Southwestern Decor: Living in Style

Southwestern decor is a style that has been popular for decades. It’s not just about furniture or accents, either – it’s about the entire look and feel of your home.

Southwestern style is a vibrant, earth-toned design that’s perfect for those looking to implement an authentic Native American feel into their home. This type of decoration has been around since Spanish settlers first arrived in America and used traditional building methods alongside local materials they found on site – which means you can bring this old-world charm right into your own living space!

Nowadays it’s easy to find all kinds of Southwestern decor in home goods stores – everything from rugs to night lights (seriously). And you can achieve the look even if your budget is limited by shopping for vintage pieces at flea markets or thrift stores. You’ll be amazed at how well they go with the rest of your décor.

Now for some color! Most Southwestern decor involves earthy colors like reds, browns, oranges, yellows, and greens – but it can also include black or white. The most popular patterns are zigzags (sometimes called Navajo stripes), triangles, and diamonds.

Here are some tips for achieving the Southwestern look – even if you don’t have any of these decorations in your home:

• Start with neutral colors like tans, beige, cream, or white as a base and add pops of color with accessories.
• Use wall art that features simple shapes (squares, rectangles, and circles) in a color scheme similar to the ones mentioned above.
• Southwestern home decor is characterized by bold colors and patterns.
• The most popular color scheme for southwestern homes involves earthy, warm colors like reds, browns, oranges, yellows, and greens – but can also include black or white.
• Shapes that work well in a southwest style are squares, rectangles, and circles.
• Mix different patterns together with ease – don’t be afraid of making bold choices!
• Customize your space by adding items that are personally meaningful (like family photos or souvenirs from vacations).
• Mix different patterns together with ease – don’t be afraid of making bold choices!
• Customize your space by adding items that are personally meaningful (like family photos or souvenirs from vacations).

There are two main categories when it comes to southwestern wall décor: rustic & traditional art deco patterns. Rustic southwestern decor features earthy colors and patterns, including southwestern flowers. Traditional art deco decor is more modern in appearance, featuring simple geometrical shapes with pops of bright color.

The History of Southwestern Decor

The history of today’s Southwestern decor starts with Navajo rugs, which were made by Native American people in the southwest. The design is characterized by colorful geometric shapes and designs that are considered to be one-of-a-kind works of art. It wasn’t long before the colors and patterns became popular for home décor items like pillows, wall hangings, and paintings.

This style first grew in popularity as Spanish settlers moved into the area. They brought with them furniture styles that were popular at home. But some pieces were hard to move and even harder to recreate using the available materials. As a result, they started making their own furniture from local natural materials such as cactus wood or cottonwood branches. This created a unique blend of the “Wild West” and traditional Spanish designs to create what is now known as Southwestern decor. The look caught on quickly, and pretty soon there was a market for these Mexican-inspired designs across the country.

Popular Southwestern Decor Images

Cow Skull: This is one of the most popular southwestern wall décor items and it’s easy to see why! One look at this rustic painting and you’ll be transported back in time.

Cacti: Cactus plants are another popular choice when it comes to designing a southwestern space because they can be used inside and outside the house. They add a pop of color and a natural, rustic vibe to your southwestern-themed home!

Cottonwood Branches: Also very common, these pieces make a great pairing – or they can also work well as standalone pieces depending on their size. They’re both textured with lots of different shades for an authentic appearance that fits perfectly into any Southwestern-themed space.

Copper Star Pendant Light: The shape, color, and shine all combine to create a beautiful piece perfect for hanging above your dining room table during dinner parties or family dinners. It goes best with more modern designs but looks just as good when paired with rustic pieces.

Geckos: These little lizards are a popular Southwestern-themed accent because of their unique patterns and the sound they make when you walk by them!

Kokopelli: Like geckos, this Southwestern-themed piece is very popular in southwestern decor. The flute-playing Kokopelli is a symbol of fertility and the spirit world. Whether you believe it or not, he’s bound to look great in your southwestern space!

Talavera tiles: Talavera tiles are a traditional Mexican art form that dates back to the Spanish occupation of Mexico. The bright colors, beautiful patterns, and unique shapes all combine to create an impressive piece you’ll want for your southwestern-themed home!

Geometric Patterns: Geometric shapes and patterns are a very common southwest decor image. Regardless of the color you use, they create an abstract but still-recognizable pattern that everyone will love!

Otomi: This Southwestern-themed piece is another popular item because it’s so versatile. The geometric pattern and bright colors can fit into just about any southwestern décor style, from rustic to traditional art deco!

Clay Pots: Nothing says Southwestern-themed home decor like a set of clay pots. Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor design elements, they’ll look fantastic in your southwestern space!

Chili Peppers: A popular southwestern-themed element, chili peppers are one of the most frequently used items in southwestern home decor. It’s easy to see why when you look at them – they’re bright, colorful, and fun!

Feathers: Like chili peppers, feathers are a very common element of southwestern-style decor. They’re beautiful and unusual – and they add just the right amount of flair to your southwestern space!

Coyotes: Another southwestern element that everyone will recognize, coyote statues and figures are perfect for outdoor living areas. They’re also an excellent addition to any room – as long as you don’t mind the rather striking look!

Desert Rocks: Desert rocks are another southwestern staple that has been around for centuries. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – from small pebbles to huge boulders! Their rustic look makes them a perfect pairing for other southwestern decor items.

Terra Cotta: Terra cotta is another Mexican art form that’s been around since the 1800s. It uses earth tones to create some truly unique pieces with a southwestern flair! They’ll look great in your home or garden!

Saguaro Cacti: Saguaros are the most recognizable kind of cactus out there; everyone knows what one looks like. They’re a great southwestern element that can add just the right amount of flair to your home.

Tumbleweeds: You’ll find tumbleweeds in many western movies and television shows. They look fantastic on their own – but you can also hang them up on the wall for a three-dimensional southwestern flair.

Tuscan & Mediterranean Designs: Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself entirely to a single southwestern theme – why not mix in some Tuscan and Mediterranean designs, which blend perfectly into a Southwestern-inspired home!

Southwestern Decor Accents

Light Fixtures: Whether you want to go with an iron chandelier or some other kind of pendant lighting fixture, make sure it’s got some southwestern flair to it! You can find all kinds of iron lighting fixtures with Southwestern-themed elements that will suit your décor just right.

If you’re looking for something a little more ornate, make sure to check out Southwestern-themed stained glass lamps! With intricate patterns and vibrant colors, they’ll be the perfect finishing touch to any southwestern room.

Southwestern Wall Decor: From wall clocks with an old western feel or cactus-shaped candles holders – you can find southwestern-themed wall decor for every room!

Southwestern Rugs: An excellent idea is to combine a number of elements from this list into your Southwestern rug. If you have a southwestern themed bedroom, choose an area rug with the Kokopelli figure or geckos on it. For living rooms and dining rooms, you can go with a patterned rug or one that has animal prints on it.

Southwestern Metal Wall Art: For a southwestern accent wall, you can go with metal wall art. It’s a great way to add some southwestern flair without committing too much of your wall space!

Southwestern Canvas Art: Whether you want to grab a southwestern painting or print of any of the common southwestern icons. With canvas wall art, there’s something for every room in your home! You’ll find paintings depicting everything from desert landscapes and Southwestern-themed wildlife to cacti and chili peppers.

Southwest Style Stained Glass: If you’re looking for something a little less common, why not try some southwestern-style stained glass windows? They will give any room in your home that unique and unusual look.

Southwestern Pictographs: A great way to bring the Southwestern theme into your bathroom is with southwestern-themed art of pictographs! There’s no better way to bring a sense of history into your home.

Rustic Cabinets: If you’re looking for a more rustic feel, cabinets made from cactus wood are the way to go! They come in many different styles and designs, and they’ll add a southwestern flair that everyone will notice.

Southwestern Tapestry Wall Hangings: Another great idea is to go with a tapestry wall hanging. These gorgeous, woven treasures help you bring the beauty and the warmth of the Southwestern theme into any room in your home.

Cow Skin Rugs: No Southwestern-themed decor is complete without these gorgeous, brightly colored cow rugs! They’re perfect for outdoor living areas like the patio or porch – and you can even bring them inside if you want to be daring with your décor!

Native Motif Blankets: Another beautiful southwestern element, these bright blankets are a great addition to any room – as long as you don’t mind the bold patterns.

Live Cacti & Succulents: Whether you want indoor plants or outdoor living elements, these cacti and succulents are perfect for adding some southwestern flair! They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures – so you can find something to fit your personal décor style.

Hammocks: No Southwestern-themed decor is complete without a hammock or two! Whether indoors or outdoors, they’re a great place for you and your guests to relax. They’re also easy to move around, so if you want one inside as well as outside, no problem!

Mexican Paper Mache: A popular style in Mexican artwork, paper mache is also a southwestern decor staple. It comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes – from masks to animals to bowls! You can even find furniture made out of it if you’re looking for something special.

Southwestern Accent Pillows: Tapestry woven throw pillows are one of the best ways to add some southwestern charm to your home. Not only do they feature some stunning southwestern imagery, but the woven texture adds an additional depth to the decor accents.

Palm Fronds & Grass Skirts: Another common element in southwestern-style decor, these elements are perfect for outdoor design. They’re excellent accents to any room – and they’ll make you feel like you’re on vacation!

Southwestern Style Textiles

Natural materials are common for this style, including cotton, wool & silk fabrics with earthy colors and patterns inspired by nature – think cacti flowers, birds of paradise, pineapples, etc.

Just remember that the trend is all about authenticity! If you’re adding a southwestern rug to your home or even just adorning an accent wall with fabric prints – make sure it’s actually made locally.

Not only because it will be more authentic but also since these carpets tend to hold up better over time than their Chinese-made counterparts.

The right textiles can really take your southwestern home to another level. Here’s what you need to know about choosing them.

Cotton: Cotton is a classic southwestern textile and it’s easy to see why! It has that same rustic charm as the furniture, but with added durability. Plus those earthy colors just work perfectly in this style of design!

Canvas: This type of fabric looks great when paired with any kind of piece – no matter what the texture is like. It’s very versatile and easy to clean, which makes it a great choice for Southwestern decor!

Denim: If you’re looking for something more modern or industrial, denim may be your best bet. This type of fabric has been around for centuries and its popularity isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – so why not use it to your advantage?

Leather: Finally, we have leather! This is an unexpected choice but one that works very well with the southwestern decor. It’s also surprisingly versatile and durable so you don’t need to worry about putting a lot of effort into maintaining this piece.

Southwestern Decor Colors

Just like any decor style, Southwestern home decor has its own color scheme.

This includes rustic earth tones. Think of the desert and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what these colors look like! Browns, reds, oranges… they’re all popular choices for southwestern decor. Black is also common – but it’s usually used as an accent color so don’t go crazy with it or your room will end up looking a little too somber.

Of course, you can’t forget grey! It’s a great neutral that looks good with most other colors, but it also works well on its own as an accent color or even the main focus of your southwestern decor scheme.

Finally – don’t be afraid to mix and match your colors. Southwestern colors tend to be balanced in such a way that they fit together.

The best part is that you don’t need to follow any color rules religiously! As long as you keep the spirit of this style in mind, then your decor can go just about any direction and still look fantastic.

Turquoise: This is one of the most popular colors for southwestern design because it’s so versatile and easy to work with! You can pair any shade of turquoise with just about anything – which is why this color works perfectly as a base for southwestern decor.

Gold: Gold is another versatile color that works well with Southwestern design, especially when paired with turquoise and reds/oranges for a truly authentic look. If you’re going to use this shade of gold, remember one important thing – it’s not the same as modern-day “champagne” or “pewter” gold!

Red: Red is another common color in Southwestern decor, especially when paired with oranges and yellows (for a “sunset”-inspired look). You can use this shade of red on its own if you’re looking for something bold; just remember that it may clash with other colors.

Yellow: Yellow is great as a background color for southwestern decor because it’s bright and vibrant! Just be careful when using a dark shade of yellow – since this tends to make the other colors look dull in comparison.

Tan: And of course, we have the color tan! This is a classic southwestern color that’s made a big impact on the design world. It works well as a neutral backdrop for more vibrant colors and it can be paired with just about anything – which makes this shade worth considering if you’re looking to achieve Southwestern decor styles in your home.

Orange: This is another popular Southwestern accent color that should not be overlooked if you want your decor to really pop. In fact, it’s best to use this color sparingly but you can also pair it with reds and yellows for a bolder, more vibrant look.

Blue: Blue is another great accent color that pairs well with the base colors of turquoise, gold & orange (and any shades in between). You may be surprised by how many different shades of blue you could use for southwestern decor…

Green: Green is another color that works well if it’s used sparingly! It can also be paired with other colors like purples and lavenders. Sometimes green is even referred to as “Southwestern camouflage” because it blends in so seamlessly – just remember it should never overpower the base palette.

Gray: Gray is a popular color when decorating in Southwestern style, especially if it’s paired with neutral shades like browns and beiges. You can use this shade on its own or you could pair it with subtle accent colors – just remember to keep the overall palette simple!

Purple: Purple works well as an accent color for southwestern home decor, especially when paired with blues, greens, or browns. Just remember that this color may clash if it’s used on its own!

Brown: Brown is another great neutral shade that works well in Southwestern design because of how versatile and easy to work with it is. This color can be used as a base (just like white) or you can pair it with teals, blues & greens for more of a “jungle”-inspired look.

White: Finally, we have white! This color works very well in southwestern decor because it allows all the other colors to stand out – but not too much that they become overwhelming. You don’t want your Southwestern decor to look too “busy” (like a fruit salad) so keep it simple with white as your base or use it sparingly!

Taupe: The final color you should know about is taupe, which can sometimes be hard to find. However, it’s definitely worth the effort because this shade works really well with beautiful southwestern decor!

Southwestern Decor Patterns

Aztec: Aztec designs are one of the most popular patterns that you’ll find in southwestern decor, especially on rugs and tapestries. This pattern is also sometimes referred to as “Mayan” or “Aztec revival”.

Bold Geometrics: Bold geometric patterns are another popular pattern in southwestern decor and can be used for everything from pillows and rugs, all the way up to interior paint! These bold colors and shapes work perfectly with the Southwestern style.

Coordinate Colors: When it comes to southwestern decor, you can’t go wrong with coordinating colors! This pattern looks great on rugs and pillows but you could also use this for wall paint or even bedding.

Cobblestone: Cobblestone patterns are commonly found in Southwestern kitchens & bathrooms because of how seamlessly they blend together. These muted colors work great as a background for southwestern decor because they don’t distract from the other colors.

Plaid: Plaid patterns are another popular design in Southwestern decors, especially when paired with reds and oranges! You can use this pattern on its own or you could coordinate it together – just remember that it may clash if used indiscriminately.

Trellis: Trellis patterns are another popular design in southwestern decor because they’re simple yet elegant. These muted colors work great as a background for southwestern decor because they don’t distract from the other colors.

How to Achieve the Southwestern Look?

The first step toward achieving a beautiful Southwestern decor style is deciding what direction you want to take things: rustic or traditional?

Next, it’s important to take a look at the size of your space. If you have smaller rooms or homes, stick to pieces that are no more than three feet in height – this will help keep the room feeling open and airy instead of stuffed with too many decorations. Also remember that less is often more when it comes to southwestern decor, so don’t go overboard with too many pieces.

If your space is larger or you want to fill it up more, there are no limits! Just be sure that the height of each piece matches its width and depth – this will help keep things balanced instead of looking like a hodgepodge mess.

Once you have your pieces picked out, you’ll need to arrange them in a way that makes the most sense.

Start by looking at what they are and how they work together – this will help determine where each one should go so it doesn’t get lost among larger pieces or obstruct smaller ones. Once you’ve got everything placed just right, take a step back and look at the room – you should like what you see!

Southwestern home decor can be tricky to get right – it takes a special eye for color and pattern. But when you do nail the look, your space will feel complete!

Southwestern Decor: Living in Style

As you can tell by now, this look can be achieved by mixing together different textiles such as cotton rugs or wall hangings (teepee style), pillows, and throws that are all inspired by life in the desert.

The key to achieving the Southwestern look is using lots of patterned fabrics instead of solid-colored ones – it’s all about mixing & matching!

Today many people are interested in recreating this southwestern aesthetic inside their homes but aren’t exactly sure where to start – after all, it can be tough to find the right items when your local stores are filled with tacky imported furniture! But don’t worry, there’s a solution.

Just browse through our site for southwestern decor ideas and you’ll be able to create an entire look in no time – or use these inspirations as starting points for developing your own style based on whatever materials & colors suit your home best.

So whether you’re interested in adding Southwestern-style wall art deco patterns, rugs, blankets, pillows, etc., we’ve got what you need.

Southwestern style is a great way to add charm to any home – you just have to be willing to go all-in with the look!

Southwestern home decor is a unique way to bring the spirit of the desert into your own living space – all you have to do now is go out there and find it!

Now that you know all there is to know about Southwestern decor, it’s time for you to plan out your own home! The history and images listed above should be enough inspiration for anyone who loves the rustic look. So what are you waiting for? Get started today and soon