| Designing your rooms around an ethnic theme | | | | Blankets and woven fabrics in bright colours, |
| can be exciting and fun and allows you to | | | | perhaps terra cotta pots and bowls, pine wood |
| bring elements of other cultures and distant | | | | is popular for furniture. Artefacts can |
| lands into your home. You can be more daring | | | | include symbols of the South West or from the |
| in your approach to colour and with such a | | | | Spanish influence, or from the Aztecs, Mayans |
| wide variety of textures and patterns | | | | and other ancient civilisations, all of which |
| available, this can collectively add a whole | | | | can add an interesting and authentic Mexican |
| new dimension to your interior design | | | | look and feel. |
| project. Unusual artefacts from different | | | | |
| cultures can work very well as focal points | | | | Asian Theme |
| in a room and as there are no hard and fast | | | | |
| rules to stick to and because there are so | | | | There are many variations within an Asian |
| many variations, you can go beyond the usual | | | | theme but two quite popular ones are Japanese |
| or traditional to portray a style that is not | | | | and Chinese. Japanese themes tend to lean |
| only beautiful, it is unique. | | | | towards a more minimalist look and have a |
| | | | tranquil and peaceful feel. Consider a futon |
| So what do we mean by ethnic? | | | | and using screens to get that Japanese |
| | | | ambience. Colours tend to be natural and |
| Ethnic basically means native or indigenous | | | | objects from nature often feature as focal |
| people from a particular area so in relation | | | | points, for example, smooth stones and |
| to Interior Design it means to bring the | | | | pebbles, water fountains and bonsai trees. |
| natural elements that are representative of | | | | Chinese themes on the other hand might |
| whatever culture, land or peoples you choose | | | | involve brighter and bolder colours, |
| to portray into your own home to define your | | | | lanterns, dragons and other mythological |
| space. | | | | creatures, artwork depicting the traditional |
| | | | people colours and landscapes and Chinese |
| Naturally the world is your oyster as they | | | | handwriting. |
| say so there are countless cultures to choose | | | | |
| from, all you have to do is bring a | | | | How to get started |
| particular ensemble of colours, patterns, | | | | |
| materials and artefacts together to create a | | | | Once you have established which particular |
| "look" that is recognisable and distinctive. | | | | ethnic culture appeals to you, browse through |
| What about a Mediterranean flavour, Native | | | | books and magazines and the Internet to get |
| American Indian symbolism, or perhaps Tibetan | | | | ideas that will spark off your own |
| Buddhism? Popular themes include African, | | | | imaginative flair. Identify what elements go |
| Mexican, and Asian but you can go with | | | | together to make up that particular look or |
| whatever inspires or appeals to you. Here are | | | | feel that you want to create. |
| a few ideas to get you started. | | | | |
| | | | Consider the walls, ceilings and floors |
| African Theme | | | | carefully as this will provide a base for you |
| | | | to work from and then you can add in the |
| Think of Africa and all that it conjures up | | | | details to finish it off. For example, is |
| in your mind, the landscape, the sounds, the | | | | the texture and appearance of the walls and |
| smells, the colours, the mood, and then if | | | | ceilings rough or smooth? What floor covering |
| you try to pick out the key points, what | | | | is appropriate, should it be wood, stone, |
| would they be? Colour schemes might include | | | | tiles or carpets? Will rugs and mats make a |
| earthy colours like green, beige, browns and | | | | difference and if so what are they made of? |
| tans, set off with orange and splashes of | | | | Are the windows better suited to drapes, |
| red. Think about floor and wall coverings, | | | | blinds or shutters? What style of furniture |
| natural substances would probably work best. | | | | works? What about plants, motifs, pictures |
| Finishing touches can include wall hangings, | | | | and wall hangings? |
| African artefacts, drums, rugs, African | | | | |
| fabrics and prints, animals made of stone, | | | | The theme you adopt and the way that you |
| clay or wood, ceremonial masks hung on the | | | | choose to portray specific elements of that |
| wall, brightly coloured African bowls and | | | | theme is entirely up to you and your |
| pots, and so on. | | | | imagination, the end result will be your own |
| | | | unique interpretation of a culture or a place |
| Mexican Theme | | | | and you will have added a touch of the exotic |
| | | | to your home. |
| What does Mexico mean to you? Perhaps desert | | | | |
| colours with sandy tones, beige and khaki, | | | | David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. |
| along with reddish, rustic colours and hues. | | | | |