pastel colors. Most often, the design in the Tuscan spirit involves the use of natural colors close to earthy shades.
In general, this style includes many elements that can most fully and colorfully tell about the history of Italy, the culture and rhythm of the country's life. Over time, the solutions for this interior have changed dramatically, which allowed it to become more diverse and versatile. However, the main features that allow us to understand that this is exactly the Italian style have been preserved.
- The use of natural materials. At the beginning of the twentieth century, when in Italian cities there was not enough space for the construction of new houses, people moved to the suburbs. In this regard, the modern Italian style in the interior contains rustic motifs and is characterized by the use of mainly natural materials. As a rule, these are ceramics, stone, wood and clay.
- Decorative component in the decoration. Italian painting is known all over the world, so it found its place in the traditional interior style of the Mediterranean. Murals, paintings and sculptures are used to decorate houses. Often as decorative elements stands a panel made in the spirit of old masters. In the interior you can see beautiful stained glass windows and glass mosaics. The stucco molding, columns and pilasters fit perfectly into the interior.
- Symmetry. In the Italian style, everything should be “even”, so the correct lines are used with a soft transition. Changing shades should not be too sharp either.
- The lack of wallpaper. Such material is never used for wall decoration - only paint or textured plaster.
- Warm colors. The Italian style is characterized by the use of shades of greenery, earth, sun, sea and sky.
- The abundance of accessories. Decor and other smallest details occupy a special place in the Italian style.
The color scheme used in the design of the interior in the Italian style
This country is rich in colors: saturated greens, sea blue, flowering plants, juicy citruses. Therefore, Italians do not have the need to use bright colors for home decoration. On the contrary, I want a calm, peaceful atmosphere. In preference, pastel colors, forming a somewhat authentic, restrained interior, contrasting with the brightness of the surrounding nature.
In the modern Italian style, the background color should become a kind of single for furniture and decor. You should pay attention to the soft and light shades of white, peach, pink, orange, and for furniture and accessories - terracotta and golden ocher. The same applies to color accents - they should not stand out significantly, very different from the background. It is recommended to select a small number of basic shades and avoid sharp transitions.
Italian-style wall coverings and textures
Decorative plaster or paint is used. The photos of the Italian style presented in the article in the interior show that painted in neutral colors or simply plastered walls become an ideal basis for creativity, that is, such options allow you to highlight furniture and decor, presenting it in a favorable light. Some projects still use wallpaper. If such an option was chosen, then it is necessary to buy plain canvas. If there is a picture, then it should be discreet, faded.
Special attention should be paid to the texture, which is able to enhance the softness or coldness of the selected shades. For example, terracotta is most often used in textile elements, as well as knitted panels.
As for the design of the walls in the bathroom and the apron in the kitchen, you can use stone, marble, ceramic or granite tiles. It is undesirable to resort to imitation - only natural materials. A tile with a fine pattern, as well as a mosaic with artificial cracks and chips, is ideal for a kitchen apron.
Italian-style floor and ceiling décor
Here, as with walls, the use of natural materials is required. The ceilings in the interior in the Italian style, as a rule, are simply plastered, painted white. If they are tall, you can use wooden beams or panels of precious wood. Along with ceiling skirting moldings are often used.
The floor, depending on the type of room, is laid out with a parquet board, stone, marble or granite tiles. You can (and even need) to lay a carpet, which in color and texture will be combined with the surrounding space.
Selection of furniture, lighting, textiles and decorative elements
All this can be called the basis on which the Italian style is built. The furniture is selected elegant and luxurious, made mainly of dark wood. The design uses subtle patterns and curls, as well as various textures. Meanwhile, the shapes should be simple, the lines should be clear and symmetrical. For the interior of the apartment in the Italian style (in particular, it concerns the living room and kitchen), it is advisable to choose open or glazed cabinets and sideboards, on which it will be possible to demonstrate a variety of decorative elements, dishes.
For the upholstery of sofas, armchairs, chairs and headboards, fabrics of rough texture are selected. Textiles can be in bright colors or colorful, playing the role of a color accent. However, it is worth remembering that sharp transitions in shades should not be allowed.
The key point is the selection of lighting devices. Soft and warm colors on the walls can be favorably emphasized with scattered light fixtures. Approximately 5 lamps are selected, which are placed around the perimeter of the room. They will act as basic lighting. A ceiling chandelier may be missing, as it is not an important element. Moreover, in the Italian style, such a pattern is observed as the dimming of the center of the room, which creates the illusion of natural lighting, emerging from different ends of the room. If you still need a chandelier, you can choose it based on the atmosphere formed in the room. It can be a luxurious lamp with crystal or simple, but stylish, with forging elements.
The last important element in the interior of the house in the Italian style is decor. Jewelry in this case helps to make the atmosphere complete and more attractive. When choosing a decor, it is very important to consider the following qualities of jewelry:
- luxury, elegance;
- a combination of several shades;
- naturalness.
The use of large decorative elements is inherent in the Italian style, so do not be afraid of large floor vases, paintings framed by elegant wooden frames. As for the images, most often they show landscapes of Italian gardens, olive groves and vineyards. Still lifes are good. Small accessories should not be too many. They are designed to support the stylistic direction. It is important that the fine decor is fully in line with the spirit of Italy.
Italian style living room decoration examples
This room is the main one in the house. Therefore, when decorating the living room in the Italian style, you must adhere to some strict rules:
- furniture - of a classical form with soft transitions and bends (antique is perfect);
- walls - painted in light shades, decorated with paintings and mirrors;
- floor - marble or parquet is usually laid, and the carpet must be laid in the center;
- Lighting - devices stylized as medieval lamps.
The living room should look rich, for which there is an abundance of stucco and columns, moldings and porticoes made of marble or stone, aged art. Windows should be large and allow a lot of light to pass, and interior arches are preferred over doors.
Italian style in the interior of the kitchen
It is recommended to choose headsets with open shelves, shelving, on which dishes and a few accessories will be clearly visible. From the decor, wicker baskets, bouquets of dried herbs, clay products and paintings with simple landscapes are preferred.
Italian style bedroom
To decorate this room, natural materials and textiles are used, which are pleasant to touch, for example, satin, velvet and silk. Decoration with elegant patterns is allowed. The central element is a luxurious bed. The bedroom should have a lot of textiles, which will set the tone for the whole room and make it incredibly comfortable, relaxing and have a good night's sleep.
Italian style bathroom example
The bathroom exclusively performs its main role. That is, in the bathroom should be present only the necessary items: bath, sink, toilet, several cabinets and mirrors, a nice decor that matches the purpose of the room. It is recommended to purchase antique styled copper taps. A bath is placed in the center of the room, and the toilet and sink should repeat its shape. All plumbing has the color of an egg shell.
If you still have any questions regarding the Italian-style interior design, you can get answers to them by watching the video.