13 Ways to Modernize Spanish Style Without Losing Its Charm

Spanish-style interiors are having a moment in current design trends. Whether you’re going all in on the look or prefer to add a touch of its warmth to your rooms, interior designer Sapna Aggarwal shows us how to do both. She and her husband, Karan, cracked this exact code in their 1,000-square-foot house.

She says the secret lies in that sweet spot where bold colors and handmade materials are applied with restraint—a single tile choice repeated in multiple rooms, and windows and exterior doors painted the same color for cohesion. Read on to learn 13 applicable ways to freshen the rustic look.

1. Use Wrought Iron Minimally

Ornate, Mediterranean-inspired wrought iron once ruled every Spanish-style home, but it looks less than fresh. Overuse of the metal can make the space appear more industrial than rustic. Minimal touches of iron, such as metal bar stool frames, connect the present with the past.

2. Implement Handmade Tiles

“We splurged on green,” Aggarwal says of the zellige tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. This type of handmade glazed terra-cotta is imperfect, which is the appeal. Each tile can have slight differences in surface, color, size, and texture. She chose white grout to highlight those differences.

3. Install Modern Light Fixtures

Switching out more outdated light fixtures for modern ones can make a world of difference in a Spanish-style home. Aggarwal chose simple black metal flush-mount ceiling lights to use throughout her house—each about $25 from Ferguson Home. She reserved her budget for a couple of fixtures that would have the most significant impact, like a more striking, expensive pendant over the breakfast table.

4. Apply Plaster Finishes

Plaster, a pastelike coating that’s smeared over wood lath strips, is a key element of Spanish style, giving rooms a handmade look. Aggarwal used plaster on her home’s walls and ceilings, and in the kitchen, where cabinets were set into a plastered frame. Similar, more modern plaster-like finishes include limewash and Roman clay.

5. Add Graphic Cement Tile

Intricately patterned cement, or encaustic, tiles bring pattern to baseboards, stair risers, and design nooks in the living room and bedroom. These eye-catching tiles can add color and visual interest to a neutral space. Plus, they nod to traditional Spanish style.

6. Cover Furniture in Linen Textiles

This natural woven fabric looks at ease no matter where or how it’s used. It’s lightweight and breathable as bedding, but can be used to slipcover chairs or upholster a seat. It also allows the eye to focus on the furniture’s shape and adds visual warmth.

7. Thrift a Ladder-back Chair

With their horizontal slatted backs, ladder-back chairs are a rustic furniture style that is a Spanish staple. Modern streamlined versions add warmth and authenticity without the dark finish, carvings, and hulking presence. Look to thrift or antique stores to score one that’s authentic yet affordable.

8. Use Terra-Cotta Saltillo Tile

These earthy red clay tiles are made in Saltillo, Mexico, and they’re a Spanish-style signature. Aggarwal made her new floor tiles look older and softer by finishing them with a matte seal rather than a traditional gloss. The red tiles add a splash of color against neutral-painted or plastered walls.

9. Build Curves and Arches

Sculptural arches can define architectural passages between open rooms and are currently trending in home design. The gentle curve is repeated throughout modern Spanish-style homes, serving as a design feature that nods to the historical influence of the style.

10. Install Open Shelves

Wall shelves add functional storage and display space, but when built into the wall, they elevate the look with clean lines. Using natural wood for the shelves can add warmth and subtle sophistication to an oven range, above the tub, or in an office’s arched niche. White oak boards in a neutral stain are perfect to keep the look warm yet modern.

11. Create a DIY Plaster Tub Surround

Aggarwal’s dream was a freestanding clay tub, but the reality was a clever dupe. To make her dream serenity space, she built a frame and plastered it with a terra-cotta finish to achieve a version of that rich color around the tub. This DIY created a sophisticated yet traditional, Spanish-style look in her bathroom.

12. Use Natural Materials

A natural stone wall-mount sink in a bathroom highlights the use of earthy materials. Other popular natural elements can be displayed by using iron-frame barstools in the kitchen, timbers on a patio pergola, and ceramic vessels styled throughout the home.

13. Elevate Outdoor Living Spaces

Whether it’s a courtyard, patio, balcony, or terrace, outdoor living is a priority in Spanish-style homes. Like their Mediterranean counterparts, these spaces serve to connect people to each other and to nature. Aggarwal’s current patio was a former parking spot for the home, but having a place to gather outdoors was more valuable. Use natural wood, stone, and rock when possible to capture the essence of Spanish-style.