Villa Vibes – Tips On Giving Your Home That Mediterranean Feel

There’s something very elegant about the Mediterranean lifestyle. Even if you haven’t visited Europe, you don’t have to go far to see the influence that the Med has had on modern decor styles. If you’re in love with that beautiful Mediterranean style, then the good news is that it could be yours with some simple upgrades that won’t blow your savings. Check out these top tips and transform your home into a Mediterranean dream.

Villa Vibes – Tips On Giving Your Home That Mediterranean Feel

Combine the ancient and the modern

Today’s Mediterranean homes are a celebration of ancient styles and patterns paired with contemporary features. Interiors tend to be neutral in color and texture, re-creating classic looks that date back centuries, while allowing you to inject a bit of color to showcase your taste and personality. Think azure blues, citrus hues, and vibrant reds to give your home that warm summer feeling all year round. There are some beautiful contrasts you can make that will allow you to use some of your existing features to avoid the expense of a complete home makeover. If you’re unsure of any changes that you have in mind you can search online for common interior design mistakes.

Creating textures in your home to give it a more rustic, Spanish, or Italian-style home is easier than you think. This great tutorial for creating a weathered oak finish can be used in many different ways to change the look of your furniture and make it match up with your theme. Textured walls are another popular way to transform your home’s interior, which you can do easily with the right paint or textured wallpaper that is proving extremely popular at the moment. Getting creative with your decor and using a bit of DIY can be a fun project for you and your partner, and you’ll be pleased with the results you can achieve with a bit of imagination.

Embrace tiling

Tiles are a prominent feature of many Mediterranean homes. Smooth to the touch and full of color and intricate patterns – they are an easy way to update your home without having to make any major modifications. Top Mediterranean-inspired tile styles include those with mosaic patterns or Moroccan-style arabesque tiles – beautifully complementing many interior types. A simple way to add some Mediterranean color is to create a wall feature – your bathroom or kitchen are ideal places for making it work in your home. See what you can find available at your local tile retailer, you might be able to pick up a great bargain.

Add some light

Light, airy spaces are typical of Mediterranean homes, using light colors and plenty of white to create a more elegant-looking home. Use whites and other light shades to create the illusion of white or adopt other tricks to help brighten up dark rooms. The use of mirrors is a very popular way to make a space feel larger and is the perfect way to maximize the natural sunlight. Even the smallest of spaces can be made to feel lighter and roomier with a couple of tricks, so don’t feel hindered by the size of your rooms.

Focus on your outdoor space

Outdoor spaces are important for Mediterraneans, offering somewhere to escape the heat and to relax, unwind and entertain. Giving your yard a Med-style makeover can help you to make the most of your outdoor living space and make your backyard somewhere you desire to be. One way to do this is to add a fountain or maybe a swimming pool – ideal for cooling off during those hot summer days. There are different types of swimming pools you can choose from depending on your budget – with plenty of options that will make it easy for you to add a touch of affordable luxury to your home. It’s worth getting a specialist in to analyze the space you have and to design something bespoke based on some of the inspiration you’ve found.

Once you’ve had your pool installed, you can focus on creating the perfect outdoor seating area. Think neutral materials and plenty of light shades, with a mix of sun loungers, tables, and chairs to offer a range of options. Rattan and wicker are hard-wearing, affordable materials and you’ll be surprised at the chic essentials you can pick up on a budget. Pinterest is a great place to get some inspiration for creating that relaxed, Med-style space – including some fantastic DIY tutorials that you can use to upcycle your existing furniture. Remember to add some shade to help you cool down during your afternoon siesta.  

Get bargain hunting for great pieces

If your budget doesn’t allow a complete home makeover, there are still some subtle, budget-friendly ways you can bring some Mediterranean influences into your home. Flea markets, Craigslist and eBay, are great places to find some accent pieces to bring the look into your home. Whether you opt for a lamp, a side table, or even an ornate chair, the pieces will add character to your home and help bring some of that overseas influence in.

Meanwhile, focus on adding smaller home accessories that you can pick up from places like Target or Amazon – think cushions, throws, ottomans, candles, and other table accessories that can help you create a look that’s right out of a Tuscan villa without you having to spend a fortune. You can pick up great Mediterranean-inspired homeware at places like Houzz.com too which also offers some great styling tips to help you get inspired. Keep an eye out for pieces that are handmade or hand-painted, these can create a much more authentic feel and will look great in your home.

Bring foreign art and language into your home

Adding art and prints to your home is one of the most cost-effective ways of giving it a makeover. From old movie poster prints like Casablanca and Sabrina to authentic posters that wouldn’t look out of place in a French café, you can get creative with your designs and enjoy finding styles that reflect your interests and personality. You can also get creative with your own photographs and transform them into some wall art that will give you happy memories of your travels and adventures.

In addition to bringing art and prints into your home, you could also find ways of bringing some other languages into your home such as French or Italian. A few coffee table books for decoration sourced from abroad will really help create that Mediterranean vibe, and who knows – you might even feel inspired to learn another language!

Try your hand at Mediterranean cooking

It’s one thing to make your home look like it’s a part of the south of France, but creating that feeling is something else altogether. As well as the warm climate and impeccable style, the Mediterranean is also known for its cuisine. Cooking up some tasty Med-style recipes will help you bring new flavors to your kitchen, allowing you to discover new kinds of kitchen equipment too that will make you feel like you’re on a permanent vacation. From traditional tagines from Morocco to Spanish paella and true Italian-style pasta dishes, there’s an endless amount of food you can cook up to help embrace that European vibe. Don’t forget to include some wine, with plenty of great varieties originating from Spain and France for you to sample.

As decor styles go, a Mediterranean-themed home is one that will never go out of style. Combining classic design and culturally-inspired decor, there are a lot of scopes to create something great in your home that will make it look like something out of a European interior magazine. Have fun taking beautiful, timeless Mediterranean style and making it a part of your home.