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Wanting to get the Greek Mediterranean look in your living room? Decorating with the Greek Mediterranean look is a question of knowing how to combine the right elements and colors so that they don't overpower the viewer.

The Greek Mediterranean look is a decorating style that (as you might expect) tries to evoke the feel of homes in the Greek Islands. Traditionally, the Greeks prefer to spend their time on things other than decorating their homes and filling them with fancy things. So, their homes tend to be simple and uncluttered.

The theory is that by living in a simple environment, your mind and soul are free to focus on other things. Greek decorating embraces a union between the inside and the outside, making it ideally suited for homes with a patio or outdoor living area.

Capture the feel of a sun-drenched vacation with Greek Mediterranean decorating.
Capture the feel of a sun-drenched vacation with Greek Mediterranean decorating.

However, just because Greek Mediterranean style is simple, that doesn't mean it isn't still beautiful and sophisticated. The following guidelines will help you to capture this sun-drenched style in your home.

  • This Greek Islands approach adds healthy doses of summer-sky blue to a mostly pure-white background.

  • Add stone colors to add more depth to the color scheme.

  • Use textured textiles, both woven and patterned.

  • Side chairs should be open and airy.

  • Add rustic, wooden accents.

  • Look for simple soft lines on the sofa and easy chairs.

  • Use glazed and decorated pottery and colored glassware for your accessories.

  • To add splashes of color, use the colors of Greek pottery, tans, reds, and watery greens.

About This Article

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Katharine Kaye McMillan, former senior editor of a New York City-based national magazine, is a writer whose work appears regularly in magazines and newspapers. She is a contributing writer to internationally circulated Florida Design Magazine. She is the co-author of several books on decorating and design, including Sun Country Style, which is the basis for licensed signature collections of furniture and accessories by three leading American manufacturers and importers. A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, she holds a masters degree in psychology and is a doctoral student in psychology at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.

Patricia Hart McMillan is a nationally known interior designer, whose interior design work for private clients, designer showcases, and corporations has appeared in publications worldwide, including the New York Times and USA Today. Known as a trend spotter and for clearly articulated views on design, she is quoted frequently and extensively in both trade and consumer publications. She a ppears on TV and talk radio. A prolific writer, she is coauthor and author of seven books on interior design and decoration, with Sun Country Style signature collections of furniture based on two books. She has taught decorating courses at several colleges and conducted numerous seminars across the U.S. She is decorating editor for Christian Woman Magazine and reports on design trends for The Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune newspaper based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She has been editor-in-chief of two publications and was head of a New York City-based public relations firm representing some of the most prestigious names in home furnishing and building products. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in art history (with an emphasis in architecture), from the State University of New York (New Paltz). She was awarded a certificate from The New York School of Interior Design.

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