Diane Keaton has one of the most beautiful Spanish revival style home I have ever seen. The enormous black front door is enough to start a tour of her house with a wide gaping look. Her house is one of the few houses of the rich and famous where you can say this is money well spent. It is absolutely gorgeous in every way and it also feels like a warm cozy house. That’s the best part. Lucky for you, you don’t need to be Diane Keaton or a millionaire to own your own little piece of Spain. I am going to show you how you can turn your humble abode into a Spanish revival style home for a fraction o the cost.
There are 8 major characteristics of a Spanish revival style home that make it stand out and these characteristics are what you have to adopt to make your own Spanish paradise. All you have to do is recreate your own version of these 8 characteristics and your house is going to look like a beautiful casa.
1) Roofing: One of the most visible parts of a Spanish revival style house is the roof. The terracotta roof tiles give a warm earthy rustic look to the house. The slight asymmetry in the roofing makes the house more interesting. If you think that terracotta roof tiles are a bit much for you then you can opt for other cheaper roofing like shingles. Try to find a color that resembles that of clay so it does give the needed look.
2) White Stucco Exterior Walls: One of the easiest parts of revamping your house Spanish style is doing your walls – it’s all white. Both the interior and exterior. There’s not much to it. All you have to do is white wash the entire house.
3) Terracotta Tiles: One of the most intriguing parts of the interior of the Spanish revival house is the terracotta tiling. If you don’t want to put terracotta tiles in the go for any tile with an earthy redish brown color. Another place where tiles are very prominent is on the stairs. If you can get your hands on some Catalina style hand painted tiles (both glossy and matte) then lay them on the stair risers. Combine different patterns but make sure the colors work well together at the same time.
4) Wrought Iron: Wrought iron can be used in several parts of the house. From stair railings to chandeliers. You can use it on the windows, gates, lanterns, and patio furniture. The good thing is wrought iron is not that expensive. You might be find some nice items in a flea market.
5) Windows: Spanish revival style houses are known to have lots of windows letting in lots of natural light. Windows can be arched or regular as long as they match the rest of the décor.
6) Arches: There should be at least a few arches in your house. Spanish style houses are filled with arches & curved. The doors have arches, walkways have arches, windows have arches and stairways are curved. So make sure you include at least one arch in your new design.
7) Doors: Doors hold a lot of character. Mostly made of dark wood, the doors generally have arches and have some gorgeous carvings giving them some deep and heavy character. You don’t have to do this for all your doors. The front door is good enough.
8) Dark wood: A lot of dark wood is used in Spanish revival style houses. That deep dark brown tone really stands out against the bright white making any room very intriguing. The entry doors, baseboards, furniture, ceiling beams and windows in dark wood will definitely give your house the final touch needed to make it look like the perfect Spanish revival style home.
These 8 key design features are all you need to make your casa look like it’s been taken right out of a Spanish painting. One thing to keep in mind is trying to get the best deals. Try looking for companies that supply more than one item at cheap rates but also promise quality. I went to Champion Window for my front door and windows. Eco-friendly windows will save you on energy costs. Find companies that can custom manufacture to your Spanish style and architecture.
And of course, give your new Spanish home the finishing touches by adding Spanish décor that will brighten up your home and say “Hola” to your guests.