Everyone who was engaged in search of style for the house came across the Mediterranean style in an interior, looked at photos, admired. But few people understand the whole "flavor" of this style. In this article we will try to solve the mystery, to uncover the whole essence.
How did the style come about?
Mediterranean-style houses on the thousands of shores of the wonderful Mediterranean Sea, which is located between two continents: Africa and Eurasia. It consists of the Adriatic, Balearic, Ionian, Aegean, Cyprus, Cretan, Libyan, Levant, Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, seas, Alboran Sea. The main feature of this area is a wonderful subtropical climate with a mild, rainy winter period, and a rather hot, dry summer.
The whole territory, which is considered to be very similar to the Mediterranean, is very similar. Greece, Spain, Italy, Algeria, Morocco, France, Turkey, the north of Egypt - all of these states are territorial, historical founders of an eclectic mixture of simplicity, cordiality and friendliness called "Mediterranean style"
Many people think that this style was invented by the Greeks or the Romans, but this is not quite so. Italy at one time conquered all these territories, and Greece gave rise to the cultural development of the region. But the style was most influenced by nature. In all elements of the interior is felt its influence.
Features and varieties
The Mediterranean style is the interior and architecture, swept by the sea wind, resistant to the sea sun. A feature of the interior is the widespread use of natural materials: ceramics, wood, cotton, forged products - everything is as natural as possible, and sometimes even coarse. In all types of interior light, gentle tones, connected with the sea and the sun, predominate. If you recall, we, going to the sea, take with us there light clothing that is made exclusively from pleasant natural materials, and being there we are pleased to look at the trees and vegetation that give us a feeling of freshness and coolness.
Combination with simple, rough architecture with unique Mediterranean-style houses. Remember the photo where there are white or beige houses on the seashore, with a natural roof, a wooden door. True, it becomes pleasant to the soul? Everyone agrees that it is simple and tasteful. No frills, catchy items. The country house merges with the landscape, the interior walls with the house, the walls with furniture, the furniture with decor, and the decor with a view from the window. The circle closes in a kind of symbiosis, and life makes sense.
And if you add national ornaments, then houses in the Mediterranean style become special and unique, acquire charming charm, contribute to national life and traditions.
Consider the characteristic differences of national interior features:
- Greek style is distinguished by the maximum use of white, combined with blue or blue. The Greeks lend a touch of antiquity to the Mediterranean style, which is especially noticeable in large spaces. Very well suited for the design of a studio apartment, free planning, using a suite of rooms, which are separated only by arches. In addition, this allows even cool air to be distributed throughout the room.
- Italian tastes differ in the use of more saturated colors, warmer. Also, a distinctive national feature of the interior is the craving for combining various natural elements on one piece of interior or site. In Italian houses or apartments you can often find a symbiosis of wood with leather or wooden blinds, for example. They also use a lot of wood furniture (mostly dark), forging. The Roman Empire added an interior raw stone, decorative elements of the Roman style.
- At one time, the Arab world had a very strong influence on Spain. It also affected the design of the dwellings of the Spaniards in the Mediterranean style. It manifests itself with ornaments, mosaics on the floor, very often there is a finely painted ceramic tile, which is actually Arabic. Spanish style is distinguished by terracotta shades, white, blue, less often green, red, which complement the range for the sake of emphasis. The Spaniards have a huge shortage of wood, so it is practically not used. But other natural materials (clay, stone, cloth) are used everywhere. The furniture is simple, strict, and the houses themselves emit rather low ceilings.
- The French direction is distinguished by capes, lace napkins and other needlework. Also stands wicker tables, chairs, as well as a wider color palette. The interior feels French reverie and romanticism.
- Separate the group of Arabic direction. These include Algeria, Moroccan, Turkish, Egyptian national direction. Practically not used in its pure form. A distinctive feature is the set of pillows on the floor, low sofas, tables. The set of national patterns in mosaic, woven cloths, carved furniture sharply emphasizes these styles, allow to be easily recognizable. You can also easily recognize by the presence of paintings and frescoes that are religious in nature.
Colors
All paints that are used to decorate houses in the Mediterranean style, fresh, light, endowed with naturalness. A wide range of colors: from white to deep green or blue. Yellow, gold, beige, pink colors - they are all used in all colors. It is important to determine the main color of the interior, then go to the complementary colors that will be present on the decor elements.
Primary color should be as light as possible, but not bright, they paint the walls. It is best to choose white for this, it does not cause aggression, irritation when making residential premises in it, creates a great mood. Also suitable are beige, light orange, creamy white, terracotta, brick pistachio, warm gray, the main thing is that they look natural, look at ease, as if the material is dyed with this color under the influence of wind, direct sunlight. These colors will create such a cozy atmosphere at home that he does not want to leave. Do not forget that the Mediterranean style is above all simplicity, comfort. No need to pick too saturated colors, because it introduces an element of luxury in a house or apartment, and such dwellings "put pressure" on the psyche of people. And the colors of the interiors are aimed at relaxation and rest.
From the choice of the primary color depends on the further possible palette of colors. White will perfectly combine gray, beige or beige, yellow or pink, beige. White, beige, pink, blue, and brown are perfect for gray. Choosing green as the main color, you can pick up to it a few suitable from: white, beige, brown, gray. Playing with shades of green will bring a lot of benefit to the interior. For example, the office can be painted olive green, and the bedroom light green. They will still be combined and in harmony. Yellow perfectly suit orange, white, green, gray.
Wall decoration and design
The Mediterranean style of the interior must be created personally, because it is based on simplicity and economy. The classic finishing material for walls is stucco - a mixture of water, gypsum, lime, very small particles of marble. The wall is rough, but very pleasant to the touch, it looks very natural. Again, simply, with taste. Sometimes you can just roughly round the inside or outside corners. It will save time, effort, it will look very stylish.
They are usually painted white, but the Greeks can add a little paint to the solution, then the wall has a slight tint. Light turquoise or light blue is very pleasing to the eye, this technique is especially suitable for a bathroom. Having made the wall sunny yellow you can fill the room with body and light. Suitable for rooms on the north side or residents of northern countries who want to make repairs in this interior style. Mills of pink shades, especially pink, similar to strawberry ice cream, will look harmonious in the bedroom or living room. Italian Mediterranean makes the texture of the walls more complex. This is achieved by applying layers of different shades of color or mosaics and frescoes.
It is very important that you immediately need to choose the color of the floor, furniture, decorative elements.
All efforts may be in vain if you put a closet that has plastic doors or too bright a sofa. The color scheme should be thought out in advance, strictly maintained, otherwise, instead of pleasant simplicity, you can get tasteless.
Ceiling and floor decoration
The Mediterranean-style ceiling is a kind of constant. In all houses, the ceiling is made of wood, beams are carried to the ceiling. But further it is already possible to give free rein to the fantasy, freezing it with warm shades or giving it the appearance of very old wood that has a gray color. Such wood has a gray appearance, as if it had spent centuries under the salty sea winds, the burning summer sun. It looks very impressive, noble. If you need a built house or apartment to give a Mediterranean look, you can get by with cheaper materials such as drywall. The beams will visually give space to the house or room. Make at least stretch ceilings that imitate wooden beams or strips. Sometimes, of course, in a walnut or italian direction, a ceiling is made of stucco in the same way as walls. But then you also need to trim the floor, it turns out very interesting.
Mediterranean style floor is desirable to perform from natural stone, even though it is a little expensive. Marble is a very practical, beautiful material that exists in various colors. It can be combined to create beautiful patterns, mosaic, or just to find the right warm shade and make it monotonous. It will serve for many decades, and over the years will acquire very beautiful noble abrasions. Greek style tiles are used, but it should be light, textured. If the ceiling and walls are made of stucco, then a very interesting option would be to make this mixture a floor of the same color. Then the room will look like hewn in stone. The tree is rarely used, very light wood is chosen, or it is simply painted white or beige. But for the terrace such material is quite suitable. From the budget options you can choose laminate or high quality linoleum, which have a pattern of wood or stone. But remember that the color in this case should be perfectly matched, should not be evident.
What should furniture be made of?
It is not surprising that the simplicity, practicality inherent in the interior in general, applies to furniture. It can be made by hand from a single piece of wood. Such a table or chest of drawers will fit into the atmosphere very well. The shade of the tree does not matter, but still most often they use grayish wood, which the sea wave “tormented”. Here it is up to the owner to decide what the piece of furniture should be: coarse or elegant, the tree will definitely merge with the interior.
Very often such objects as a bed, a table or chairs are made by virtuoso blacksmiths. Forged furniture will last for a very long time, withstand heavy loads, will not succumb to sunlight. It is perfectly combined with a tree, natural light fabric.
Quite popular among the inhabitants of the shores of the Mediterranean rattan furniture. This is the material that is dried, then peeled calamus stems. Wicker chairs add charm and comfort to your home or veranda. Such furniture is light, practical, eco-friendly.
Textile use
The Mediterranean interior, despite its simplicity, conciseness, is very rich in ornaments and textures. It affects the influence of Turkey, Morocco, other Arab and Asian countries. This is especially true of textiles. Use only natural fabrics: linen, cotton. In the bedroom, you can use handmade cotton lace on the bed or embroidery. In Morocco, they make beautiful woven carpets that will add color, give a special comfort to the dwelling, and a lot of pillows scattered on the floor and low sofas will immediately indicate that they will soon bring tea.
Natural fabrics can be covered with soft seats forged chairs, make them covers for a bed or sofa, tablecloths, towels. All this can be decorated with national motives, thereby making the house unforgettable for all who have visited it. Natural fabrics are very practical, also easy to wash. The colors are very concise, simple: white, beige or yellow. By the way, the curtains and curtains of fabric familiar to everyone are quite rare in interiors. Italian or Roman curtains are much more common, but they are also made of natural fabrics. True, in today's world, more and more preferences are given by wood or bamboo blinds.
The role of lighting in creating the interior
Sunlight is one of the basic concepts, so you should not save on lighting. The classic version is ceiling spots, beautiful lamps, chandeliers and spotlights that hang from wooden beams. They will make the house warm, hospitable. Choosing lamps, you need to be guided by the size of the room, the color scheme of their design, so that they do not bring dissonance into the overall interior. It is necessary to use so many lighting fixtures that they are enough to imitate sunlight even at night. No less advantageous will look different wall, floor lamps, which can focus light on the decor items. Placing LED strips around the perimeter of the ceiling is another good solution. LEDs have good lighting power with minimal energy consumption.
Accessories and decor: be inspired by nature
It is decorations and decorative elements that can create a unique atmosphere from a simple house. In the Mediterranean style accessories should reflect what this style is famous for - nature. Abundant vegetation can mimic a lot of pots with different indoor plants and flowers. The sea is recreated from bright panels that are made of stones, shells, other fossils, the inhabitants of the depths of the sea. Very characteristic of this style are wide open shelves made of forged iron and wood, on which the bulk of the decorative elements are. Often in their role are ceramic plates, painted with national, marine, floral ornaments.
Of course, the decoration of rooms can serve as art: paintings, figurines, jugs. Here you can give free rein to experiment a bit by mixing Greek-Italian traditions with North African or Turkish motifs. Often there is a good symbiosis that looks great, refreshing southern style, originally complementing the design. In the same way, you can paint the stairs to the second floor, laying out the vertical part of the patterned tiles.
Moreover, each step can be laid out differently, which will emphasize the diversity of style. Windows, for example, can be decorated with shutters that can be painted, painted or just made carvings. A good idea would be to use ropes in the decor, because the style is directly connected with the sea. They can tie up the stair railing or frame something.
It is very important that you need to be careful with the decoration, to know the measure, because you can lose the simplicity that style is famous for.
Simplicity and ease - this is how one can characterize Mediterranean-style homes. The most important advantage is the low cost of processing premises for styling. The second advantage is the nature of the burden that gives such simplicity, freshness, comfort. The decision to decorate a house or apartment in this style will be excellent, because it is circling with warmth, comfort and ease.
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