The southwestern style of decorating is popular in almost every area of the country. Although you might primarily think of this decorating style in the New Mexico and Arizona area, you’ll find homes decorated in this style in areas as diverse as Florida, Washington, and Ohio. The southwestern style of decorating has a relaxed and easy feel to it, providing the perfect backdrop for rest and relaxation. Warm colors, terra cotta decorating accents, richly woven tapestries, wrought iron, and hammered tin are features that are commonly found in this style of decorating. If you’d like to bring the look of the southwest to your home, here are some decorating tips to help get you started.
Southwestern Wall Art
You’ll find plenty of variety when shopping for southwestern-styled wall art. Southwestern metal art decor is quite popular, as are beautifully and traditionally designed wall tapestry panels. Tapestries that feature traditional southwestern Indian patterns can add a lot of color and design to a room. Terra cotta pottery can also be used to add the authentic look and feel of the sun-baked southwest area. When decorating in a southwestern style, try thinking in terms of how to bring a bit of the outdoors inside your home. For example, instead of just displaying a collection of terra cotta pots, plant a variety of interesting cactus plants in them to add an authentic look. You can also find ways to combine design and function, such as using traditionally colored and patterned tapestry throws on your furniture. When decorating your walls, focus on beautiful metal art, especially pieces that feature rustic wrought iron. Wall art that features scenes from nature, horses or other desert animals can also add a nice visual accent to your overall decorating style. Art pieces with a sun motif or those which feature desert scenes can also add a colorful and authentic touch.
Effective Decorating Accents
When decorating your home with southwestern style, sometimes less is actually more. Simplicity and sometimes even a stark approach to decorating can be more authentic than adding too many details. For example, simple iron door toppers can add a decorative and yet unobtrusive touch to almost any room. Instead of cluttering the walls with numerous decorative pieces, create a strong focal point with a vividly colored and patterned tapestry panel. Focus on colors that blend nicely with warm natural shades, such as terra cotta, sunshine yellow or beautiful turquoise. Wrought iron or copper accents will both blend beautifully with the southwestern color palette. Stone, tile or naturally finished hardwood floors will all look great in a southwestern-styled room. To add a bit of color and warmth, try adding one or more throw rugs in beautiful colors. Round out the overall look with a collection of pottery or other rustic decorative pieces. However, never use too many decorative accents, as this can produce an undesirable cluttered look and feel. Keeping the overall look simple and a bit sparse will create the natural southwestern look that you are trying to achieve.
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