QAQ’s ‘Grapevine’ decorative screen design evokes sunlit patios, alfresco dining, and golden skies over expansive vineyards. Although this design may be iconic for our Australian lifestyle, I’ve indulged here on the decorating style of the wine growing regions of Tuscany, Italy, where rustic, old world charm created a classic style over the centuries that has grown to curl its elegant tendrils far beyond the Italian border.
This is a style that begun many centuries ago in the poorer regions of Italy, where people lived simply in homes with walls built with rocks, where furniture was basic and sturdy, and the kitchen was the heart of the home and of deliciously simple cucina povera, ‘poor cooking’, which is as famous now as are the Tuscan wines.
Today the decorating style reflects these rustic, old-world origins. Tuscan style homes feature rock walls and fireplaces, large, exposed timber beams, tiled or stone floors, and a distinctive color palette that reflects the sun-baked Tuscan landscape: warm, muted jewel-tone colors, and earthy neutrals, especially reddish brown, burnt orange, cream, and pale peach. The furnishings these days can be quite lavishly carved, and are often heavy, sturdy pieces in warm, dark shades of wood. Filigree wrought iron or dark antique brass fixtures, lighting pendants, wall decor, and table decor are iconic for this style, and are one of the easier ways to evoke a Tuscan home if you live in a more modern home without exposed brick or timber features.
One of the essential aspects of a Tuscan home is an alfresco dining area. This is where QAQ’s ‘Grapevine’ decorative screens and panels could be installed to create backyard privacy or to enclose the sides of a newly constructed pergola, which is one of the key features to creating a real Italian style outdoor living area. You can find many DIY guides on how to build a pergola yourself over a weekend, or you can buy them ready-to install from many outdoor furniture and hardware stores. Once the pergola is up, then you can begin to grow your own grapevines or other trellis-vine plants to eventually create a verdant ceiling of green shade to dine under on warm sunny days while you sip your Tuscan wine or fine Italian espresso.
Though a modern home can be decorated in a Tuscan style, its important to keep all the furnishings and decor consistently traditional, as any one sleek modern piece of furniture could ruin this old-world aesthetic. Windows should be dressed with at least a valence to soften the modern lines, and floors should be dressed with a few thick, patterned rugs to make the space look more rustic and inviting. Here are some Tuscan-styled products available within Australia to get this look:
- Tuscan Urns and Cachepot by Pottery Barn
- Cast iron Fleur de lis wall plaques via eBay
- ‘Madrid’ Light Pendant in Bronze by Beacon Lighting
- Cuscino Floral Cushion by Early Settler
- Tivoli Extending Pedestal Dining Table by Pottery Barn
Hope you enjoyed today’s post! If you did, please leave a a comment and let me know what you think about the Tuscan style–is it for you? 😉
To see more Tuscan styled homes, products, beautiful photos of Tuscany and any ‘Grapevine’ decorative screen installations (should we ever get photos of any in the future–its a rare one!) see QAQ’s Pinterest board, ‘Grapevine’ Screen Design.
Ciao!
Christine