Living Like Column- The Beauty and Unique Spanish Style of Design
The Drama and Beauty
of Spanish Design Style
In 1993 I visited Madrid and shared a lovely dinner in this private home check out my Spanish-Style board for more images
of Spanish Design Style
In 1993 I visited Madrid
and shared a lovely dinner in this private home
check out my Spanish-Style board for more images
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fashion designer Caroline Herrera's Madrid home shines bright - putting her unique personality (I am a huge fan of her designs) with a lovely Spanish look. The contrasting patterns and the use of red and bold geometrics feel very Spanish Style. photo courtesy of Elle Decor magazine
What is Spanish Style, and How Do We Get That in Our Home? This fun new column, Living Like is certainly an eye opening experiment showing unique, nuanced ways that the design and home styles can vary from country to country and region to region (even in one style there are often big differences). There are certain characteristics that follow with various designs styles. You may remember my first post French Style gave us a lot of fodder to pontificate on how to bring that unique "Je ne sais quoi" to our homes utilizing the French's fastidious editing and love for detail. But, today is all about Spanish Style.
Over two decades ago, I traveled to Madrid with my husband where he was working closely consulting with three generations of a Spanish family. We had the wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with them in their home in Madrid, and they entertained us at their private club outside of the city, and gave us a detailed tour of the area, the castles and an inundation of Spanish food. This kind of unique travel gives a rare insider's glimpse into the people and culture. At the time, I was attending design school at Parsons School of Design so I gobbled it all up- the food they ate, the way they dressed and of course the gorgeous way they designed their homes. I was very impressed with the sophisticated and elaborate interior design in the homes I visited. Since this column is all about living styles, if I had to break it down to its simplest form I'd say that while English Style has a decidedly feminine approach to decoration and design (the rooms often festooned with florals, toile fabric and wallpaper with lots of pretty florals and curved and antique furniture with layers that add together creating the English style). The quintessential English home has dogs running about and it's very comfortable while retaining a strong sophistication. In contrast, my experience with Spanish Style design is it is positively masculine (macho in fact) while the rooms are often peppered with oversized paintings of Spanish conquerors and ancestors, yet they include beautiful, vibrant and handsome handmade textiles with a great deal of contrasting pattern. The Spanish are proud, and their homes reflect that cultural pride.
Have I mentioned that I am Spanish? My great grandfather hailed from Granada, Spain and every time I visit the country, I feel the tug of my roots in the design. Similar to the French and English, these are many layered homes curated over time often with family heirlooms passed down over the generations, however, the Spanish home is rich in pattern but they also often leave room for the eye to move from one bold statement to another. Spanish style tends to be un-cluttered and instead, these rooms are edited while retaining a boldness. Even in a neutral palette there is still a strong hand to the interior design. No "shrinking violets" in Spanish Style, they are powerful yet beautiful and wonderfully beckoning attention in every nook. Favored colors are strong blues, greens and reds and lots of white and neutrals to boot.
What is Spanish Style, and How Do We Get That in Our Home? This fun new column, Living Like is certainly an eye opening experiment showing unique, nuanced ways that the design and home styles can vary from country to country and region to region (even in one style there are often big differences). There are certain characteristics that follow with various designs styles. You may remember my first post French Style gave us a lot of fodder to pontificate on how to bring that unique "Je ne sais quoi" to our homes utilizing the French's fastidious editing and love for detail. But, today is all about Spanish Style.
Over two decades ago, I traveled to Madrid with my husband where he was working closely consulting with three generations of a Spanish family. We had the wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with them in their home in Madrid, and they entertained us at their private club outside of the city, and gave us a detailed tour of the area, the castles and an inundation of Spanish food. This kind of unique travel gives a rare insider's glimpse into the people and culture. At the time, I was attending design school at Parsons School of Design so I gobbled it all up- the food they ate, the way they dressed and of course the gorgeous way they designed their homes. I was very impressed with the sophisticated and elaborate interior design in the homes I visited. Since this column is all about living styles, if I had to break it down to its simplest form I'd say that while English Style has a decidedly feminine approach to decoration and design (the rooms often festooned with florals, toile fabric and wallpaper with lots of pretty florals and curved and antique furniture with layers that add together creating the English style). The quintessential English home has dogs running about and it's very comfortable while retaining a strong sophistication. In contrast, my experience with Spanish Style design is it is positively masculine (macho in fact) while the rooms are often peppered with oversized paintings of Spanish conquerors and ancestors, yet they include beautiful, vibrant and handsome handmade textiles with a great deal of contrasting pattern. The Spanish are proud, and their homes reflect that cultural pride.
Have I mentioned that I am Spanish? My great grandfather hailed from Granada, Spain and every time I visit the country, I feel the tug of my roots in the design. Similar to the French and English, these are many layered homes curated over time often with family heirlooms passed down over the generations, however, the Spanish home is rich in pattern but they also often leave room for the eye to move from one bold statement to another. Spanish style tends to be un-cluttered and instead, these rooms are edited while retaining a boldness. Even in a neutral palette there is still a strong hand to the interior design. No "shrinking violets" in Spanish Style, they are powerful yet beautiful and wonderfully beckoning attention in every nook. Favored colors are strong blues, greens and reds and lots of white and neutrals to boot.
Designer Michael Smith's Madrid homes certainly had that vibe. This bedroom with bold coordinating wallcovering and drapery and the tapestry on the wall screams Spanish style in a big way photo via Galerie magazine
this 19th century estate in Seville
shows the beauty of Spanish Style featured in Galerie magazine 
check out our other Living Likes Design columns,
Happy NestingXO Tamara
this 19th century estate in Seville
shows the beauty of Spanish Style featured in Galerie magazine
shows the beauty of Spanish Style featured in Galerie magazine
