Interior Design

Courtesy of Mr. Greenjeans, Flickr.com

Decorating the interior of your home is a process that can be expensive, time consuming and difficult. My husband and I discovered coming up with a color scheme and a "theme" makes the process much easier. I would describe our home as "Mediterranean beachy." This blog, however, is going to provide some tips on how to create a beautiful Mexican themed home, in a simple and frustration-free way.


Step 1: Pick a Color Scheme

Mexican design is known for some bright colors, so don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. According to an HGTV article, architect Manolo Mestre says the new trend in Mexican design is to combine a gray base with accents of red and yellow.

How can you do this?

Painting your walls is a great way to add color to your home, BUT, it is also time consuming and expensive. Here are some simpler ways to add color:

• Pillows - Use red and yellow pillows on a gray couch to get some color in the room.
  
• Lamps - Find a table lamp with a red, yellow or green base. To save money, paint an existing lamp one of these colors.
  
• Table linens - IKEA carries some great and inexpensive table linens in bright colors that can instantly add color to your dining room. Try a red table runner and red chair pads. If you want to add in some gray, paint your existing table and chairs.
  
• One splurge item - Add a huge dash of color by finding one special item that you love, and don't mind spending a little bit of money on. Maybe a beautiful red comfy chair, or a gorgeous orange area rug. One large colorful item can make a huge difference in a room void of color.

Courtesy of J. Ruth, Flickr.com

Step 2: Add Some Tile

One common theme in Mexican design is artistic tile arrangement. An obviously appropriate place to do this would be in your kitchen. Rather than adding tile to the entire wall, which would be expensive and time consuming, displaying a few brightly colored decorative tiles as a backdrop above the oven adds the same feel. If money and time aren't issues, a creative idea is to add decorative tiles in a place that isn't so expected. Here is an image of a creative tile display near a staircase:

Courtesy of Svanes, Flickr.com

Step 3: Silver Frames

Silver frames are a popular Mexican design element. A great way get this look is to do use one large silver framed mirror in the vanity area of the bathroom. If one large mirror is too costly, a little cluster of smaller framed mirrors in the hallway is a nice look. Here is one take on it:

Courtesy of Drew-o-rama, Flickr.com

Step 4: Folk Art

The last major step to a Mexican home makeover is to add some traditional Mexican folk art. Wall art is always acceptable, but Mexican folk art is generally not meant for the walls. Here are some wonderful examples of some art you can add to your coffee table, end tables or any ledge or shelf you have available:

Courtesy of Lorimarsha, Flickr.com and Courtesy of Stribdawn, Flickr.com

These simple steps should get you on your way to a makeover worthy of the "spicy" style of Tucson, AZ.