Spanish design is all about highlighting great architectural elements. Common in California, Texas, and the Southwest, Spanish-style homes are often made of stucco with heavy wood trim and red clay tile roofs, have large porches and open windows, and prefer arches to boxy designs. The front door is usually more of a porch opening onto a small courtyard, rather than opening directly into the house.

A critical element of Spanish home design is the seamless integration between interior and exterior spaces. Floor plans typically open up to spacious outdoor areas with French doors and archways designed to let in plenty of natural light. These outdoor spaces are meant to be inhabited extensions of the house. Many designs will focus on a main courtyard, originally intended to offer the Spanish nobility a private garden protected from the prying eyes of the public. These intimate and sheltered spaces are perfect for relaxing and entertaining on a warm summer night.

Aged wood is essential to the Spanish style. The most traditional flooring option in a Spanish-style home is hardwood, and fully carpeted rooms are rare. Terracotta tile is another popular choice of flooring material, especially if it has a slightly rough texture or weathered surface. Sometimes bright tile accents are added to the corners or centerpiece of etched tiles for added drama and color. Adding hand-painted tiles to your kitchen countertop or backsplash is another great way to incorporate Spanish color and design.

Interior walls are typically finished with a stucco texture in warm earth tones such as taupe, burnt orange, chocolate brown, and mustard yellow. Warm poppy red, cobalt blue, olive green, and golden sunflower yellow are popular accent colors that bring that Mediterranean flair to your home. Design elements like clay vases, urns and bowls in unique shapes can make a powerful statement as their rich, dark colors provide a distinctive contrast to warmer colored walls.

Ornamental ironwork is also quintessentially Spanish and is a great choice for railings, wall-mounted sconces, mirrors, and more. Much of the ironwork can be custom designed to meet the unique needs of your home. Meanwhile, wall hangings add a touch of attention to the room and are the ideal textural contrast to the stone and metal elements that make up much of Spanish design. Table runners and cushions in ochre, cinnamon, olive and bronze complete the picture.

Many traditional Spanish-style interiors also feature wood-framed windows, carved paneling, and ceilings accented with wood beams and decorative tin tiles.

When it comes to building and designing a Spanish-style luxury home, the devil really is in the details. The right elements, like clay pots and tile accents, in the wrong color or design style will not evoke the Mediterranean feel that a Spanish home is supposed to reflect.