Colors of the world 5

The Warm Welcome of the Mediterranean

Life in the Mediterranean has a distinctly carefree quality. One of the oldest areas of civilization, this culturally vibrant region is dominated by the blues of the sea, the bright, white light of the sun, the ancient colors of the stones and the ruins of civilizations long past.
From the French and Italian Riviera, to the isles of Greece, to the ancient ports and villages of Sicily, Spain and North Africa, the pace of life is relaxed, and the simple pleasures of life are savored.





Interiors. The Mediterranean house is a domain of the senses, incorporating influences from Europe, Africa and the Orient. The Mediterranean style uses glowing, soft colors and warm textures, making one feel vital and alive. Formality has little place in Mediterranean interior design—comfort is the aim. Rough plastered walls are painted in bright matte white, for a cool, clean and uncluttered feeling, contrasting against natural wood beams. Blue accents—echoing the omnipresent sea—are popular, including shades of azure and turquoise. In the south of France, the hallmark colors are more muted—almond greens, soft lavender-blues and turtle-dove grays.



In Italy and Spain, colors are slightly warmer—including sunbaked oranges, dark, organic yellows, wine-dark reds and earthy browns, sometimes coupled with contrasting glazed wall tiles in blues and deep greens. Floors are often simple, hard surfaces such as terracotta, flagstone, wood, or travertine. Furniture is very often an eclectic mixture of antiques and—on occasion—genuine antiquities from Greece and Rome.

Tip: Nature is your ally in the classic Mediterranean look. Cultivate dense bougainvilleas, fragrant jasmine and other shrubs to provide privacy and shade on terraces, decks, and porches.

Behr