Europeans have mastered the art of the door knocker.
Photo by
Fiona Kennan
Feel like a Euro holiday but don’t fancy the travel hassle? How about adding some European ideas to your own home or holiday property here in Oz.
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STORY: JOHN LEWIS
There are plenty of websites to browse for ideas on interiors and exteriors in a bewildering variety of European styles, from Spanish, Mediterranean and French to English, Croatian, Italian and Scandinavian.
There are even places to look at and buy whole plans, such as houseplans.com
You don’t have to rebuild your entire home in a European style, there are ways to transform a room or an exterior nook.
We’ve put some ideas together to get you inspired.
Knock, knock
Your front door is the first thing visitors see, so it’s a chance to establish a style straight away.
A bold brass or painted metal door knocker is a great way to say welcome to little Italy, sunny Spain or anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Just make sure your door is up to the task of hosting a heavy knock.
Try the subtle colour palette of Italian modernist Giorgio Morandi for an interior Euro feel.
Photo by
Wiki Art
Stay subtle on the palette
Inside, try wood panelling for the Scandi look, exposed beams in hallways and lounge rooms and exposed pipes in bathrooms for the English or Italian feel.
Handmade or bespoke light fittings, door knobs, handles or any handcrafted fixture lend an old-world artisan touch to interiors.
Colour palettes in subtle creams, blues, yellows and greens help establish the cool Euro interior.
Nothing too brash or bright — have a look at the paintings of Italian modernist Giorgio Morandi for inspiration.
A spray of colour on a windowsill says ‘hello’ in French, Italian or Spanish.
Photo by
Fiona Kennan
Hello sunshine
Outside, go for stone, brick, or mottled and washed pale stucco or a combination to conjure the British, Italian, Greek or east European feel. Gabled or steeper roofs in clay tile or slate complete the look.
For point of difference, details matter.
So try intricate chimneys with unique pots and caps. Rather than the usual roller door carport, how about the castle drawbridge-look using dark wood or metal with diagonal braces?
Shutters on windows are very ‘Med’, and windows that open outwards say ‘hello sunshine’ in French, Spanish, Greek and Italian.
Arched stone openings with keystones and ornamental patterns, faces or figures are very old-world.
Take a deep dive into history
In the end, adding a European touch to your home means looking at French country châteaux, Tuscan villas, whitewashed Greek villages, English Tudor manors, Spanish haciendas or Swiss and German chalets.
In fact, a look back into your own family history might provide some ideas. Happy hunting.
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