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Even if you don’t live in a Spanish style house, that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate elements in your home.  In fact, it’s possible to use Spanish style décor for every home and architectural style.

Spanish style décor is characterized by handcrafted wooden and leather furniture, wrought iron accessories, and bright colors.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve this look; all it takes is paint, well-chosen accessories, and time.

Start out by painting your room a warm, earthy color similar to stucco.  If you have the time, you may want to put a stucco texture on the walls.  Of course, this isn’t necessary, but it would help with the feel of the room.

Next, depending upon the style of furniture you have, it may be possible to transform it into a Spanish look.  Strip the paint off of the larger pieces and leave just enough of the paint to look like it’s worn off over time.  Distress the furniture to make it appear older.  Be sure to seal the furniture after you’ve removed the paint to help protect it.

On some of the other furniture, you may want to paint it bright, vibrant colors which are so prevalent in Spanish décor.  Terra cotta and the color blue are very common.  The other element that is characteristic of the Spanish style décor is rustic elements throughout the room.

Find wrought iron pieces to accent walls.  Candle holders, mirror frames, and window treatment hardware would be a great way to bring wrought iron into the room without it being overpowering.  You may also find some simple wrought iron table lamps to tie the room together better.

If you have a sofa and chair that you like that don’t look well with Spanish style décor, find Native American fabrics to use as throws or cushions to give you more of the look you desire.  You can also add occasional tables with wrought iron and wood in darker wood tones to give that Spanish look you’d like.  Use accessories like Spanish pottery, Native American baskets, or punched tin would also look great.

Most of these ideas so far have been relatively cheap to do.  However, if you really want the look of a Spanish house, get rid of the wall-to-wall carpeting and install hardwood floors.  This may be more expensive than the other ideas, but it will solidify the feel of your redecorating.

It is possible to have a Spanish style décor for every home design.  Rustic elements, along with wrought iron, go great with the bright, vibrant colors of the style.  Use a few of these ideas to create the look you want.

If you’ve eaten Mexican food lately, you’ve probably seen how the Mexican country furniture gives old world charm to the restaurant.  What is Mexican country furniture and how can you incorporate it into your home?

Authentic Mexican furniture is made from solid wood and often has iron drawer pulls or hinges.  Quite often they are accented with tile or marble; the pieces may be carved similar to the traditional Spanish style doors.

Part of the beauty of Mexican country furniture is the natural aging of the wood.  It is usually handcrafted of Mesquite, Mexican Cypress, Cedar, or Pine.  Wooden dining room suites, bedroom suites, end tables, and armoires will anchor a room as well as adding warmth and old world charm.

It’s normal for Mexican country furniture to show signs of distress or age.  In fact, that’s part of the charm of this style of indoor décor.  The amount of distress, how smooth the edges are, and the consistency of the finish will help you determine if a piece of furniture is an original or a reproduction.

To help you determine if a piece of furniture is an original or not, look at the types of joints the piece has.  Older furniture, especially furniture that is handcrafted, the dovetailed joints may not be even whereas a reproduction piece will have completely even and precise joints.  The use of modern nails and glue in the joints may also indicate that a piece of Mexican country furniture is not authentic.

Look for rustic lines, hand carved designs, and iron hardware to identify this furniture style.  You may also find iron scrollwork on some pieces; others will be brightly painted like orange, red, blue, and yellow.  Leather is also used quite often in Mexican country furniture as upholstery, tabletops, or cushions.

Maybe you don’t want to decorate your whole house with this style of furniture, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have one or two pieces of it.  If you have other wood furniture, you may be able to incorporate a large armoire to hold your television.  Add a couple of wrought iron lamps and the Mexican country look could fit right in.

Mexican country furniture gives old world charm by the use of natural woods, wrought iron elements, and the bold style it affords.  Use this type of furniture in older homes with a Spanish feel to it.  They’re particularly effective in homes that have arched doorways, red tile floors, and dark wood exposed beams.