tuscan style home improvement ideas

The northern Italian region of Tuscany offers visitors an overwhelming experience for the senses, with the sounds of its music, the smells of its cooking and the visual richness of its distinctive style.

"One need never to go into a museum in Florence," wrote Brian Storts, "for that fair city is a feast to the eyes. It is like walking into history itself." Florence and its surrounding towns-Sienna, Montepucciano, Pisa, Arrezo-are situated in the heart of Tuscany’s rolling hills. The Tuscan landscape is flecked with Terra-cotta rooftops and cypress trees, and by the soft, sun-drenched hues of local marble and clay.

Terre-cotte tile roof tops mark the Tuscan landscape.

Tuscan style evolved through layers of history, taking cues from the earliest Etruscan metal craft and pottery, and of course, from the sumptuous world of the Italian Renaissance. In Tuscany one finds frescoes, cracked and worn by time, still vibrant with original pigment, depicting ancient deities and the decadence of the late Roman empire. Mosaic tiles, wrought iron gates and portals, distinctive bridges and architecture all reinforce the unique Tuscan identity, a particular expression of the Italian soul. Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, and Cimabue all contributed to Tuscan splendor. It’s no wonder Tuscany plays a substantial role in Italian culture and identity.

Elements of Tuscan Style

Tuscan rooms typically are beautifully proportioned on classical lines. Ceiling height, the size and scale of such features as the fireplace, windows and doors--as well as the furniture--all play an important role in creating balance and harmony within the room.

Venetian Plaster and Plaster wall effects

Lime Paint
Download Color Brochure - Catalog

Create the Tuscan wall appearance simply and easily.

There are many ways to apply lime paint. Providing great examples of how-to-apply lime paint to create effects such as cera fresco, lime washing, travertine tile, and many others. Known for it's amazing strength, adhesion, and resistance to many of atmospheric agents, lime paint is becoming a common medium for painters, faux finishers, and plaster and stucco finishers.

Create aged and worn textured wall treatments using traditional Venetian and Stucco Plaster Effects. Smooth, polished and textured surfaces can be easily achieved for interior and exterior surfaces.

Visit the Plaster Effects Center now for
Step-by-step tutorials

Also available
Venetian Plaster Kits

Walls: The wall treatments of the Italian home act as support for the rest of the interior. One sees wall painting, from Frescoes to murals, beginning in the earliest days of Italian culture.

Plaster walls, stucco-lustro and marmorino walls all evoke the classic Italian feeling. Hand painted wall treatments and decorative patterns enhanced common spaces, as seen on the right.

Use of Tapestries, gold leaf and ornate detailing such as plaster moldings all helped to define the interior, often bringing historical context and stylistic vigor to the home.


Interior Accents	Tuscan Furniture

Tuscan Style Lighting	Exterior Style

Objects: Painted tiles, colorful plates and Marino glass from Venice, fall naturally within the Tuscan aesthetic. Wrought iron objects such as sconces and candle holders support the mix of earthen materials found within the home. Metal, stone, fabric, and plaster walls all combine to create this natural Italian style.

Classic Italian Ceiling Medallion

22 1/4" diameter. Genuine plaster. Exclusively form architecturalFX.com

Ceilings: Rich, textured ceiling medallions juxtaposed with simply plaster moldings create elegance and a sense of comfort. Classic clouds with cherubs or putti playfully suspended above our heads quickly come to mind as Italian style. Old wood beams would evoke a rustic look, while stenciled borders and vaulted or paneled ceilings create an architectural framework uniquely expressive of this style.

artSparx Lighting Center

Tuscan Style Lighting

Grape Leaf Accent Mini-Pendant Iron Chandelier

A brilliant mini-pendant design in iron and glass. Features an antique amber scavo glass down light and grape leaf vine accents in antique bronze. A great look for dining areas or kitchen lighting.

artSparx Lighting Center

Floors: Terre-cotta tiles, glazed ceramic and marble inlay in intricate patterns are a few examples of the Italian sensitivity to design that carry through from ceiling and walls to the floors. Different types of marble create a color palette that defines the exquisite floors of The Duomo in Florence. Raw Sienne, umbers, rose pink, yellows and the pure white marbles from Carrara, above Pisa, all become the tools of the skilled craftsmen and artists. Pale travertine is often still used in homes and stores. Terrazzo floors, made from marble chips ground with crushed stone and stucco, polished to a smooth surface create new and diverse patterns to experiment with. Mosaic work, often of glass, stone or tile adds flare and energy.

And of course, the wooden floor can be left plain or adorned with Persian rugs—which were originally imported by Venetian and Genoese merchants in medieval times.

Fabrics: Silks, velvets and hand woven brocades fill the home on furnishings, curtains and bedding. Lacework and linens add a bit more texture to the environment and rich damask patterns, tone on tone, are used effectively in all rooms.

Tuscan Furniture

Furniture: Furniture varies greatly. From rustic, folk pieces to the classic veneered and hand painted items. Inlay and gilt details all support the rich visual texture of the interior environment.

Special Fabric Sale

Bella Tuscany Wovens:
Cortona Bluebell

Wheat colored florals and vines against a soft blue fabric create an elegant design. Ideal for home decorator projects this fabric is 100% cotton and is 54" wide.

6 different color
patterns to choose from!

more fabrics and textile

More Design Style features

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Decorative paint and glazing techniques

Also visit:
The Gilded Planet
www.gildedplanet.com

A complete resource for gold, silver, copper leaf, gilder's supplies and expert advice!

ArchitecturalFx
www.architecturalfx.com

Architectural ornamentation, plaster restoration and installation,
decorative plaster and fresco techniques and much more.