Escape to Sunny Mexico

Can't get away for a southern vacation this year? Don't despair -- plan a sunny Mexican style refresher for your patio décor and enjoy the festive atmosphere of a hacienda at home this summer.

As with every other decorating style, Mexican décor has its own basic elements.

Color

  • The predominant color in the sunny Mexican look is yellow -- bright, cheery and warm. If you're lucky enough to be working with an outdoor space that abuts a stucco house exterior, consider painting the stucco yellow or soft terracotta. Otherwise, fashion walls for your space from a fence, a screen or a trellis painted an uplifting sunny hue.

  • Accent the yellow with bright blue or vivid turquoise. Shades of terracotta, red, orange and bright pink are also popular.

Furniture

  • Furniture made of heavy wood looks most authentic in Mexican style decorating. Small rough-hewn side tables are suitable. If you can't get heavy wooden furnishing, paint simple wooden folding chairs bright yellow and blue.

  • Alternatively, use wrought iron or hammered metal furniture. The Mexican influence of these materials can be also be used in gate hinges or accessories such as candlesticks.

Tiles

  • Mexico is justly famous for its beautiful tiles -- either unfinished terracotta or those with bold glazed patterns of flowers or other objects in shades of yellow, blue and red.

  • Consider clay floor tiles to give a concrete slab patio a fresh new look. If tiling is not in your budget, get creative with paint as we did on this city balcony. http://www.paradiseporch.com/before_after.html

  • If you're serious about the Mexican look, tile the roof of your outdoor space with red clay tiles.

  • Use brightly colored tiles on a table or a tray. Carry the terracotta theme with clay plant pots.

Fabric

  • Roughly woven natural fibers, such a cotton tablecloths or woven rope chair seats, work best in this decorating scheme.

  • Use a brightly colored wool serape as a scatter mat, throw, or "wall" hanging.

  • This is the perfect setting for a rope hammock for that afternoon siesta.

  • Use striped fabric in primary colors for cushion covers.

Accessories

  • Accessorize your Mexican-styled space with wrought iron candlesticks or grille work.

  • Fish and bird motifs (such as roosters or parrots) are good, especially if made of clay or tile.

  • Carry the bright colors into the plantings in your space. Nasturtiums are ideal for hanging baskets or the lattice you've installed. If you're growing zucchini or other squash, consider planting them near the patio, so that the blossoms add to your atmosphere.

  • If you want to get away from the yellow in your flowers, use bougainvillaea, pastel poppies or broadleaf greenery such as yucca plants.

  • Heap a rope basket with apricots, guavas or pears. Alternatively, you can make oversized paper mâché replicas or paint wooden yard-sale fruits.

Try a few of these ideas and before you know it, you'll be sipping margueritas and crunching tortillas in your very own Mexican courtyard.

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide "Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden" is now available on her web site. Visit her at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com.

Latest News


Garden Calendar
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Dec 3, 2008
ONGOING Lakewold Gardens: The 10-acre garden estate offers a haven of gardening delights, historical features, statuary, landscape architecture by Thomas ...

The last of the lawncare -- there's still time
Franklin Park Herald Journal, IL - 10 hours ago
... Boots Landscaping in Arlington Heights, "but there still are a couple of things to do." Cannon's suggestions range from lawn care to gardening tasks, ...

Garden calendar for Dec. 4
The Columbian, WA - 11 hours ago
Naturally Beautiful Backyards: Free volunteer training in gardening and landscaping. Thursdays 6-9 pm, January 22 through March 26, at Clark County 78th ...

Gardening: Fruity behavior
Marconews, FL - 1 hour ago
Eileen Ward and her husband, Peter, own and operate Greensward of Marco Inc., a lawn maintenance and landscaping company. Besides completing horticultural ...

Gardening Texoma: Winter flowers for spring
KXII-TV, TX - 3 hours ago
This morning on Gardening Texoma, landscaping expert Jonathan Castro shows you what to do now in the winter time for beautiful spring flowers. ...

Botanical Garden Collects Used Plastic Pots
Lawn & Landscape, OH - Dec 3, 2008
Over the last five years, the program has further expanded to include collections from “green” industry businesses such as landscaping contractors, ...

Weekly waterings should help plants survive through winter
Las Vegas Review - Journal, NV - 10 hours ago
What advice can you give on winter care of a recently planted desert landscaping? I have lantana, Mexican bird of paradise, red fountain grass and others. ...

Gardeners love Christmastime
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, CA - 21 hours ago
Many of us have new gardeners in our lives. Our kids may have just bought a house and dislike the landscaping. Or they've been hearing about habitat gardens ...

Examiner.com

Native landscaping versus xeriscaping
Examiner.com - Dec 2, 2008
by Jaime Zaplatosch, Chicago Gardening Examiner Many people use the word "xeriscaping" liberally to refer to landscapes that don't require much or any water ...

Pride of Ownership '08: City, Rotary announce award winners
Ithaca Journal, NY - 10 hours ago
Minn's Garden Gate began as a practical barrier to deer but became artwork under the guidance of professor Nina Bassuk, landscape architect Laurene Gilbert ...

Resources


    Sorry there are no resources available at this time