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There’s
More To Mexican Kitchen Decorations Than Just Brightly Colored Walls, Cabinets,
Countertops And Accessories
Most homeowners, particularly those with small
kitchens, find ideas relating to kitchen design rather awe-inspiring. After all,
a kitchen theme is not something that disappears off our radar so easily, and
commands as much attention as the layout of the swanky living room or the décor
of the plush bedroom at home. And the self-confessed arbiters of common good,
namely the interior design experts and contractors, have an unequivocal opinion
on the same.
So does a kitchen remodeling or renovation project really translate into
feckless attempts to add some effervescence to the ominous setting? Not when
you greet the scores of tips on decorating the interiors of this space, with
uncontained glee. Each of these designs can singularly alter the mood and
character of the kitchen.Whether a classic retro design that touches atavistic chords or a more
contemporary setting that glorifies today’s modern times, each design is
complete on its own. Every aspect, from the luminous glass tiles on the
backsplash, warm granite countertops, majestic hardwood cabinets with surreal
lighting, the innately stylish designer sink and faucets, host of appliances
that combine style with substance, to something as commonplace as tiny yet
soulful accessories, the chairs and tables and other miniscule aspects of the
kitchen furniture, its never really curtains for the enchanting decorations in
the kitchen. That certainly is some food for thought for harried homeowners
looking for salvation from different sources. |
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Enigmatic Europe in Your
Kitchen
It’s believed that when you risk nothing, you risk even more. But do such
profound philosophical musings have any resonance in kitchen design? Yes, they
certainly do.
For people that would like to raise the bar in terms of kitchen design and
decorations, enigmatic Europe offers plenty of inspiration. A kitchen in warm
and inviting Tuscan-country or Italian Fat Chef style is certain to inject
copious amounts of spunk and verve. A French Café Bistro kitchen exudes both
class and color.
But if you want your kitchen decorations to be as eternally gratifying as
wholesale dealers of distractingly divine diamond jewelry, then you have few
options other than creating that Mayan Riviera magic in your kitchen. So, let’s
hear it for Mexican kitchen decorations.
The Mystique of Mexico
Continues, Unabated
You may have mastered the Mexican cooking methods with panache, but Mexican
decorating methods in the kitchen is certainly a very different cup of tea. So
what are Mexican theme kitchens all about? Do they bear a striking resemblance
to the Mexican décor and home furnishings, or are they in a league of their own?
For starters, those completely in thrall to the intrigue of Mediterranean
kitchen decorations, are sure to be gushing when they see the similarity between
a Mediterranean and Mexican kitchen décor. That’s right, there’s the uninhibited
use of vivid and dazzling colors- be it on the kitchen countertops or rustic
Mexican kitchen cabinets.
Stunning Colors are Just
the Beginning - 10 Great Ideas
But Mexican kitchen decorations are not only about stunning colors that fill
your kitchen and life with brightness. Here are a few ways in which you can
provide a touch of Mexican mystique to your stolid kitchen space:
- Flooring: You can do up your kitchen floor
with stone tiles with distinctive grey lines. Terracotta is extremely Mexican
is a very eternal sort of way. See if you can get them for a steal at the
local tile wholesalers or retailers. But, if your tight budget does not permit
much flexibility, then try linoleum in the same texture. It’s sure to
alleviate the warm and cozy factor in your kitchen.
- Walls: Nothing exudes a true Mexican aura like
textured walls in a stucco finish. Here again, terracotta rules the roost. Use
colors like light mustard to add lines and create a pavers sort of a look. An
orange stone look intricately detailed by a sponge is sure to give you a feel
of the warm climate of Mexico. Its fiery appeal on a sunny day will leave your
guests gasping for breath. But if staid conventional wisdom gets the better of
you, use softer colors like white or ivory on the walls. They’re sure to be
the perfect foil for the glittering brightness of other Mexican kitchen
decorations.
- Countertops: When it doubt, wear black. The
Mexicans sure take this advice rather seriously. So you have smooth black
granite countertops and a host of sleek kitchen appliances like the
refrigerator and stove in this scintillating color. Their dalliance with the
brightly textured walls has to be seen to be believed. A sandy marbleized
texture is another show-stopper. Get a couple of marble tiles with bold red
trims for the work area. You could use green too, but you’ll probably have an
overdose of it when your friends go green with envy, right?
- Backsplash: The blithe and amiable demeanor of
the kitchen gets a shot in the arm with tiled backsplashes in exuberant cobalt
blue.
- Cabinets and cupboards: Saturate every
conceivable space with Mexican motifs in a multitude of incredible colors. Let
your imagination run wild and create fabulous images of animals, plants and
more. Look around, you could find plenty of inspiration from Mexican pottery.
Mexican art on the fridge door in irrepressible hues of blue, green and orange
add to the cheerful mood of the place.
- Lighting: Your lighting certainly cannot
be laggard in matching up to the bohemian spirit of the kitchen. Use
additional lights, like the ones used during Christmas, to create a luminous
impact.
- Windows: Bamboo blinds not only add to the
rustic appeal, but also score on the privacy scale. But if you want to go the
whole hog, there’s nothing to beat the allure of serapes drenched in exotic
shades for the windows. With paper flowers at the end, it’s a look that
pastoral dreams are made of.
- Kitchen furniture: Furnishing the kitchen with
the right kind of chairs and tables may not be a piece of cake, after all. You
may have to scour Mexican restaurants and lounge bars to get furniture that
exude a Mexican flavor. You would be wrong if you thought that a bare wood
coffee table would be too pallid for the occasion.
- Decorative accents: Mexican kitchen
decorations are sure to fall flat without the smoldering appeal of decorative
accessories. Mexican terracotta pottery in belligerent colors, iron standing
candle holders, iron valences teeming with bold paper flowers- things are just
beginning to get that feisty Mexican touch. But decorations for a Mexican
theme party will require the fiery presence of salt and pepper shakers,
plastic chili peppers and dried peppers, strung across windows and walls. Even
a terracotta pitcher with a generous dose of sunflowers is sure to look simply
spectacular.
- Mexican dinnerware: Your party is not going
anywhere without stunning Mexican dinnerware in rapturous colors. So as they
say, if you have it, flaunt it. Display the dinnerware without any apologies
in open shelves.
There can be no binary perceptions about the fact that Mexican kitchen
decorations are all about celebrating the splendid things in life in all their
external manifestations. So get ready to suffuse your quiescent life with riot
of never-say-die colors and textures.
From Mexico to Spain- its
One Insightful Journey
The shift from Mexican kitchen decorations to a Spanish style inspired kitchen
design may seem to be the zaniest thing you would have ever done. But embracing
Spanish decorating ideas can be quite an exhilarating experience. Spanish
kitchen designs do bear an uncanny resemblance to Mexican kitchen decorations.
But we aren’t the least surprised, right?
The fact that Mexico was under Spanish rule for over three centuries before the
country gained independence in the early years of the 19th century accounts for
the common thread that runs between the two civilizations. And there’s more than
Spanish and Peso that meets the eye.
The Mediterranean
Influence - More Than Symbolic
The Mediterranean flavor has more than just a token import on Spanish kitchen
design. Mediterranean backsplash ceramic tiles, fabrics, leather, pottery,
copper and wood are constants that unify the scores of different ways to design
a Spanish kitchen. So are the arched openings, exuberant colors, textured walls
and ceiling, kitchen islands, tiled countertops, butcher’s block and the
dizzying array of dramatic accents. They all come together to provide the
perfect backdrop for sizzling Spanish cuisine.
Warm Colors With Universal
Appeal
Spanish kitchen design is warm and inspirational, with its heart in the right
place. The influence of nature is hard to ignore. So fiery reds, sparkling
blues, shimmering oranges and illuminating yellows form an intrinsic part of the
kitchen décor. These colors make their radiant presence felt in every aspect-
from the walls to the dinnerware.
No Fuss Spanish Décor
Planning that Tapas-centric dinner at your place? Here are some sure-shot ways
to elicit piquant reactions from friends and family:
- Walls: The intricately layered
and textured walls in soothing colors like yellow or singed terracotta is a
telling tribute to the enormous Mediterranean influence. Faux finished walls
in cream stucco are also apt for the occasion. While the walls and floors come
alive in muted shades, the cabinets, furniture and other accessories leave an
indelible impact in darker tones.
- Cabinets and countertops: Dark wood Spanish style kitchen cabinets exude
immense warmth just like natural stone countertops. Your stainless steel
appliances will make a prolific combination with the cabinets and countertops.
Of course, you cannot undermine the importance of the kitchen island.
- Backsplash: If you find the European influence
in Spanish ceramic tiles a wee bit too strong for your liking; try something
in the tumbled marble tile mould. Check out the aura that’s created with a
copper sink.
- Furniture: The emphasis is on something that
is an amalgam of simplicity and elegance. And there has to be the presence of
warm colors. Furniture created from hardwoods, leather, wrought iron with
marble accents are steadfast in their rustic Spanish appeal.
- Tapestry: Woven tapestry on tables and chairs
is ideal to add a softer look to the furniture.
- Cookware and dinnerware: Copper cookware and
canisters, iron platters, earthenware and urns add a great deal of drama and
character to the place and contrast the dark colors perfectly. Patterned
dinnerware in red or yellow look as delightful as napkins, side plates,
glassware and hand painted serve ware in blue, green or orange. Using hand
painted tiles as coasters will definitely help them earn a stronger cachet.
- Accessories: An ideal Spanish setting is
incomplete without the conspicuous presence of decorative accents in a
plethora of scrumptious colors- tomato red, olive green, cobalt blue and
sunflower yellow, to name a few. Your table is sure to come alive with the
presence of candles in Mediterranean colors. Hand painted beaded terracotta
vases, accentuated with brightly colored flowers are sure to drive away your
mid-week blues. Want to paint the town red? Try wall hangings and framed art
in this scorching color, just like candle holders, canisters, vessels and
pottery. The impact of iron towel racks, baskets and copper bowls is hard to
gloss over.
Both Mexican kitchen decorations and Spanish kitchen design have a singularity
of purpose that compels acknowledgement and commands a great deal of admiration.
It’s the objective of suffusing your life with oodles of magnificent colors. So
let’s open up our hearts and minds to a whole new world- a world that is peopled
with verve, gaiety and boundless energy.
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