subject: What You Need To Know To Create A Southwestern Theme For Your Fireplace Mantel [print this page] The southwestern style is a very natural and comfortable style for any room and using your fireplace as a focal point in a southwestern room is not only natural; it is almost a given. The rustic aesthetic or the southwestern style hearkens to hearth and home, and naturally centers on the fireplace. You can make your room feel inviting, homespun, and naturally appealing when you decorate your mantel in Southwestern style and combine metal wall sculpture alongside natural elements.
American Indian and Mexican Accessories
Use rustic texture and geometric shapes to get an authentic Southwestern style feeling. Both Indian and Mexican influences create natural and balanced design pulling colors largely from nature. Though neither one is afraid of bright and bold color either. Both of these influences use natural textures as well as natural material. In a room with lightly colored walls, mount a roughly hewn log for the mantel to bring a little of the outside inside. Another choice is to paint the wall over the fireplace a darker version of the wall color. For instance, if the walls are a light ivory color, you might choose a butter yellow over the fireplace or even add outdoor metal wall decor. This way you can highlight the fireplace as the focal point without overpowering the room.
Color and Texture
Hand woven baskets and fabrics as well as handmade pots and terracotta tiles are abundant in Southwestern style. A cluster of hand made tiles above the fireplace makes a festive display. Hanging a cluster of native baskets is not only a conversation piece, but it is colorful as well. A wall hanging or tapestry either in bright colors or earth tones pulls the eye upwards and above the fireplace cementing it as the room's focal point. By displaying a hand thrown pottery vase on the mantelpiece filled with colorful wildflowers, you can give your mantel a real southwestern look. By adding additional texture in the form of wrought iron wall sconces or candlestick holders you are rounding out the textures displayed on the mantel and bringing a southwestern look to life. When displaying items on the mantelpiece, you can line up pairs of items for a symmetrical look, or display items in groups of three for a less ordered appearance to your display.
Final Touches
Of course the southwestern style is strongly influenced by both Mexican and Indian style, so the rustic blankets and baskets from each culture are probably more alike than different. By using a large, hand woven basket as a holder for several colorful native blankets, you will always have a cozy quilt to snuggle under to watch TV or read. The native blankets are generally very colorful, and add a beautiful bright spot to the fireplace. Of course you can choose to use blankets that are all in one color family like earth tones, or you may choose assorted bright colors like turquoise, yellow and magenta. The bright colors give the sense of a basket of wild flowers freshly picked from the garden.
Southwestern style is invariably appropriate. The look is simple and colorful and works just as well in the summer as it does in the winter. It is a perfect spot for displaying holiday decorations and beautiful on its own any time of year.
What You Need To Know To Create A Southwestern Theme For Your Fireplace Mantel
