How To Bring Your Tuscan-Inspired Interiors Into This Decade
Since sharing our recent journey through one client’s Tuscan-inspired kitchen renovation, as well as the shocking before-and-after transformation of another client’s Tuscan-style bathroom, we’ve been fielding a lot of questions about how to bring your Tuscan interiors up to date.
Well, today you’re in luck. We are sharing our answers to the top 3 questions we keep hearing in regards to Tuscan-inspired homes. After all, what was once “all the rage” is feeling a bit tired and dated today, and Steve and I are here to help.
Throughout our many years in business, we have developed some tried-and-true ways to breathe new life into elaborately designed spaces, like your Tuscan interiors, without a complete renovation.
Ready for these helpful tips? Let’s get right to it…
Question #1: Are my Travertine floors outdated? Should I rip them out?
As we mentioned a few weeks back, Travertine was inexpensive and plentiful in the 1990s and early 2000s, meaning that we see it used in one application or another in the vast majority of homes that we are called in to re-design.
You’ll be happy to hear, though, that we don’t often recommend ripping out Travertine flooring. In addition to its cost-effectiveness, it is also highly resistant to moisture and water (a huge benefit when used in bathrooms and kitchens), is very durable, and requires little maintenance to preserve its timeless look.
Our Recommendation: If you have Travertine floors that are still in pristine condition, incorporate them into your modern design. Rather than using these as the neutral for the room (as designers did 20-30 years ago), view them as one of the colors in your overall color scheme (much like the rich woods in the space that you also love) and work neutrals into the room through other fixtures and finishes. Travertine can be beautifully applied to contemporary spaces with thoughtful design and creative planning.
Question #2: I have Tuscan dEcor in my house—cabinets, flooring, tile, and more. Do I have to undergo an expensive remodel?
The trademark palette of burnt red, olive green, golden brown, and other heavy, earthy tones was the cornerstone of the Tuscan aesthetic. These overbearing colors were often paired with dark woodwork to complete the Old World trend.
In general, the Tuscan look that we loved in the 90s was based on the idea that more is better. Designers used lots of fabrics, colors, textures, and accessories. But today, we see that look as busy and cluttered.
Our Recommendation: An outdated Old World home doesn’t necessarily need a complete renovation — paint and backsplash can work wonders. By relinquishing the darkness of the cabinets and walls with a warm, yet light, neutral paint, and by incorporating softer colors in a modern backsplash, any Tuscan-style interior can be brightened and updated.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to update window treatments with clean lines and subtle textures, and of course, make sure to declutter the space. These simple aesthetic antidotes can bring a worn-out space into the height of style by today’s standards.
Question #3: I like certain elements of my Tuscan interiors, but the paint color really needs to go. Where do I start?
The color palette of your space is likely the thing that is making it feel the most outdated, so it is the most crucial for refreshing your home.
Instead of trying to find another vibrant color that works with your dark cabinetry and Travertine floors, choose a warm neutral. Painting the walls a creamy white will lighten and brighten the Tuscan style significantly.
Our Recommendation: Reclaim control of the room with flat-painted walls and fewer patterns. Choose a wall color that has a warm undertone (think creamy beige colors or lighter). No matter how badly you want to use a light gray (since that is currently on trend), it will probably not work. Gray + yellow/gold = mud. And nobody wants a dingy looking space. Consider 5 of our favorite Sherwin Williams paint colors that play well with Tuscan-inspired rooms:
Although on its own this color verges on the edge of light gray, when paired with Old World finishes, like Travertine and dark woods, the warm tones become evident and the result is stunning.
This color has pink undertones that work beautifully with cherry finishes, but still freshen up any space.
Nearly-mauve undertones in this creamy white paint play well with golden-brown Travertine flooring as well as other Tuscan-inspired tiles.
This creamy color with a hint of pink is both updated and timeless. Want to see how we’ve used this one in other spaces? Check out our recent Tuscan Kitchen refresh where we painted this very color on all of the cabinets. Believe me, it’s gorgeous!
And if you want to be a bit out of the box, there is always…
While this may appear lighter gray at first glance, when held up to older granite countertops, you’ll see how it really has blue undertones, making this a perfect compliment to warm golden hues.
Disclaimer: The above are general recommendations based on our personal opinions and experiences. Always test your paint color before painting your room. Lighting conditions affect the color and ultimately the final color choice needs to be one you can not only live with, but truly enjoy.
Tuscan-inspired interiors can almost always be refreshed and updated without an extensive and costly remodel. If you have a space that you want to bring into this decade and you’d love a professional to walk through the process with you, I invite you to book a consultation with us.
Our vast experience can help you transform a tired space into one that rejuvenates you, excites you, and helps you fall in love with your home all over again.
Warmly,
Sarah