How To Spot Old World Style
Jessica Ackerman
March 19, 2010
One million souls called Rome their home during the first century A.D. Exhausted after many years of war, some of Rome's citizens fled the city life with its gladiator displays and soldiers and traveled to the serene rolling hills of Tuscany in hopes of leading a more pious life style. Two millennia afterwards, the exquisite villas that they began continue to inspire the old world style that we recognize today. Old world styling is not restricted to houses in Tuscany; nearby Florence, Pisa, Arrezo, Livorno and other regions are also representative of old world elements. So just what is this style handed down from the Tuscans, and how do we spot it?
Sun-bleached bricks and terra-cotta roofing. These are the hallmarks of old world style, and numerous people can spot Tuscan design elements from a distance because of them. Terra-cotta roof tiles in identifiable red-brown covering structures in white are its classic features. The beauty and appeal of old world styling lies in its simplicity. Crumbling rock walls? In old world style, beauty is found in canonical timelessness. Bricks faded by years in the sun? Some of the most exquisite things in the world are very old. Hardwood furnishings producing a patina from years of brushing and polishing? All the better.
Laid back, downplayed aura. Occupants of a home embellished in old world style feel free to let their hair down and loosen up. Why, walls are sometimes left unpainted, as are wooden surfaces such as beams, doors, window frames, shutters, and cupboards. Old world styling basic principles indicate that modifying something that is already ideal is not required.
Rich yellows, reds, and browns dominate the color scheme. A strong and easygoing vibe meets the visitor once they enter. Homes are built along classic lines. An aesthetically charming dwelling is the result of this combination. Tapestries, gold leaf, and ornate detail of moldings complete the ambience, especially when accented with wall sconces for candles. Outdoor spaces are strategic and experience equivalent attention as inside spaces when decorating in the old world style. The courtyard is nearly an extension of the dwelling, and it is there that one will sometimes find a water fountain displayed as decor. Marble statues are also popular in the courtyard in a Tuscan styled dwelling. Walkways and driveways are laid with stone or brick and there are no concrete driveways present.
Walls of the dwelling are often colored gray or white, and sometimes stuccoed. Walls are then colored using faux painting, color washing, or Venetian plaster.
Floorings are made of terra-cotta bricks, clay tiles, or rough stone, although wooden planks and timber boards are also utilized. One can expect to see marble accents end-to-end, particularly on countertops and table tops. Floors and pillars are ordinarily made of marble. A metal wall grille is also typical.
Pine, marble, and wrought iron furniture accentuates old world elements throughout the home. There is one fundamental rule that must be followed: nothing in an old world style themed house should look to be new. Wrought iron is also used in gates, houses in the old world style being commonly enclosed by a fence.
Windowpanes left bare are another style element.
The atmosphere of the old world is conveyed over into the kitchen. Open armoires are found in the rooms for stashing away apparel, as are open cupboards in the kitchen. A long wooden table is an expected essential in the old world kitchen. Wall mounted wine racks and pot racks made of wrought iron are used to show weathered copper pots. A kitchen fundamental is a kitchen sink built of stone or porcelain. The natural old world ambience is completed with lots of fresh flowers and twists of garlic or onion.
Sun-bleached bricks and terra-cotta roofing. These are the hallmarks of old world style, and numerous people can spot Tuscan design elements from a distance because of them. Terra-cotta roof tiles in identifiable red-brown covering structures in white are its classic features. The beauty and appeal of old world styling lies in its simplicity. Crumbling rock walls? In old world style, beauty is found in canonical timelessness. Bricks faded by years in the sun? Some of the most exquisite things in the world are very old. Hardwood furnishings producing a patina from years of brushing and polishing? All the better.
Laid back, downplayed aura. Occupants of a home embellished in old world style feel free to let their hair down and loosen up. Why, walls are sometimes left unpainted, as are wooden surfaces such as beams, doors, window frames, shutters, and cupboards. Old world styling basic principles indicate that modifying something that is already ideal is not required.
Rich yellows, reds, and browns dominate the color scheme. A strong and easygoing vibe meets the visitor once they enter. Homes are built along classic lines. An aesthetically charming dwelling is the result of this combination. Tapestries, gold leaf, and ornate detail of moldings complete the ambience, especially when accented with wall sconces for candles. Outdoor spaces are strategic and experience equivalent attention as inside spaces when decorating in the old world style. The courtyard is nearly an extension of the dwelling, and it is there that one will sometimes find a water fountain displayed as decor. Marble statues are also popular in the courtyard in a Tuscan styled dwelling. Walkways and driveways are laid with stone or brick and there are no concrete driveways present.
Walls of the dwelling are often colored gray or white, and sometimes stuccoed. Walls are then colored using faux painting, color washing, or Venetian plaster.
Floorings are made of terra-cotta bricks, clay tiles, or rough stone, although wooden planks and timber boards are also utilized. One can expect to see marble accents end-to-end, particularly on countertops and table tops. Floors and pillars are ordinarily made of marble. A metal wall grille is also typical.
Pine, marble, and wrought iron furniture accentuates old world elements throughout the home. There is one fundamental rule that must be followed: nothing in an old world style themed house should look to be new. Wrought iron is also used in gates, houses in the old world style being commonly enclosed by a fence.
Windowpanes left bare are another style element.
The atmosphere of the old world is conveyed over into the kitchen. Open armoires are found in the rooms for stashing away apparel, as are open cupboards in the kitchen. A long wooden table is an expected essential in the old world kitchen. Wall mounted wine racks and pot racks made of wrought iron are used to show weathered copper pots. A kitchen fundamental is a kitchen sink built of stone or porcelain. The natural old world ambience is completed with lots of fresh flowers and twists of garlic or onion.
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