Tuscan Style Interior Design

From the special online feature Design Styles

Tuscan interiors feature a rustic, sun-baked look characterized by crumbling stone patios, simple and sturdy furnishings with elegant iron accents, terra-cotta tiles and textured wall finishes, in addition to elegant, detailed murals and trompe l'oeil designs.

Colors - This rustic color palette leans heavily on earthy, unpretentious hues evocative of a Tuscan hillside.          

Floors - Terra-cotta tiles, stone with mosaic inlay and worn wood covered with antique rugs are all ways to bring a Tuscan look down to the floor.

Accents - Wrought-iron accessories like candle sconces and light fixtures reinforce the rustic theme. Other appropriate accessories include painted ceramic objects and tile to bring color and vitality to the design.         

Architecture - Rough plaster walls soar up to a rustic beamed ceiling. Windows are simple and left bare to take advantage of unfiltered natural light.

Newlyweds Joshua and Erika Siever have decorated most of the rooms in their condo but ran out of ideas when it came to their master bedroom.

The Dilemma

Interior designer Kristan Cunningham visits the Sievers to find out what needs to be changed. The bedroom set is new and will stay in the room but the bench, television stand and bedside lamps are going. The walls are hospital white and in desperate need of color as are the closet doors. The overhead light in the room is currently two naked bulbs in the ceiling so it will need to be addressed. The white window blinds are stark and the floor is bare. After Cunningham meets with design coordinators Spencer Anderson and Dave Sheinkopf, they decide on who will handle the myriad of projects and set to work completing the makeover.

The Solution

The Design on a Dime team easily solves this decorating puzzle--here's how they do it:

•           The walls are painted a burnt orange color for a backdrop to the Tuscan look they're after. The closet doors are given a faux wood finish with paint and a hair comb. Cunningham pulls a comb through the wet paint to simulate the wood grain and then swirls the paint with her finger to create the knots.

•           The bed is moved so that it faces the window, which then becomes the focal point with a new rattan shade and rustic shutters.

•           Cunningham finds the perfect rug at a discount carpet store to bring color to the floor.

  Media

•           Sheinkopf builds a rustic bench that can also be used as a work space. It's placed under the window to reinforce the focal point. He builds it out of table legs purchased from a home-improvement store, 1x4s for the apron and pine boards for the top. He uses biscuit joinery and wood glue to hold the pieces together. He finishes it with a dark stain and polyurethane. (Related project: Headboard Bench)

•           Anderson shops at a metal supply store to find the perfect iron pieces for a pair of custom lamps. He uses bolt cutters to separate the scrolled pieces, then reattaches them in a crosshair fashion to a metal rod, which is used to house the electrical cord. He uses epoxy putty to hold the pieces together and wraps the joints with steel wire to secure.

•           Luxurious layered bedding in contrasting patterns and matching colors sets the tone for the elegant new design.

•           The bare light bulbs in the ceiling are replaced with a new fan.

•           Three different mirrors add elegance and stand out against the rich burnt orange tone of the walls.

•           A new entertainment center is positioned in the corner and enhanced with fabric panels on the doors.