With its relaxed, just-arrived-at-your-holiday-villa mood, a Mediterranean style is as effortless as it appears at first glance. Both practical and beautiful, the look is also very easy to live with. In design terms a ‘Med’ style tends to reference Italy, Spain and Greece but Southern French looks are creeping in more and more, too, with their elegant furniture items and distressed plaster, and we give those a big bienvenue, too.
It’s a style that you can make your own, however. Perhaps you have memories of a fabulous week in Corsica, or want to incorporate elements of a colourful Moroccan souk theme? You can make Med style whatever you want it to be. Here’s how.
Start on neutral territory.
Mediterranean decor is definitely not without colour, you will be pleased to hear, but a neutral base is a good place to begin. If you want to make your job easier, begin with a neutral wall colour as a backdrop to add colour and interest to.
YesColours’ Electric Hot White paint colour has that ‘stucco wall against a blue sky’ feel you’re aiming for. If whites feel too, well, white, you could go for warmer earthy neutrals, such as the deep clay shade of YesColours’ Loving Orange wall paint. A darker neutral or plaster shade has an ‘undone’ relaxed look that also has the added benefit of setting off crisp white linens beautifully if you’re after a siesta feel for a Mediterranean bedroom.
Our Loving Neutral paint colour has a slight hint of grey and reminds us of sandy beaches, warm summer evenings with a cocktail in hand and a weekend getaway in sunny Spain. What's more Mediterranean than that?
Add Med colour.
The shades of the Mediterranean are all about celebrating the amazing colours of the natural world - azure skies and seas, yellow stretches of sand, red earth… The one colour you really can’t do this without is a good blue, to bring a bit of the seaside to your interior space. Whether you go for a watery coastal blue or a deep cobalt (or use a range of blues) is up to you. The YesColours Marine Blues paint edit has a blue for every mood, and of course you can add yet more blues in artworks, furnishings and accessories, too.
Not far below blue in the Med Colours stakes is yellow - think of stretches of beach, bowls of lemons and sunshiney shades. We like the Passionate Yellow paint colour for a Med-look room for its highly pigmented hue that’s bold without being in-your-face bright. Beyond that, you can add Olive Greens, Joyful Oranges and any other shades that speak to you of this style. Go completely Med Mad if you like.
Name a more exotic paint colour than our Electric Blue. Whether you're after a Marrakech-inspired vibe, a wink at Santorini's blue and white beach houses, or simply a striking accent that will make your guests say 'wow' - well, this is the colour for you. You can find it in matt emulsion for interior, as well as exterior masonry for bricks, stones and concrete. Photo by the incredible Jenny @jennyjoby and her equally incredible garden.
Have a night on the tiles.
Tiles are a big part of any Mediterranean interior or exterior scheme. You can go authentic and tile your floors with traditional terracotta tiles (beautifully cooling under bare feet in summer) or just give a nod to terracotta with clusters of clay pots on the floor, or even terrazzo worktops.
For something a bit more vibrant, add some accent tiles to a splashback or your stair risers. These Mediterranean Boho Tiles from Zazzle would cheer a corner of a kitchen. Even easier for a quick Med Update would be these Portugese Tiles in vinyl from Jes Rose, which simply peel and stick to stair risers.
Go back to nature.
Or at least drag some nature through your front door to bring some of the great outdoors to your great indoors. Natural materials are a big part of a Mediterranean style, whether it’s wood floors, clay tiles or easy-to-add items of furniture. Wicker, rough-hewn woods and textural stone will all make your interior feel a little more outdoorsy. This rattan daybed from John Lewis looks like the perfect spot for an afternoon siesta. Or add one of these Rustic Wood Benches from ZaZa Homes to a modern ‘Med’ hallway.
Add (local) accents.
Adding the final touches to a Mediterranean interior is often about remembering less is more. Keep the whole look as uncluttered as you can for a ‘breath of coastal fresh air’ feel and go for furniture and artworks with simple, clean lines. A simple chandelier in a dining space brings a bit of low-key romance. Look out for rustic Med-style crockery too (you need something to artfully arrange your olives in, after all) like these Zaragoza Stoneware bowls from Rex London, and add a couple of huge houseplants for some lush Mediterranean foliage. We like this Kentia Palm from Beards and Daisies.
Now go forth, and be more Med.
Don't worry - you can totally steal this colour combo. The home office of our Lead Colour Consultant - Emily @swishcolour is a full YesColours vibe... and perfectly styles to fit a Mediterranean home decor brief too. Here you can find our Serene Neutral paint colour on the walls, our Passionate Blue paint on the fireplace surroundings and our Passionate Olive Green colour on the ceiling. Who would've thought that an olive green ceiling would be such a great idea?!
If you’re looking for a little help when choosing the right paint colour for your Mediterranean-inspired home decor palette, book a colour consultation with us. It's easy, it's fun... and there's a free option available too.
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