I recently published a blog post featuring Old Spanish Colonial style interiors known for their colorful art and vibrant palettes. http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2016/02/old-spanish-colonial.html However, there is also another side to the Spanish Colonial interior, and that is the one with whitewashed walls inside and out. These spaces can still be vibrant and exciting but in a different way. I love how colorful objets d'art pop against these beautiful white textured walls. This style also has a glamorous past. Perched high in the hills of Hollywood, these whitewashed Spanish colonial homes became the style du jour of the stars of Old Hollywood.
These lovely homes gained national exposure and became the regional style for California during the 1920s following the Panama-California Exposition. The exposition, which took place in San Diego from 1915-1917, highlighted the work of Bertram Goodhue and Carleton Winslow who are considered the creators of the style. They were the must have homes for Hollywood stars like Charlie Chaplin,Clark Gable, Lucille Ball, even Marilyn Monroe lived the last years of her life in a whitewashed Spanish Colonial.
I have gathered some images to aid you in decorating this style home if you are considering going "Old Hollywood"!!
Spanish Revival became extremely popular in California between 1915 and 1931 where throughout those decades it was the style of choice for the mansions of the Hollywood stars.
via Pinterest
They had classic Spanish features on the exterior: white stucco walls, red terracotta roof tiles, wrought iron gates and window grilles and carved entry doors.
Inside, a whitewashed Spanish Colonial will still use many of the same accessories such as stone pottery and religious icons that you see in the vividly colored interiors. They will just "pop"in a different way.
Casa del Herrero viathepointsguy.com
Low maintenance and durable tiled floors are a mainstay of the Spanish Colonial home. They are also appreciated for their cool temperature. Hand-painted tiles like these green ones also add color to whitewashed walls when used as a border.
Mickey Rooney's home of choice was a whitewashed Spanish Colonial.
Whitewashed walls create the perfect canvas for artwork like the retablos behind the sofa.
I love the elegance of the whitewashed walls and the way even the heavy wooden furniture, so popular in Spanish Colonials, seems to lighten up when placed in a whitewashed space.
Whitewashed walls and the arcade supported by columns provide a light, airy atmosphere for this Spanish Colonial dining space. Gorgeous chandelier!!
Whitewashing the walls and painting the windows, doors and arch trims in dark tones will create the Hollywood glamour look of the Spanish Colonial of the 20's. Also you will see the use or corbels in these interiors.
Icons look down from alcoves in this whitewashed Spanish Colonial living room. Niches and alcoves are very popular in this style home. See how the colors can still look vibrant against whitewashed walls.
source unknown
I think these whitewashed stucco exteriors of this style home are simply stunning!
cotedetexas.com
What great doors leading into this wonderful whitewashed Spanish Colonial dining room. They look as if they might have come from a church.
I love whitewashed stucco walls as the backdrop for beautiful talavera tile. Traditional tile colors are blue, yellow, green, white, and red in varying patterns of simple geometric designs. It is not uncommon to mix several tile patterns in the same house or even in the same room.
The Spanish Colonial interior has Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance influences.These qualities are seen in the characteristic whitewashed stucco walls, plethera of arches, and wrought-iron accents.
This Spanish Colonial home belonged to screen icon Burt Lancaster.
From doors and windows, to alcoves and niches, arches play a huge roll in the Spanish Colonial home. Whitewashed stucco walls look great with randomly placed areas of whitewashed brick or stone.
The whitewashed stucco facade of the home of Lucile Ball and Desi Arnaz is what comes to mind when you think "Old Hollywood".
Many Spanish Colonial interiors have the look of a Spanish mission, especially when the walls are whitewashed and decorated with religious items and artwork.
via Pinterest
Whitewashed walls create an art gallery type backdrop for handmade furniture, architectural detail and colorful art.
hookedonhouses.net
Marilyn Monroe purchased her whitewashed Spanish Colonial home only months before she died.
Marilyn Monroe purchased her whitewashed Spanish Colonial home only months before she died.
Exposed timber framing is a hallmark of Spanish Colonial interiors. The rustic appearance of the beams is striking when used alongside whitewashed stucco walls.
For an authentic Spanish style wall, start with a textured base. Check your local home improvement stores for a textured paint such as suede effect, whitewash, or a stucco style plaster.
Whitewashed stucco interiors look best in full light. Get maximum light by switching out heavy draperies for sheers. Or you can treat the windows with drapery panels that are only decorative like these panels that are higher above and further out on the sides of your windows. This will also make a small window appear more impressive.
Diane Keaton's Spanish Colonial Revival mansion was originally built in 1920s. Even today's movie stars and celebrities are drawn to this style home.
Reese Witherspoon's Spanish Colonial whitewashed home.
Diane Keaton's Spanish Colonial Revival mansion was originally built in 1920s. Even today's movie stars and celebrities are drawn to this style home.
Reese Witherspoon's Spanish Colonial whitewashed home.
Casa del Herrero via Pinterest
This whitewashed Spanish Colonial interior features so much that is typical of this style. Arches and an open-beamed interior ceiling enhances the Spanish character of the building, White stucco like walls, saltilla tile floors with colorful talavera tile as a border and lots of accents in dark wood.
source unknown
The gorgeous paneled door and decorative iron really stand out against the whitewashed stucco of this Spanish Colonial foyer. Spanish-style architecture features ironwork on interior and exterior doors, lighting, stairways and hardware.
Norman Design Group
With it's ties to "Old Hollywood" this foyer and it's beautiful Spanish Colonial staircase with risers adorned in talavera tiles and wrought iron balusters look so pretty against the white stucco walls.
via Pinterest
To add some excitement you can always paint a wall or two with an intense color to offset all the white stucco.
source unknown
The whitewashed walls of these Spanish Colonial homes are as beautiful outside as they are inside. It is easy to see why Hollywood stars have always adored them.
www.cntraveler.com
For more Spanish Colonial visit http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2016/02/old-spanish-colonial.html
For more Spanish Colonial visit http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2016/02/old-spanish-colonial.html
Click here to see the previous post
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2016/03/decorating-with-french-provincial-white.html
This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer
