During the 1920s in the United States, there emerged a style that mimicked the visual design of the villas along the border of the Mediterranean Sea, this gave birth to Mediterranean-style homes and design. With inspiration taken from both Italian and Spanish architecture, these Mediterranean-style homes are most seen in areas where the weather is predominantly warm. The main draw of this architectural style is its emphasis on indoor-outdoor living, where the lines between the inside and the outside of the house seem to just merge. Aside from indoor-outdoor living, this type of design focuses on the use of naturally occurring materials and finishes that create a beautiful yet simple design.
Essentials in Design
Other than the focus on indoor-outdoor living, Mediterranean design has other fundamental characteristics that would help a house be distinguished as Mediterranean-style. For example, the ceiling would have exposed beams, while the walls would be made of natural stones, and either hardwood or tile flooring. In addition, windows and doorways, and doors all have an arched shape. With all these windows, there is a display of what is outside and a supply of natural light. As for the color palettes that are used, the walls are typically white and an accent color like the warm yellow of the sun and the blue of the sea to make the room a little brighter.
Interior Design
Designing the interior of the house is when it can get a little tricky. There are so many distracting options that sticking to a theme can be hard, however, there are a few tips to help stay on track. First, in rooms that are simple and bare, use mosaic tiles for an interesting pattern. Bring attention to the exposed beams, walls, and flooring by making one of them the point of interest in a room. Although there comes a point where this can be overdone and leaving a wall white can be more tasteful. In the kitchen, instead of using closed shelving, use open shelves that expose beautifully crafted dishes and glasses.
Challenges
A few challenges that are encountered when planning a Mediterranean-style home are picking the location. Originally, Mediterranean homes were designed to be small, but Mediterranean-inspired homes that have plans for larger land tend to be more difficult because of the sheer scale. The villas are made to have lower ceilings, smaller windows, and overall feel more intimate. But these problems can be combated by adding more windows and skylights around the structure. Storage can be another struggle due to all the open shelving used, so finding a sleek solution can be a journey on its own.
Mediterranean design first started out on the coasts of the Mediterranean sea but through influence, it become popularized all around the world. It’s the simplicity of the design that makes it so widespread, it brings out the best in raw materials and makes them feel warm. Using plain colors, only to bring out the beauty in an accent color is something that this style has mastered. While jarring at first, a room wouldn’t be complete without the shock of color.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image by https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-painted-building-in-mediterranean-zone-with-climbing-plants-6585282/
2nd image by https://www.pexels.com/photo/narrow-street-of-mediterranean-village-8904975/
