Tuscany Style Paint Colors for Interior Decorating

Color Guidelines

• To best reflect the colors of Tuscany, choose a mixture of subdued earthy tones and primary colors that gently blend together in a windswept fashion that looks gracefully aged. Incorporate gray based tones into the decor, use colors of nature rather than harsh fabricated hues that let the colors flow together instead of having definitive lines between them. A good guideline for color mixing is a piece of Tuscan art or an authentic Tuscan tile that mixes and matches the colors of the countryside in a natural, flowing style.

Yellow and Orange

• Although these colors can be startling and brash, with a Tuscan influence they become warm and inviting. Yellow Tuscan inspired paints are the colors of just picked golden pears, locally produced olive oil, freshly blooming sunflowers, plump summer squash and zucchini blossoms. Tuscan orange colors range from the awe-inspiring shades of rising and setting suns on the horizon to the rich deep colors of terra cotta pots and the shades of fallen autumn leaves.

Green and Blue

• The hills and valleys of Tuscany are flush with the assorted green shades of tall grasses, leaves of fruit trees, olive groves and grapevines. If the green paint you choose is a bit too bright, tone it down with a few drops of brown to achieve a more natural color. Blue paint for Tuscan decorating can range from the soft, baby blue of a summer sky to the deep, piercing azure of the Mediterranean Sea.

Other Tuscany Colors

• Touches of tomato red in Tuscan decorating accent the depth of the earth tones, as do splashes of reddish colors such as cinnamon, burgundy and bronze. The interiors of Tuscan homes are often painted a creamy white with trims, furniture and cabinets painted in various colors such as ocher and mustard.

Textural Touches

• To bring out the best in Tuscany paint colors, choose accessories made from natural, highly tactile materials. Brown or burgundy leather covered chairs and sofas that look slightly worn go well with Tuscan colors, as do accessories that include natural fibers such as burlap, stone, wood, wicker and straw.