How To Create The Perfect Italian Color Scheme for Your Home

In Italy, color exemplifies the country’s laidback Mediterranean lifestyle.
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When I think of Italy, sun-kissed colors come to mind and transport me to my favorite Italian destinations. Whether it’s the turquoise waters of Puglia or the pastels of Liguria, the Italian color scheme reflects a laid-back lifestyle inspired by its climate, landscapes, and rich culture.

Color is directly related to our well-being: how we feel, how we behave, and how we interact with others. It’s a simple yet powerful tool. Most importantly, we can utilize it to transform our homes and inject a touch of la dolce vita. Life is much slower here, so when you introduce an Italian-inspired color scheme in your home, it’ll encourage you to do exactly that. Slow down, come together, and celebrate the simple pleasures in your everyday life.

Here are my favorite shades for creating a dreamy Italian color palette in your home.

Terracotta

Terracotta, which translates to “baked earth,” is a ubiquitous color and material throughout Italy. Simple, rustic, and soothing, it captures the essence of il bel paese in all its orange beauty. Terracotta owes its rich color to the presence of iron oxide in the clay. It can be used in its natural form with tiles and vases or painted onto walls. This will inject bold, wrap-around warmth into any space.

From deep rust to soft corals, this color comes in various tones and is the perfect hue for encouraging conversation. Terracotta looks especially good painted as an accent on the ceiling or a two-toned wall.

Nature Inspired Neutrals

Italy is famous for using local, raw materials in its handicrafts and architecture—a celebration of the natural environment and its resources. Introducing warm whites, soft beiges, and earthy taupes creates a perfect natural backdrop in your home. One that will leave you feeling calm and relaxed in no time. Wrap these colors onto walls, woodwork, and even ceilings. Not only is this a typical Mediterranean look, but it will visually expand your space, as there are fewer contrasts. Place figurative artwork, modern lighting, and hand-crafted objects against this neutral canvas to create warmth and depth for your own little slice of paradiso.

Green

Green is nature’s neutral: the color of balance and harmony. Transport yourself to the olive groves of Sicily, the sweeping valleys of Tuscany, or the glistening lakes in the Dolomites with green. Whether soft sage or rich olive hues. Although I love the idea of enveloping the whole room in green, upcycling furniture or painting your kitchen cabinets is another great way to bring the natural world inside your home.

Pink

Move aside millennial pink. Italian-inspired pinks are all about the earthy undertones with the dusty, romantic hues of the setting sun and painted houses. Pink is a physically soothing color, so use this on all four walls and you’ll instantly feel your shoulders drop and your body relax. Pink is also the perfect accent color. Paint the kitchen cabinets in this color for a contemporary twist on the Mediterranean style and pair it with terracotta finishes and lots of greenery.

Teal

From Puglia to Sardegna, the Italian coastline is dotted with rocky coves and sandy beaches featuring crystal-clear turquoise water in endless shades of teal. A beautiful blend of blue and green, teal gives you the best of both worlds: the balance of green, with the calm of blue for the ultimate spa-like feel. Traveling around Italy I have seen this color on a lot of front doors, but if you want to paint your interiors in this gorgeous hue, use teal for the bedroom walls, living room, or home office. Cue all the zen vibes.

Finishing Touches

When it comes to color, what really creates the impact and determines the mood, is the combination of colors you use. Your color scheme won’t just come from the paint color. It will come from the whole interior design—the finishes, materials, textiles, furniture, and personal objects that tell your story.

Italy is famous for its design and artisanship, and the country’s slow approach to life is reflected in its beautiful handmade objects. Here are some of my favorite Italian homeware brands to give your spaces that finishing touch.

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