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By Brenda Padilla
The intense natural light in southern Spain will
undoubtedly affect the way you decorate your new home. In fact,
you might be surprised
to see how it changes the way you see your favourite old colours
- especially if you are coming from northern Europe or any environment
where trees and other foliage filter sunlight. Certain darker tones,
that once seemed comforting or dignified, might look dirty, harsh
or too serious under the light waves here. And you might find yourself
attracted to paler and brighter tones you never would have considered
in the light of your old latitude.
Chances are your new Spanish home will come with
heavy blinds that scroll down to block light out entirely if
you so wish. Spaniards
living in the country's hotter regions - such as Andalucía
- tend to put these blinds down as mid-day approaches and leave
them that way until late afternoon. But then, they have been soaking
up these luscious rays since they were born - unlike their light
starved neighbours from the United Kingdom, Scandinavian countries
other cloudier regions.
Regardless of where you are from, you might find
that after some time here, you are "doing as the Spaniards" and
shutting out the bright light during the day, if anything just
to keep out
the heat. However, if the heat isn't an issue, a less severe measure
to take in the face of so much bright light is to install semi-transparent
shades or curtains. These can soften natural light and, if you
choose coloured or patterned shades, add a bright decorative effect
- and factor out any unwanted views at the same time.
Fluorescent lighting is a standard feature in most Spanish homes
- at least in the kitchen, and sometimes in other parts of a home
- so if you're buying second hand from a native, prepare to inherit
at least one such fixture. Curiously, this harsh form of lighting,
combined with stark white walls, seems to appeal to Spaniards,
while those from northern climes are quick to replace the lights
with incandescent fixtures and then add a splash of colour to the
walls, thus softening the ambience.
It might help to keep this idiosyncrasy in mind
when house hunting, in order to get past the effect a stark,
white fluorescent ambience
might have on your overall impression of a house. Imagining such
a home with softer lighting and cozier colours on the walls could
enable to you invest in a bargain that would require minimum effort
to convert into a dream come true.
A professional specialising in home decoration or overall interior
design can help you achieve a variety of special effects with both
natural and artificial lighting.
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