Southwestern Architecture and Style. Part 2

Lets talk briefly on Color, textiles. materials and accessories of southwestern decorating and decor.

Colors: When we think of the color pallet of southwestern decorating a good inspiration would be the desert with the green shades in cactus and succulents. These cactus and succulents have flowers of pinks, reds, white and yellow as well as orange. Then we also think of the desert sky with the colors of sunrise and sunset.

I think we need to keep in mind that Southwestern decor uses a warmer color spectrum such as the above mentioned varying shades of  red, orange and yellow.

And then we have the neutral earth tones in the rich soils found in riverbeds, mesas, desert landscape and old driftwood and bleached skulls that grace both interiors and exteriors alike.
If we look at a few of the pallets, one of the brighter ones could include, red, rust, pink, purple, orange and yellows of a southwestern sunset along with the all the wild flowers and rocky mesas.
There’s the rich blues of the southwestern sky and the precious stone that is turquoise. We also have the whites and bone tones of the clouds, bleached skulls and the sand we find skulls and drift wood lying on.

On a darker spectrum we have beige’s and browns that can be used on decor items like pottery, flooring or the wood beams and leather such as couches and overstuffed chairs. We have black used in the wrought iron of decor items like lamps, furniture, gates, handrails and doors. Oh ya lets don’t forget kiva screen.

Textiles: Textiles in Southwestern decorating are often inspired by Native American cultures. Rugs and blankets made by Navajo Indians can be used for their intended purpose or folded and casually placed on top of a piece of furniture or another conspicuous places. Diamond, chevron and other geometric patterns are prominently featured in Zapotec rugs and table runners. Wool is a common material used for textiles as well as cotton fabrics. Use caution when using patterned textiles as not to create frenzied appearance. Blend solids this will keep a calmness to the overall feel. When decorating your bedroom there are some fabulous southwestern bedding collections to choose from. It is always worth spending a little more on quality bedding as this is one area in your decorating that you get what you pay for.

 

 

Accessories: That’s right accessorize that Southwestern decor. It can be done in a relatively in expensive manor. Again rugs or woven baskets as wall hangings bring instant color to a room. Hand painted tiles and clay pottery are a big part of Southwestern decorating. Pottery in a large part adds charm and conversation to your rooms.

Original art such as paintings and sculptures are always welcome, but at what can be a heft price tag.
There are less expensive ways to get that same art such as reproductions that have the same charm but without the price tag such as commissioned sculptures or Giclée (pronounced “zhee-clay” ) .

 

 

 

 

 

Furniture: Lastly we’ll talk about furniture briefly. Often referred to
as the Santa Fe Style. Wood furniture most generally of pine is used for dinning sets, coffee and end tables and bedroom furniture often accented with iron and leather embellishments. Couches and lazy chairs are large and overstuffed covered in a southwestern patterned upholstery weight fabric or leather. What to choose there is a matter of personal preference though leather is typically priced higher unless you choose a custom fabric.