Embrace your Dented Walls and Scruffy Furniture

One very obvious look for a Mediterranean house is the use of lots of wrought iron both inside and out, but unless you live in California or indeed the Mediterranean, fancy wrought iron bars at the windows, whilst they may seem appealing in the current era of household theft and are ideal for keeping unwanted intruders out, will look ridiculous in the U.K.

Swags and Tails offer a Timeless Elegance Anywhere

Curtains on this type of window are often rather decorative to draw the eye away from the metal bars, which can give the feeling to the overseas visitor that you are being “detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure”. Swags and Tails are still used quite extensively for a more formal look, but usually dressed from a wooden curtain pole.

Plain wooden curtain poles can be jazzed up a bit still using a simple curtain treatment such as a skirted heading, but with the use of a matching fringe edging the skirt and possibly matching curtain holdbacks.

The Art of Interior Design is to Carry a Theme or Colour Effortlessly

Wrought iron or black painted curtain poles are a great way to introduce this kind of look and will compliment the Moorish lights and accessories.

And with todays innovative design ideas, you will not be restricted to a Shepards Crook or Fleur de Lys finial.

There is sure to be a Finial Shape to Tempt the Most Discerning

Arches, alcoves and niches also feature highly in this style of home and can make a useful space or feature design detail out of the smallest of areas. This often rather fanciful decor can be used to make a fun feature out of perhaps the cupboard under the stairs that used to house the vacuum cleaner, paint tins and cleaning “stuff”. Painted in a contrasting colour to the hallway, a small wash basin, perhaps a loo where the slope of the stairs makes standing impossible and an exotic Moorish ceiling light will make an invaluable addition to the house, with not too much expense.

Work around the natural light levels of the room. If it is dark, then warm it up with a lovely yellow stucco effect wall finish and if the room is already light and bright, then embrace it and go for white. This could be a great look for your home if your walls are badly plastered, chipped or dented – the distressed look. Special paint effects such as sponging or dragging with a colour wash will turn a disastrous wall into one with a rather aged attractive finish, the play of light over the different surfaces offering an appropriately textured finish. A miss-match of old furniture is also perfectly acceptable, but unify them with some common feature such as matching cushions or throws.

As with all decor decisions, more is not necessarily better.

Careful Thought to What Matches

And What Looks a Jumbled Mess Is Important

Don’t despair, if your heart is set on this type of decor but the finances are a little stretched at the moment, then simply changing your window treatments perhaps to a pair of curtains or a new roller blind will inject a little sunshine into the room – the rest can come later !!!!

Light and Bright Colours are Ideal – Avoid Muddy Clouded Colours

There are many Spanish-style chandeliers and secondary lighting readily available and in most home furnishing departments and shops there is always an absolute abundance of Moorish style lanterns and candle holders featuring quatrefoil cut outs which will always be guaranteed to add a sense of romance – particularly relevant in dining rooms and bedrooms.

Moorish Themed Lights and Accessories Can Cross the Bounderies between Modern and Traditional

Choose your accessories wisely and a theme can be set merely by your choice of artwork and ornaments – lighting also of course plays a large part in setting the scene.

Themed Artwork can Take you There

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Keep it Simple

Wooden curtain poles and plain wooden blinds are the obvious choice for a rustic type of Mediterranean decor and the simpler the better.

Dark Wooden Curtain Poles Look Particularly Outstanding in a Room with Beamed Ceilings

Dark wood colours will also look more authentic, the light pine coloured poles being more akin to an English Country Cottage look and they can also be used to create a more original type of headboard, just a couple of cushion pads with tab tops posted on the pole is all it takes – fancy upholstered headboards would have been a definate no in this style of decor.

An ideal pole for this situation is the Rolls Woodline Curtain Pole

Rolls Woodline Curtain Pole

Some windows have a decorative finish painted around outer edge, so clearly curtains would not be appropriate.

Decorative Window Surrounds

Apart from this sandy colour which is still widely used, the original paint colour being made from the sandy pigment in the soil, a deep blue is also a very traditional colour to paint around the window surround, the colour said to deter flies and mosquitoes – personally I would rather not take any chances and fit a fly screen.

A wooden blind, ideally in a similar colour to the window frame can be used as fitting wooden shutters to a house in the U.K. would be totally out of place.

A wooden venetian blind such as the Redwood  blind is ideal

Metal or Wooden Venetian Blinds

but if the window dimensions are rather tight, you may prefer to fit a Metal Venetian Blind as the slats of these blinds are finer so the blind will pleat up tighter than a wooden blind, leaving more of the window opening exposed.

They Come in Any Colour You Like – But Go Natural Wood Finish for an Authentic Look

Metal Venetian blinds are available in a huge selection of colours, but to keep with the theme, go for a natural wood finish.

In sunny climes with all this happening outside the window, its also clearly on view from the inside.

An Explosion of Colour at the Windows All Summer Long

but you could be forgiven with our weather for introducing a similar effect from the inside looking out with brightly coloured floral curtains or blinds.

Introduce a Sunny Summer Feel to the Room No Matter What the Weather Outside

Brightly Coloured Blinds will Quickly and Easily Introduce a Relaxed Summer Ambience

This look is also attractive for bedrooms where you can afford to go floral with a total disregard for the rest of the decor in the house.

Matching Floral Curtains, Cushions and Accessories are Perfectly Acceptable in a Bedroom without being considered OTT (over the top)

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com