Tuscany Style and Tuscan Decor

Tuscany Style and Tuscan Decor

Anyone who has visited Tuscany and fallen in love with its rolling hills and stone houses has intuitively appreciated the style that characterizes the Tuscan landscape. It is only natural that when returning home we may want to recreate that same Tuscan style in our own surroundings, to replicate aspects we loved in Tuscany as well as remind us of the uniqueness of Tuscany's countryside style.

Tuscan craftsmen have perfected the ability to transform the elements of nature into beautiful artistic and decorative elements for homes throughout Tuscany, including marble floors, terracotta roof tiles, sandstone columns and wrought iron gates among many others.

Most of these creations are simple and therein lies their beauty. Tuscan style is a combination of natural stone, wood and color. It is peaceful, a combination of comfort, warmth and nature that welcomes anyone to one's home.

Sites

	Country Tuscany - www.countrytuscany.com - Company near Arezzo offers an online store where it is possible to find artisan made wood furniture and accessories typical in Tuscany and central Italy. Among the items offered are bed frames in wrought iron, chests, tables and chairs, and kitchen cupboards and sideboards.
	Handmade in Tuscany - www.artigianatotoscano.it - Online shop specialized in traditional Tuscan crafts such as items worked in alabaster, wood and marble, leather goods, bas-reliefs and ceramics. Offers complete refund if customer is not satisfied.
	Tuscan Decor - www.tuscandecor.com - Offers Italian style furnishings and accessories for the home, a selection of products made both in Italy and in the USA. Products include ceramics, wood furniture and wrought iron pieces and include descriptions, photographs, cost and shipping details.

Learn more about Tuscany Style and Tuscan Decor

What exactly is Tuscany style?

Tuscany is an ancient land and as such has developed through time taking advantage of all of the resources that were available. This means first of all its natural resources such as marble, pietra serena, iron, granite, alabaster and wood. Tuscan craftsmen have perfected the ability to transform the elements of nature into beautiful artistic and decorative elements for most of the buildings and homes you'll see throughout Tuscany, including marble floors, terracotta roof tiles, pots and floors, alabaster sculptures, pietra serena (gray sandstone) columns and fountains, wrought iron gates and iron window grills, and wooden floors among many others.

Most of these creations are simple and therein lies their beauty. Tuscan style has thus come to be characterized as a combination of natural stone, wood and color. It is a combination of comfort, warmth and nature that is peaceful and welcomes anyone to rest.

Tuscany Decor in our own homes

Homes in Tuscany have an enduring, solid quality. They are quite solid, having been built out of sandstone or limestone found in the area. Pietra serena, a gray sandstone that picks up a yellow hue with time, is common in the area around Florence. Marble is found in abundance in the hills of the Apuan Alps, along the northwestern end of Tuscany. Terracotta pots and tiles are a specialty of the area around Impruneta near Florence, while the creation of majolica ceramics flourished in Montelupo Fiorentino.

A traditional Tuscan home brings all these elements together. The effect is rustic, warm and inviting, simple with no attempt at pretense.

• Walls - Natural stone walls are left natural. It gives off a very rustic, sturdy look. Inside, you can also leave walls untouched if they are natural stone. If they aren't, then the walls are stuccoed and colored with water-based paints in warm colors or soft white, with accent colors providing interest. The worn, well-loved look seen today is the effect of time, but it can be recreated with faux painting techniques if one doesn't want to wait too long.
• Ceilings - Exposed wood beams are beautiful, and ceilings tend to be high whenever possible as it leaves more open space to keep the house cool during warm summer days. Other rooms will have plastered ceilings with painted frescoed style decorations.
• Windows - Windows are deeper set into the walls of the home and most have wooden shutters. Although they add to rustic appeal, their use is quite practical - they keep light out when you don't want it (mornings when you feel like sleeping in) and provide ventilation during the day without letting too much sun in when it is hot.
• Flooring - Tuscan country homes generally will have terracotta clay tiles, but many often use wooden planks to form the floor. Wooden floors are beautiful and give any home a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Marble floors are less common in the countryside, and bestow more elegance to any home.
• Furniture - Tuscan style furniture consists of simple, straight lines in wood from the local area. Cupboards, armoires, kitchen tables and chairs are made of wood and have a heavy, solid look to them. They are supposed to last a lifetime or more, often being handed down through generations. Tuscan homes don't come with built-in closets, so cupboard and armoires store dishes, linens and clothes. Open shelves provide storage and a place to display dinnerware and ceramics. Many accessories are made in wrought iron. Bed frames are common both in solid wood and in wrought iron.
• Outdoor spaces - Most Tuscan homes include a patio or terrace, where the family and guests can enjoy meals and refreshments outside and enjoy cool summer breezes. Garden paths often are made with unevenly-shaped but flat stones, letting nature takes its course with grass growing in between.
• Accessories - Tuscan home decor is completed with brightly colored ceramic bowls and serving dishes in the kitchen, majolica plates on the walls or shelves in the kitchen or common areas and plants around the house. You bring nature indoors.