There is something about the magic of Spain that is timeless.  We can all dream of long days spent in the Spanish sun. Imagine just enjoying a dip in the pool, or maybe soaking up the sites in Barcelona and Granada with the scent of orange blossom.

The Spanish kitchen has an evocative look and feel that brings us right into the mood for some delicious tapas. Creating that alfresco Mediterranean feel is easier than you think.  You can bring some Spanish magic right into the heart of your home in no time at all.

Tiles

What could say Spain more than those earthy rough-hewed floor tiles?  There are a whole range of modern tiles that can give you this Mediterranean look.  The tiles tend to be large, so it won’t take too many to cover your floor.  

The rough look of the floor, however, is contrasted with the highly decorative hand painted tiles.  These tend you go around the workbench, giving you a dynamic looking splash back.  Look for hand painted tiles with bright colours that work brilliantly against the color of a white background.

You can choose a colour that reflects a feature wall, or perhaps even invest in some ceramic pots and pans to complement. For inspiration think about those amazing Gaudi artworks. They bring so much to luxury property and public buildings alike in Barcelona.

Darkened Wood

The Spanish love dark wood, and you’ll get a real feel for a genuine kitchen if you can either dark walnut type cabinet doors. You might even have these finished with wrought iron type fittings. These could be complemented with light fittings in a similar vein.  You could also continue this theme with elaborate candle holders. The heavier and the more dramatic, the better for your Spanish effect.  If the dark wood sounds too much consider that the walls themselves will be best painted white.

Continue the wooden theme up into the ceiling.  You might not want to go to the trouble of creating an entire wooden ceiling, but beams are a great way to go for this cool Andalusian look.

Terracotta

Terracotta is the colour of the earth. You can introduce it subtly by bringing in earthenware pots and jars.  These could sit by the door or be used higher up on the shelves. Another way to  introduce some colour and flavor would be to use some more bright ceramics as storage jars for herbs and preserves.

The centre of any Spanish kitchen would be the cooker.  Have a think about how you might draw your eye to it with some embellishment. For example, arches add a great hacienda touch to any room.  You could consider having an arch built in as a cooking alcove and even disguising your extractor!

Once you have brought your ideas together, you’ll have a lot of fun recreating your Spanish memories.  You'll bring a wonderfully themed kitchen right into the heart of your home.  Don’t forget the real key will lie in creating some fabulous tapas or authentic aromatic Spanish dishes. So get yourself a string of garlic and a big bottle of olive oil to hand and get ready to cook!