Viva España: Five Ways to Bring Spanish Style and Charm Direct to Your Door

As summer fully kicks in, now’s the time to evoke a sense of holiday calm in your home, whether you’re counting down the days to a hot weather getaway or simply ‘staycationing’ for the duration of the season. Spanish home style can help you easily achieve this, and the Lanzarote specialists from Optima Villas are here to share some quick tips and expert advice on how to turn your home into tu casa.

Find your colour palette

The basic framework of any style is the colour palette, so understanding the hues most suited to an authentic Spanish-style home is a great place to start. Try to focus on coastal colours, such as light blues and greens to give a subtle theme to living areas, while large patches of colour should take inspiration from the ubiquitous terracotta roofing that is a fixture of Spanish architecture, from the smallest pueblo to the grand cities of Barcelona and Madrid. A feature wall in rich terracotta will undoubtedly add Spanish flair, but don’t be limited to paint. Consider trying stucco or embroidered wall hangings for a Moorish-influenced home design that’ll feel utterly timeless.

Accentuate with patterned tiles

If you’ve thought about enlivening your bathroom or kitchen with some new tiles, make sure you’re aware of how Spanish design can add character in this regard. Encaustic patterned designs are a quintessentially Iberian look, especially in a simple blue-on-white geometric configuration. If you’re working on a budget, consider investing in some patterned tiles to mix with plain ones for a subtle splash of Spain - that may even inspire you to whip up a tapa or two just to fit the mood of the room! This small-scale incorporation of patterned tiles can often look even better than a fully patterned wall - the subtlety is the key.

Create a rustic ambience

Replicating the appearance of a sun-soaked Spanish villa can seem a difficult task in terms of lighting. However, while you won’t be able to recreate Barcelona sunshine in Barnsley, you can curate a sense of rustic ambience in your home with a few smart lighting touches. Opting for warmer shades of light that complement the terracotta hues of a Spanish interior is a good place to start, and you should also consider where and how your lights are placed in your home. Some warm-coloured LED filament bulbs placed in wrought iron light fittings on your walls can make the space feel worlds away from a run-of-the-mill interior.

Flow from outdoor to indoor

Most Spanish homes either have a balcony or a sun terrace where hours can be whiled away enjoying the sunshine - so making sure your home places precedence on outdoor space is a vital consideration if you are to live the Mediterranean way. This could be as simple as a slight revamp of your outdoor furniture, or the addition of some climbing plants that bloom in summer - to give you shade as well as beautifying the space. Open up the doors and windows whenever possible to allow natural light and air to flow through your home and bathe it in the scents of summer.

Finish with accessories

So, you’ve got the interior and outdoor space sorted, but something is missing. You need that little sprinkle of something extra, the saffron in the paella, the fruit in the sangria… In this case, you need to accessorise. Large vases and planters with indoor-friendly houseplants are authentic accessories that you can very easily incorporate into your home. In terms of practicality, you could switch out your kettle for a stove-top espresso maker, and utilise wooden chopping and serving boards in the kitchen. So, whether you’re plating up jamón serrano or last weekend’s leftover takeaway, it’ll look authentically Spanish. So, what are you waiting for? Take heed from these expert tips and get started on your Iberian home overhaul today!