Lighting for Italian kitchens tends to reflect a bright and airy design, with lots of natural light often featured. Other natural features are often common, as well, from flowers and plants strategically placed in windows, on counters or tables, to artwork featuring rustic scenes or flora and fauna.
The traditional Italian kitchen design feels rustic. They feel warm and cozy, and also incorporate outdoor elements such as terra cotta and stone, as well as other natural elements. • Lighting – If you want the rustic look, avoid modern lighting. Choose charming sconces and wrought-iron chandeliers.
Tuscan kitchens are often accented by elegant designs, like an ornate wood range hood over a stove, or handmade tiles to provide an old world look to a backsplash. Add decorative vases of bright sunflowers to countertops to give the room a natural spot of color.
The main difference is that Tuscan style is focused solely on influences from Italy, while Mediterranean decorating incorporates elements from other cultures, including Spanish, French, Moroccan, Turkish and Grecian influences.
Tuscan architectural design on the exterior of a home typically features an open plan with an Old World design. While some elements of Tuscan design are outdated, you can never go wrong with a contemporary exterior space that opens up the home. Traditional Tuscan exterior design often includes terracotta or tile roofs.
Warm and rich, Mediterranean style finds its inspiration in the intense colors of nature: the blues, yellows and greens of sun and sea. When it comes to materials, Mediterranean kitchens tend toward natural ones. Hardwood floors are common, usually in lighter shades to continue a light, bright and welcoming feel.
The Mediterranean style in interior design is characterized by simple and romantic aesthetics of Southern European countries: light and warm tones in color scheme, as well as the extensive use of natural materials such as ceramics, wood, wrought iron and cotton. Design combines boldness, simplicity and convenience.
Contemporary kitchens have flat panel doors meaning that the centre panel is flat and not raised. There are no furrows or other decorations and the doors will typically cover the entire frame – creating a clean, elegant look. Appliances are built into the cabinets to ensure they do not look detached from the kitchen.
Italian Style: Layered in Luxury
Old World Italian homes have Murano crystal chandeliers draping from paneled ceilings. Their walls feature ornate trim and one-of-a-kind painted murals, and floors are covered in glossy wood or marble with plush area rugs strewn about for added comfort.
Italian design is known for being elegant, distinguished and casually grand. From traditional Old World Italian architecture to vibrant Tuscan-style designs, these extravagant and eye-catching rooms will leave you longing for Italia.
For an authentic Italian/Tuscan kitchen, choose colors associated with the countryside of rural Italy. An entire rainbow of colors peppers the landscape, including fields of lavender flowers, green rolling hills, blue skies, and deep "sunset" shades of red, orange, and yellow.
Rustic Italian decor pairs smooth elements and textiles against natural rough surfaces to create a dramatic design impact through striking textural contrast. The sun-drenched color scheme in rustic Italian style helps to create a warm, welcoming environment with an understated elegance.
Traditional kitchens typically incorporate painted cabinets with or without glass front doors, simple granite or laminate countertops, and hardwood floors. The best traditional kitchens lean on classic elements, while still allowing room for family fun or guest entertainment.
Decorating Themes Mediterranean Style Design Styles. Tuscan interiors feature a rustic, sun-baked look characterized by crumbling stone patios, simple and sturdy furnishings with elegant iron accents, terra-cotta tiles, textured wall finishes, elegant, detailed murals and trompe l'oeil designs.
With ties to historic European architecture, Mediterranean-style homes remind of sun-soaked, seaside locales. The elegant exteriors often feature elements such as red roof tiles, stucco walls, arches, and enclosed outdoor spaces. These Mediterranean-inspired homes showcase timeless style with global appeal.
What exactly is a French country kitchen? It is a beautifully decorated cooking space that feels both homey and elegant. Think kitchen cabinetry that resembles traditional furniture, fancy oven hoods with crown molding or scalloped edges, and charming rustic accents that feel more Parisian shabby chic than rural.
Essentially, Mediterranean cuisine is made up of plant food and minimally processed staples where herbs and spices are essential ingredients. Usually, there's lots of fruit, veggies, legumes, grains, olive oil and aromatic herbs. Consuming dairy, eggs and wine in moderation, as well as fish and only a little meat.
Today 21 countries, with surface areas from 2 km2 to 2.4 million km2, have coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea. They are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.
By relinquishing the darkness of the cabinets and walls with a warm, yet light, neutral paint, and by incorporating softer colors in a modern backsplash, any Tuscan-style interior can be brightened and updated.
Tuscan kitchens are not out of style and can be spiced up to offer a contemporary aesthetic in line with new-age styles. These types of kitchens are warm, welcoming, and offer a rustic appearance that has an appeal of its own.