Modernize Your Tuscan Style in 5 Easy Steps
Faux finishes, fake greenery, heavy woodwork: Walk into any home decorated in the early 2000s and it feels like you’re waiting for a table at Olive Garden. Two decades later, that trademark Tuscan palette of deep red, gold and brown is suffocating.
An astonishing thing happened last year. A well-built home on a corner lot in a South Tampa neighborhood in the Plant school district sat on the market for four months before selling at $290 per square foot. Meanwhile, neighboring homes in worse condition on less desirable lots were selling at $375 per square foot within minutes of hitting the market.
The home finally sold at $185,000 under value. What went on here? Well, several key words from the listing—countryside, Provençe, Portuguese, terracotta—are code for “Old World.” And in case you haven’t heard, Old World is out. Indeed, the search for “Tuscan style homes” has dropped 83% since its peak in 2004.
Even if you’re not planning on selling your home, if you still live in Tuscan splendor, it’s time for a major refresh. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert to breathe new life into your Old World abode. I’ve drawn on my experience as interior designer, home staging business owner and real estate agent to help.
Live, laugh, love
First things first. Anything depicting vineyards. Anything that says live, laugh, love. Fake greenery. Plastic grapes. Handled-urns. Elaborate candlestick holders. Everything on top of your kitchen cabinets. Get rid of it. All of it.
Embrace warm white
When you think Old World, you think warm brick, warm wood, warm walls. Neutralize those gold and bronze tones with a warm white shade. It’ll pair well with finishes that are harder to replace and makes your space instantly airier.
Boot the backsplash
A pretty backsplash is high on the wishlist of buyers, but in any Tuscan home worth its salt, there’ll be a backsplash that simply has. to. go. Swap it out for large subway tiles or a beefy quartz slab.
Hey look, more vineyards
That deep red faux-finished accent wall? The enormous wine country mural? Paint over every bit of it with a warm neutral like Greek Villa, White Dover or Cornforth White.
It ain’t heavy, it’s your décor
Everything about Old World style is heavy: Colors, fixtures, furniture, heavy, heavy, heavy. Not to worry, there’s a counterbalance for every challenge.
1) Remove the heavy drapes. Let the windows go bare if possible, or tie the room together with a neutral valence.
2) That curly wrought iron fireplace screen? Toss it. Don’t replace it. Clean that fireplace and mantle like your mom’s coming over.
3) Replace those heavy, ornate chandeliers with sleek, streamlined, modern lighting.
4) If budget permits, go out and get some lighter, neutral furniture. If you can only get one piece, invest in a gorgeous Chesterfield sofa in a soft warm gray or natural linen.
