How do I Create a Tuscan Bedroom?

The Tuscan decorating style is inspired by the sun-drenched, earthy, warm colors of the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. A Tuscan bedroom evokes a rustic, serene, Old World atmosphere conducive to simple living and utter relaxation. Primary components for a Tuscan bedroom include walls in warm, earth colors; furniture in natural materials such as wood, marble and wrought iron; romantic, vintage linens and Tuscan bedding in cotton and lace; and decorative items such as terracotta flower vases or wall tapestries depicting Italian villas and vineyards.

Homes in Tuscany, Italy, are frequently constructed of stone or adobe to shield inhabitants from the scorching Mediterranean sun. You can simulate exotically colored Old World plaster walls with vibrant paint colors of gold and mottled orange. Paint that has been sponged onto walls adds depth and provides a rich background for the rustic and romantic furnishings. Typical Tuscan bedroom colors are captured from the surrounding Italian countryside: rich tones of travertine brown, red wine red, sunny yellow, terracotta orange, olive tree green and sky blue.

Tuscan furniture is weighty and solid, a testimony to traditional Tuscan family living with its emphasis on family and the pleasures of home. Avoid plastic and chrome materials; fill the space and create a focal point with a romantic bed headboard of wrought iron or wood. Select mirrors framed in curly iron bent into grapevine designs. Choose bedside tables with inlaid travertine or marble tile tabletops. Appropriate lamps and other Tuscan bedroom furnishings should be crafted of ceramic or marble materials, glorified with painted olive branches or grape clusters.

Fabrics in a Tuscan bedroom are very simple and airy, reminiscent of the fresh Italian breezes. Tuscan bedroom linens are simple and light. Instead of a heavy quilted comforter, drape the bed with a cotton white coverlet and use white bed linens. Select lace or simple cotton linen doilies. Window treatments sometimes take a bold turn for a Tuscan bedroom: vibrant reds or orange curtains hanging from wrought iron rods evoke the exotic Tuscan brilliance.

For an uncluttered look in a Tuscan bedroom, keep decorative items at a minimum. A simple terracotta, copper or marble vase with wildflowers is a sweet reminder of simple country living. Instead of decorative objects, hang colorful tapestries of the Italian countryside or brilliantly colored paintings or prints of the Old World in all its Mediterranean country splendor. Ornate frames add a dash of charisma to pastoral scenes of ancient Tuscany.