Southwest Painting and Color Ideas for Your Home

Decorating trends are much like the clothes in our closet. What is “in” now, may be “out” soon, but will probably return in a decade as a new trend. In this age of acquiring newer and better, we often return to decorating trends of old. Walls and décor are often “distressed” to have an older look and the words “vintage” and “classic” are frequently used in the decorating and accessorizing world.

Several centuries ago, modern painting materials were not available and the finish on the walls often appeared uneven. The old paint or finish would show through the new finish. Homeowners today often desire decorating styles that give the walls and furniture an “old” look and the southwestern styles are desirable to homeowners and decorators, alike. Professional painters and homeowners are using techniques such as color washing and faux painting to create these old world styles.

There are many popular paint shades that will create a beautiful, trendy “southwest” look. Those colors include earthy tones like terra cotta, chocolate, beige, yellows, oranges and pinks. Colors are very important in the Mexican and Central American cultures and interior or exterior walls are often painted in bright colors or in blends to create the desired effect. To create these southwestern style rooms, a lighter color base coat is often applied followed by a darker, richer color or glaze coat. The darker accent wall stands out beautifully as the lighter color shows through. However, for a different effect, the darker color can be applied as the base coat and the lighter color applied over that. Either way, the effect is an antiqued, uneven look, one that our ancestors excelled at unintentionally.

Regardless of the color or desired effect, the experts at Chism Brothers Painting are able to use various paint colors and techniques to create an old world adobe style look in your home.