How to Create Tuscan-Looking Kitchen Walls
Tuscan colors include the brilliant oranges and reds of sunsets, the rich, earthy colors of grapes, stone and herbs, and the rich golden yellows and terracottas of medieval walls. Recreate the tactile warmth of Tuscan architecture in your kitchen by using beautiful colors and earthy textures on your walls, as well as fired-earth tiles decorated with traditional colors and designs. Use Italian country kitchen accessories to set off your newly decorated walls and harmonize the whole into a deceptively simple kitchen that both welcomes and inspires you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Browse Italian paintings and tapestries, as well as images of Tuscan landscapes and towns, to identify which Tuscan colors you love the most. Keep in mind that colors viewed under the Mediterranean sun might look completely different under artificial lights or in a cooler climate.
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Re-plaster your kitchen walls with Venetian plasters to give them a smooth, opulent and marbled shine. Dedicate a portion of time to the treatment, particularly given that some of the plasters need three or four coats, and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to create a smooth, lustrous finish that wears well. If you are not confident in your technique, use the services of a professional plasterer.
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Decorate your walls with textured paint rather than plaster. Apply the paint according to the instructions relevant to the type of paint texture you choose, such as sandstone; incorporate colors into the paint that suit your planned decor.
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Celebrate the natural texture of your walls. Instead of applying a plaster or textured paint treatment over the whole surface, simply spread filler over any gaps and holes. Once the filler is dry, apply whichever color wash or faux-paint technique you wish.
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Apply a faux paint finish to the walls, such as a ragging or color-washed finish, to give the room an aged and distressed look. Experiment with different colors across the walls or in random sections to create visual interest. For example, pairings of rich terracotta or bronze with yellow and gold look beautiful in both sunlight and in subdued lighting.
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Add Tuscan character to your walls via stenciled designs once you've treated them with plaster or paint. Use traditional flower, leaf and vine designs in muted earthy tones that complement the base color of your walls. Apply the designs along the top of the ceiling or in sections along the wall, and sand them gently with fine sandpaper once the paint is dry to make them look a little older.
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Add Tuscan-inspired decor to the walls. Install a border of fired earthenware tiles along the edge of your kitchen counter top, or hang candle sconces or old mirrors. Frame printed copies of anatomical studies or paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, or other Tuscan artists, and give the copies a couple of coats of crackle varnish to suggest age.
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Tips & Warnings
Your kitchen fixtures and fittings should complement the Tuscan finish of your walls. Modern designs will clash, so you may need to replace your kitchen cupboards and work surfaces with older distressed wooden replacements instead.
Add extra touches to the room to reflect the beautiful colors and textures of your newly decorated wall. Use herbs and flowers in pots, old Italian wine bottles displayed on a shelf and an array of dried herbs in baskets.
Don't add too much clutter to the kitchen in your effort to add as much authenticity as possible. Be judicious with your decorative accessories so that you don't end up making your kitchen look smaller or having to do a great deal more cleaning.
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