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Spanish
Interior Design
By: Claire Willmschen

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Claire Willmschen
Ms. Ivey
Interior Design II Honors
4 May 2015
Spanish Interior Design
Spain is a very important country in Western Europe with a rich history that has been
around for longer than time can count. The written history of Spain begins when it became part
of the Roman Empire in 206 BC and remained part of it until around 300 AD. At the marriage of
two Catholic heirs to the Spanish thrown in 1479 it became a Catholic Monarch that remained
until the Spanish Empire was formed. However, this empire was ended with economic problems
evolving with the New World colonies formed by Christopher Columbus and other explorers.
These colonies helped to spread the Spanish
culture, language, and interior design to the
Americas. By the 20th century, almost all
Spanish-American colonies had declared their
independence from Spain, creating their own
culture. Spain continues today as a democracy.
Spanish interior design is very complemented by other European powers such as Italy
and France because of the heavy trade between the countries in the 15th century. These three
countries specifically used the same materials (silk, wood, wrought iron) to create individual
style.
Interior design in Spain today has many key features. These features stand out and are
easily recognized as being Spanish. Texture, material, and color play a big role in a typical

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Spanish home. Walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, and accessories all have different known features
that make them obviously Spanish design.
The walls and ceilings are generally finished with smooth stucco texture, or a faux stucco
finish. Brush strokes or sponge patterns create
dimension and texture on the walls and ceilings.
Warm and cool shades of earth tones, burnt
orange, chocolate brown, indigo blue, and deep
reds are regular colors that can be found on the
walls. Wood beams, paneling, and colorful tiles
are also a common wall and ceiling decoration. The floor in a Spanish home will almost never be
fully carpeted. A neutral or off-white hard flooring, wood or tile, is installed through the entire
home but is decorated by large, colorful rugs or
small throw carpets. The rugs are normally knotted
weave in staggered rows, showing an element of
Spanish lifestyle into the home. Furniture in a
Spanish-style home is often leather and dark
distressed wood. The wood will often be mahogany, walnut, ebony, butternut, teak, and
rosewood. The furniture in a Spanish home is used to contrast the soft arches and curved, carved
wood. Leather armchairs with straight backs or heavy wood chairs and benches with woven
fabrics are common sights. Rooms are accessorized with hung tapestries, colorful, patterned tiles,
and wrought iron finishes. Decorations are often handmade ceramic vases or bowls, another
element of Spanish culture in the room.

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Spanish colonial design can be found in several places in the United States. Like I said
before, Spanish culture and interior design was brought to the Americas during the colonization
period. The interior design is commonly found in homes in California, Texas, and Florida, areas
in the southern United States. These states are close to the southern border of the United States
and are closer to Mexico and other Central American countries that were originally colonized by
Spain the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. In other parts of the country, Spanish design is at great
contrast. Neutral or muted colors are more popular colors in modern American design. Straight
lines are also common in modern homes, unlike the whimsical, natural look in a Spanish home.
The room that I am designing is a Spanish-inspired family or gathering room. The walls
will be off-white plaster. The flooring will be dark hardwood with a large patterned rug in the
middle. There will be a fireplace on the wall right of the door. There is a window on the same
wall as the door and on the opposite wall of the door. The windows will have light, airy curtains
covering them, or bordering them when the family wants to let sunshine in. There will be a
leather couch with a matching leather chair framing the fireplace. Also around the fireplace, there
will be smaller, leather chairs that can be easily moved. In the center of the seating area will be a
round coffee table with iron legs. The lighting will be classic glass or wooden lamps and
chandeliers. It will have decorative pillows and artwork to create a homey feel.
As you have seen Spanish culture and interior design originates from long ago. Its beauty
has been passed for generations and across many borders. Not only does this design reflect the
culture and lifestyle of the Spanish people, but it also represents a rich history of love and family.

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Works Cited
"Decor To Adore: Spanish Colonial Interiors." Decor To Adore: Spanish Colonial Interiors. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
Galindo, Michelle. Spanish Interior Design. Salenstein: Braun, 2011. Print.
Labarta, Luis. Spanish Decorative Ironwork: With over 300 Illustrations. Mineola, NY: Dover
Publications, 2000. Print.
"___ Spain." Spain. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
"The Spanish Inquisition - History of Spain | Don Quijote." DonQuijote. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr.
2015.
"Spanish Interior." Spanish Interior. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
"Spanish Interior Design - How to Get the Look." Interior Design It Yourself.com. N.p., n.d.
Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
"Spanish-Style Interior Home Design." Home Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.