Italian Inspiration

• Get inspired by the diversity of Italian decorating styles available. You can evoke a beach house on the Mediterranean or a timeworn farmhouse in a Tuscan vineyard. Sleek finishes and minimal ornamentation create the feeling of a stylish apartment in Rome, while handmade pieces and antiques from Italy lend a home old-world charm. You can keep a clipping file with magazine layouts, travel photographs, hotel images and products from Italy that inspire you.
  
  

Italian Design

• Consider larger design additions and changes, such as integrating Italian-style architectural elements into your home. A stone wall in the kitchen has a rustic Tuscan sensibility, especially when combined with exposed wooden beams and terracotta tile floors. Arches and columns recall ancient Roman architecture. On a simpler scale, you can add a tile mural on a garden wall that features imagery of classic architecture or install a wall mural of an Italian vineyard or garden. Outdoor spaces have as much importance as indoor spaces, so consider widening windows, adding skylights, sprucing up the garden and furnishing porches, patios, decks and terraces. A simple bistro set evokes a Florence street-side cafe, especially if you set the table with espresso cups or wine glasses.
  
  

Italian Palettes

• Establish a background palette with materials, paint and finishes. Go farmhouse chic with natural materials such as wood, marble, tile, stone and paper. Emphasize the Mediterranean with blues and greens in jewel tones against stark white. For urban Italian chic, glossy blacks and whites with stainless steel and chrome accents lend a decidedly contemporary tone.
  
  

Italian Furnishings and Accessories

• Your entire home need not be filled with art and objects from Italy, but you should invest in a couple of focal-point pieces that evoke Italian style. A black leather couch has urban edge, while a large, wooden table with a distressed finish gives the kitchen rustic Italian charm. Give a home an Italian theme with the addition of wall art depicting famous Italian places. Painted pottery, earthenware containers and Italian foodstuffs on display complete the look.