Home Decorating Themes Part 3- Southwestern Style

 Southwestern style decorating is one of the most popular themes for residential homes in the western United States and particularly in places like Arizona, New Mexico,Texas, Nevada, Southern California and Utah. Southwestern decor is heavily influenced by the art and culture of desert dwelling tribes like the Navajo and Apache and the Pueblo tribes of the four corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. This style is also influenced by the Spanish missions scattered throughout this region, mixed with the exotic elements of the native Aztecs of Mexico.

Southwestern architecture is characterized by adobe style houses and Spanish haciendas. Authentic adobe is a mixture of earth, water and straw formed into bricks and baked in the sun. Modern adobe homes have stucco walls.

Homes built in the Spanish hacienda style feature smooth plaster walls, interior courtyards, semicircular arched arcades, arched doorways and windows, terra-cotta roof tiles and decorative wrought iron trim.

Southwestern color schemes are influenced by warm, vibrant desert colors including yellow, orange, red, brown and gold, mixed with cool tones of cobalt blue, green, violet and turquoise.

Southwestern furniture is very rustic wood furniture in either a natural finish or painted in bright, vibrant colors with a distressed finish. Wrought iron is also used as hardware and for decorative accessories, much the same as in Mediterranean style furnishings.

Southwestern decor is comprised of many Native American arts and crafts such as Indian pottery, Kachina dolls, Navajo blankets and rugs, Indian baskets, dream catchers and other Native American artifacts. Southwestern designs are also heavily influenced by the native flora and fauna found in the desert environment including Saguaro cactus, Ocotillo, lizards, snakes, scorpions and coyotes. Brightly colored Mexican tile and ceramics mixed with rustic, Spanish style furnishings gives Southwestern style decor an eclectic feel.

For the passionate Southwestern style decorator, these authentic Native American crafts will fit perfectly in your home's decorating theme:

Native American Four Corners Traditionally Painted Wedding Vase Pottery

Navajo Hand Coiled Pine Pitch Pottery Indian Pottery

Mata Ortiz Hand Coiled Turquoise Indian Pottery

One of a Kind White Pot Genuine Hand Coiled Unique Horse Hair Pottery by potter Natalie Jetter

Wholesale Lot of Mata Ortiz Hand Coiled Native Deluxe Pottery Set of Six

Golf Trophy Kachina Doll Collection Sunface Kachina Doll Navajo Made Signed

Set of Three Sculpted Miniature Native American Kachina Dolls

Open Edition Canvas Transfer "Turn of the Century Dandy" Indian Oil Painting by Kevin Redstar

Native American Art Vintage Stamped Leather Morning Singer Kachina Painting



Visit my Native American and Southwestern page for more authentic Southwestern decor.