When decorating an Italian table, you're always going to want to keep your mind on a few important things. Decorate an Italian table with help from an interior design professional in this free video clip.
Italian Valentine decorations are a great way to have a little fun with your new crafts project. Make Italian Valentine decorations with help from a longtime crafts expert in this free video clip.
When it comes to fusion interior design, French and Italian styles make excellent bedfellows. Whether you're looking for something rustic or grandiose, you can easily borrow from both cultures to create a pleasant blend. If you're new to interior design, familiarize yourself with the basics of composition, color and texture by taking a workshop, reading a few books or meeting with a professional consultant.
When you are planning an Italian themed dinner party, think about how you can create the cozy and relaxing atmosphere of an Italian restaurant. Choose from an array of Italian food for your menu, such as lasagna, fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti. Be sure to have a selection of Italian wines available for decoration and for drinking. Choose decorations that are charming, laid-back and simple to prepare.
Italy has led the creation and decoration of tile as an industry since the Middle Ages. From small studios to large companies that produce tile in commercial quantities, Italy produces about 40 percent of the world trade in decorative tile. Handmade tiles range from simple white designs on rustic terra cotta to intricately hand-painted geometric patterns in bright primary hues.
One of the most important considerations to make when opening any business is the interior design. Décor is especially important for a restaurant or deli where ambiance and environment can either draw customers in or drive them away. One way to decorate an Italian deli is to use images, symbols and color schemes closely associated with Italian culture to make patrons feel like they stepped off the street and into a shop in Italy.
The appeal of the rugged yet romantic landscape of a natural countryside lies in its beautiful wildflowers, and myriad trees, shrubs and other greenery. Mimicking this wild look takes planning and effort, but you know the work will be worth it as you relax in your new, lush garden and yard. Keep the design as natural as possible, and avoid arrangements that are too formal.
Countryside decor usually evokes images of a simple design with plenty of natural elements incorporated into the space. However, depending on the countryside region where the style originates, the colors, patterns, fabrics and furniture used can differ. There are several countryside decorating styles that you may consider for your home, so you should be able to find one that appeals to your tastes.
Cafe-style decorating is popular among people who like the casual atmosphere of cafe dining or who long to eat a baguette and drink coffee in a distant Parisian cafe. Creating this style isn't difficult. Although many different types of cafe decorating styles exist, from country cafe to French, some common elements exist between many of these styles. You can choose the decorative elements that most fit your decorating style or you can combine them to create a style all your own.
Botanists describe herbs as small, seed-bearing plants with fleshy, rather than woody, parts. However, the Herb Society of America's much-broader definition includes small trees, shrubs, annuals, vines, ferns, mosses, algae, lichens and fungi. Herbs are plants valued for flavor, scent, medicinal purposes, pest control and for creating dyes. They often grow in the wild around the world; however, man has cultivated these useful plants for thousands of years for a variety of purposes.
For anyone in love with an Italian influence in room decor, few can resist rustic yet romantic items throughout the space. The embodiment of sun, earth and texture, rustic Italian decor can recapture the memories of a past Italian vacation, or it can transport you with the essence of the region as decorated in your home.
A true Italian home is a warm, well-loved and well-worn space. That alone makes Italian decor a favorite style of home decorating in the U.S. However, finding the right color for an Italian or Mediterranean home is easier said than done. Too many bright colors can make a home look Southwestern while too many muddy colors can look dark and dingy. To find the right colors, you need to know what shades are truly Italian.
Rome, Padua, Florence. The names conjure up images of sun drenched streets, immortal artwork and amazing food. The small Italian restaurants called trattorias are also one of the pleasures of touring Italy. Visitors to Italy throw coins in the Trevi fountin and dream of returning. Reproducing the ambiance of an Italian trattoria in your own home can be the next best thing to being there. Transform your kitchen, dining room or sunroom. You can enjoy a taste of Italy without leaving home.
If you're hosting an Italian-themed birthday or dinner party, set the table to create an authentic vibe. You can use an Italian theme to enhance everything from an intimate dinner for two to a large reception or holiday gathering. Use charming table decor to set the stage for a delicious Italian spaghetti or lasagna dinner. Combine convenient store-bought and handmade decor items to save money and create a customized look.
Rome wasn't built in a day, but you can give that deadline a run for its money when you search for Italian home decorating products that reflect the beauty and romance of this ancient culture. Tuscan-influenced décor relies as much on theme and color as it does on artifacts and symbols, so take some liberties when you choose accessories, wall coverings and other touches to turn each of your rooms into a Roman holiday.
The Italian Renaissance (which means "Rebirth") began in the early 1400s and lasted until the 1600s. Art, architecture and design were revolutionized over the period as artists moved away from the simple forms of the Middle Ages. Italian artists rediscovered the Greco-Roman tradition and used many elements of it in architecture and furniture design. Cabinets, which had evolved from chests, were oblong in shape and richly decorated in several common renaissance Italian styles.
Nothing feels quite like a cozy and warm English country kitchen. Because they are composed of eclectic ideas, kitchens with this theme become an extension of your style. Pull colors from the English landscape to brighten and warm your kitchen, and use different accessories to enhance the look of the room while keeping it original. As long as you follow your own style, you can go casual or more formal and have a lovely kitchen.
Decorating in an old Italian style gives your home a Mediterranean look. It is not difficult to do this by using the correct style of furniture, decor and colors. Finding vintage, distressed or antique furnishings is a creative way to give your home the old world ambiance of the Tuscany countryside. These type of homes have an elegant, formal appeal that is intimate and comfortable at the same time. This creates a visual balance perfect for entertaining family or friends.
The Italian Renaissance was a period of novel ideas and rich artistry that flourished for nearly two centuries starting about 1400. Anyone who appreciates Old World decor can turn a home into an elegant homage to the Renaissance. You can even personalize a space with mementos from other cultures and time periods, as the Renaissance -- which literally means "rebirth" -- encouraged an exchange of ideas, exotic stylings and a return to classical beauty.
If you're hosting an Italian dinner, decorate the table with festive décor incorporating traditional Italian colors. You can repurpose everyday items into creative elements. Decorations can do double-duty as party favors to save time and money.
The Italian country look is a blend of two of the most pleasing and comfortable decorating styles. With an emphasis on comfort and borrowing colors from nature, this decorating style will bring warmth and sense of an Old-World villa to your kitchen. Don't let the thought of making over your kitchen frighten you -- this style is easy to recreate and your guests will love it.
An Italian trattoria is an informal restaurant that serves simple Italian foods. You can quickly transform a screened-in porch to bring to mind the same Mediterranean ambiance. A trattoria typically has a casual atmosphere and is not very spacious. Mediterranean-inspired decor and furniture help to create a room where you can sit back and enjoy the view or host a quiet, intimate dinner with friends. This style of decor creates a screened-in porch that is a useful retreat after a long day at work or play.
Traditional Italian decor offers the would-be decorator lots of choices. Traditional Italian decorating styles include both luxury as well as casual themes. This versatility gives homeowners a broad range of decorating choices in the Italian style.
Decorating in the style of the Italian countryside is a way to liven up the house, create a cohesive theme and add a beautiful Italian flair to your home. Any homeowner can do a number of things to add the look of the Italian countryside to a home's decorating scheme. Choosing a countryside decor scheme like the Tuscan look is a way to unify the whole house.
Italian country decor creates a warm, inviting environment that turns the past into the present. Simplicity and nature are the keywords in this rustic style that turns any home into a Tuscan villa.
Italian decorating styles, especially around the Tuscan central and north-central regions, take color tones from nature. The basic palette of colors derives from the agrarian economy of the Po Valley to the extreme north to the fields of Tuscany in the central region. Contrast bright colors to muted earth tones for the agrarian, rustic look so important to Central Italian designs.
Italy is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. People are charmed by the food, sights and architecture. Many people also fall in love with the Italian style of decorating. Thankfully, there are a few elements of Italian-style decor that anyone can incorporate into his or her home and create a little piece of Italy anywhere in the world. Since the kitchen is typically the center of an Italian home, it makes sense to start there.
Italian style bedroom decor may have the contemporary gloss of a chic Rome apartment, or the rustic charm of a Tuscan villa. Either way, the bedroom can evoke Italy through furnishings and accessories imported from Italy, or with pieces inspired by classic Italian design. You can finish the look by integrating paintings, prints or textiles of Italian scenes such as street side cafes, vineyards or the Mediterranean coast.
Italian themes are popular in works of art and in homes. They create a warm, old world ambiance that expresses charm and elegance. Decorating your home with Tuscany- or Renaissance-inspired furnishings and decor will make you feel as if you live near a vineyard or the rolling landscape of the Italian countryside. Choosing Italian-style furnishings and decor is effortless with the many styles available. Knowing what is fashionable in Italian homes will help you accomplish this goal.
Elegant yet comfortable, old world Italian decor has classic charm. Robust colors and grand architectural elements create a lavish backdrop ideal for entertaining. You can update a room quickly with rustic finishes and tile details that evoke a Tuscan villa, or spend more time and money on a full Italian home makeover. Personalize your old world style by integrating into your Italian decor family heirlooms, favorite Italian handicrafts and framed artwork.
The sophistication of Italian Provincial styling will bring warmth to any home. Do not be fooled by the heavy and overly ornate furniture portrayed by inexpensive manufacturers. Seating is straight lined and barely ornate with tight-fitted cushions. Its core is based on Italian furniture of the 18th and 19th centuries. New acquisitions mixed with current furnishings can bring the Tuscan countryside to your doorstep.
Italian tile has earned renown for its rich colors and textures. In Italy, the tradition of decorating with tile extends from garden walls to kitchen back splashes, from artwork to living room floors. You can add Italian tile accents throughout your home as accessories, or you can invest more time and money into covering a major architectural feature with Italian tile.
If you've just gotten back from an Italian vacation and are wondering how to encompass the same great style in your own home, it's much easier than you think. With the right pieces of decor and a few coats of paint, your home will feel like a Tuscan getaway in no time.
Rustic Italian decorating is a perennially popular theme because it is accessible, warm and inviting. The rustic Italian style is ideal for the kitchen, dining room and living room. Those are the areas most used for entertaining, but the look can extend to the whole home as well as the garden. Switch out textiles or add a new coat of paint for some rustic Italian flavor, or invest in some eye-catching furniture, finishes and accessories for a full home makeover.
No Italian-themed party would be complete without pizza, pasta, and plenty of green and red decorations. "Transport" your party guests to Italy using authentic decor and a fun Italian theme. Browse secondhand stores and antique shops for vintage Italian-inspired posters and pictures. If you are holding a dinner party, choose food-related decor themes, such as wine and grapes. If you are feeling creative, make your own decorations using red and green fabric and paint.
Tuscany, Venice, the Mediterranean -- from the ancient cities with Old World charm to the rugged coastline, Italy is filled with richly decorated villas. Building on a rugged foundation and under the glow of the Italian sun, you can create a romantic and charming look for an Italian villa with the appropriate furnishings.
During the Renaissance in Italy, potters discovered that using a white tin-based glaze rather than a transparent lead glaze and white surface worked much better in the firing process for painted decorated plates. The tin glaze was then decorated with different pigment colors. This type of pottery has several names, such as majolica, maiolica, tin-glazed pottery and delftware.
An Italian cafe theme takes the coziness and the intrigue of an Italian cafe and brings a plain kitchen or dining area to life. This look is reminiscent of a cafe found on a bustling street in the heart of Italy. The transformation involves incorporating Italian colors, prints and decorative accents to recreate the look. The goal is to allow guests and family to feel as though they are enjoying an espresso at a cafe in Venice or Florence.
Italian restaurants are often known for their ambiance of romance and friendliness. Capturing this atmosphere for yourself is the perfect way to make your guests feel welcome or create the perfect environment after a long day at work. The cozy romance of the Italian restaurant will make you want to make every night spaghetti night.
The sunroom can serve many purposes in a house, such as being an indoor garden, an enclosed porch, a music room, a spare bedroom, a spa, an entertainment room or a study. While its purposes will dictate much of the necessary furnishings, it is also possible to decorate along an Italian theme. Tuscan country style is a popular way to add robust color, warmth and old world charm to the sunroom.