Mexico Style

The word Mexico conjures up images of vibrant, warm colours, long stretches of desert and exotic fruit, birds and flowers. Passed down from generation to generation, the rich and colourful craft traditions of Mexico are perfectly suited to our warm and colourful country, too. Tracy Marsh shows you how to bring a touch of that fabulous Mexican magic into your own home.

Before you begin

Whether you want to completely make over a room in a particular style, or just add a few thematic touches, it is a good idea to do some research first. So, before embarking on a Mexican makeover, visit the library and study a few Mexican books. Then look around gift and homeware stores, second-hand shops, and even your own home for items that may be appropriate. The Mexican theme is very popular these days so these items are easy to find and they seem to be in every price range.

Mexican style

Mexican rooms are usually quite sparsely furnished. Chunky, almost raw-looking wooden furniture is often used. Bright ornamental items such as colourful ceramics, mirrors and tin frames are common, as are pewter candlesticks, painted boxes, glassware and clay figurines. Pots and urns are also a frequent feature. Colour is especially important to the Mexican people and is the essence of the Mexican spirit. Popular colours include cobalt blue, yellow, hot pink and violet. Floors are mostly made of wood or large clay tiles. Carpet is not really suited to the Mexican look, but rugs are.

The makeover

With all this in mind Tracy set about making over a small room in her home. It was perfect with its existing pine floorboards and the walls already painted in Dulux Oat. She found: an old wooden table purchased years ago from a second-hand shop; a set of four chairs (they’re not strictly Mexican but they would blend well); a wrought-iron lounge chair (plain but usable) and an old bookcase just waiting to be transformed.

The bookcase was revamped using a paint finish technique called ‘scumbling’. It is well suited to Mexican decorating as the result is a matt chalky finish. A royal blue colour was chosen to provide a dramatic contrast to the walls. Once the bookcase was finished, the items were grouped together on the shelves according to colour or shape. This is a very popular and interesting way of decorating in Mexico. There are no rules to follow in organising the remaining pieces of furniture. Quite simply the best way to decorate is to experiment. If you don’t feel something is working, try an alternative. Don’t feel restricted by balance, either. It can often look interesting to place pieces a little off centre.

When undertaking a room makeover it is important to remember that you may not be able to afford everything you want at once. Have fun introducing bits and pieces gradually. And remember to look at what you already have – you will be amazed at what you can adapt!

Mexican bookshelf

The stunning Mexican-style bookshelf was created using a simple paint finish technique called ‘scumbling’.

Materials

• Porter’s Scumble Glaze (white)
• Porter’s Low Sheen Acrylic (Royal Blue)
• wooden bookshelf
• paint brush
• sandpaper
• muslin or soft cloth
• mineral turpentine

Method

1. Lightly sand the bookshelf and wipe off any excess dust with a damp cloth.
2. Apply two coats of Porter’s Royal Blue low sheen acrylic and allow it to dry.
3. When the paint is thoroughly dry you can then apply the scumble glaze.
4. As the scumble glaze dries very quickly, for best results it’s a good idea to work on small sections of the bookshelf at a time.
5. Lightly apply the scumble glaze with a brush, making sure you always brush in the same direction. Wipe off the glaze with muslin or a soft cloth to achieve an aged, chalky, textured look. Allow to dry for 24 to 48 hours.
6. Wash brush thoroughly in mineral turpentine.

Note: Before disposing of the cloth, hang it out to dry for 24 hours as a tightly rolled cloth may spontaneously combust when placed in a sealed rubbish bin.