| Southwest Décor: Turn your
everyday abode into a charming casita
Millions of people live in the US Southwest but not everyone
has a condo in Vail, a cabin on the river, an historic
Victorian, or an original adobe. Most folks live in normal,
everyday homes, though many in the Southwest are stucco, some
are also frame, some are brick. With a little ingenuity, a small
budget, and some spare time, your home too can become the casa
of your dreams. First decide on the type of Southwest style you are looking for, and
this will depend partly on your existing structure. For instance, if you
are not on a concrete foundation, then adding the beautiful Spanish
tiles is not likely to be an option due to the underlying support they
require. What type of environment do you
want to create? Choose the décor and items you are drawn to the
most. They may be Mexican, Native-American, rustic/Old West, or
a combination. For example, this issue we have selected a
traditional Santa Fe style that you can recreate within the
boundaries of your own home. Let’s take a look at the |
Door on Canyon Road, Santa Fe - Staff photo
|
| characteristics found in traditional Santa Fe style so
that you may determine which of these you desire to
implement into your home. |
Externally, adobe was traditional but in most cases today is replaced
with stucco due to cost and labor.
|
Creating a courtyard or a garden
entryway, perhaps even gated. Old wooden gates or wrought iron
are perfect. Your courtyard could be your front yard or it may
be located elsewhere in your yard, it’s really a matter of
perspective and privacy, and should be an area where you can
feel safe, relaxed, and reflective.
For instance, the courtyard I created at my home is at the back of the
yard; a private garden, offering a respite from the household, the pets,
and the main street. Although not exactly traditional in location, it is
traditional within and that is what matters. Its entrance is through a
wooden arch, fenced with old, weathered, rustic logs of cedar, bordered
on one side by a shed, another by the honeysuckle-covered back fence, on
the third side by a picket fence. Pathways of flagstone wind through a
multitude of herbs, flowers and vines, leading either to the water pond
or around a loop and back out. An old wooden bench found in a neighbor’s
farm lends itself for watching beautiful sunsets, reading a book or
watching the many birds that land only inches away to drink from the
pond or feed on the native plants and grasses. A small rock garden
graces the entrance on one side containing a display of special
treasures, a bull’s scull, and a host of flowering annuals. An antique
birdhouse with the zia sun sign stands century above. Solar lighting
replaces traditional luminarios. Total cost was around $200 by utilizing
salvaged wood, garage sale finds, True Value, Loew’s, and starting many
plants from seed. |
An entranceway on
Canyon Road, Santa Fe - Staff photo |
A portal or long porch that extends the living space outdoors. Should
have a nice old, preferably wooden table for outdoor meals, garden work
or visiting. Some are covered in wood, some to match the roof, others in
bamboo or wire and vines. Similar to an Italian pergola.
An attractive heavy, brightly colored front door. All one need do is
take a trip up Santa Fe’s Canyon road for an idea of the traditional
Santa Fe door. Painted in the colors of Northern New Mexico, reds,
greens, blues, even pinks, and of course turquoise, they come in every
size and almost every color.
Leading into the interior, traditional flooring of the home is of tile
or brick. Depending on your foundation and your budget, this may be an
area of compromise. If compromise is necessary, and you are in an older
home, see what’s beneath, there may be an exquisite wood floor.
Otherwise, many home improvement centers now carry linoleum with
southwest façade, designs and colors ranging in price from expensive to
inexpensive remnants, as well as wood. The point is to create a
traditional feel in a non-traditional home. If children and pets are a
consideration, this will affect your selection in flooring as well.
A fireplace, which is of course referring to the traditional kiva
fireplace, usually curved and in a corner. Although there is no
substitute for the kiva, if you do not have a fireplace, there are many
free-standing units that range from the expensive to the inexpensive to
choose from. Adding the atmosphere and warmth of a fire in the home is
an important factor, creating ambiance and the feel of Santa Fe. Then
throw on some pinon logs, it's really the scent that counts!
Vigas, or wooden beams along the ceiling that protrude out through to
the exterior may prove difficult to reproduce in a modern dwelling, but
may at least be simulated by the addition of interior beams.
Nichos or carved wall spaces for display, were traditional in Santa Fe
style homes as well. In substitution, select a nice small, mounted
cabinet in a rustic wood with cabinet doors that open out, containing
one shelf inside. Suddenly you have a nicho.
Paint your kitchen cabinets brightly if desired. Many a Mexican
restaurant holds a wealth in example of kitchen and dining ideas,
especially the small, family-owned places that are more likely to
exemplify a personal touch.
Arched and curved doorways, though not a very plausible option in an
existing dwelling without a lot of expense and overhaul, can be an
option for your outdoor gardens, gates, or walls.
Furnishings are Mexican rustic, usually of solid wood, capturing an
old-world feel. Pieces are sometimes accented with color or hand-carved
details. Petroglyphs and traditional Southwest designs also play a role
as accents. Showrooms in Southwestern cities may be expensive, so a
search for smaller, local craftsmen may prove helpful to the budget as
well as garage sales, estate sales, and small used furniture or antique
shops, or watching the newspaper ads in your area.
Interiors are not fussy or busy or cluttered. Furniture is spaced with
an open feel and plenty of walk space. Add some chile ristras,
hand-painted earthenware, a chiminea, Mexican clay pots, pinon incense,
heavy hooks, hinges and hardware, and a lizard door-knocker, and enjoy
your Santa Fe style home. Now, salsa anyone?
Resources for suggested shopping:
Jackalope – great for accents, décor, garden items and Southwestern
trinkets, jackalope.com with locations in New Mexico and Colorado.
Budget-minded.
Cedar Classics, Wildorado, Texas – beautiful hand-crafted cedar
furniture
http://www.cedarclassics.com/index.html
Seret & Sons – high end imports
224 Galisteo, Santa Fe, New Mexico |
