Adobe architecture. Pueblo Revival. Santa Fe Style. Whatever you call it, these interiors present a challenge to homeowners and decorators. Certainly one option is to give yourself over to “Southwestern style” and make liberal use of turquoise and terra-cotta paint, Taos furniture, and Navajo rugs.
But what do you do if dream catchers and Kokopelli just aren’t your thing? One strategy is to go very, very modern.
On a recent trip to Santa Fe, my hosts brought me to a cider pressing party at a gorgeous house overlooking an orchard. When you walk through the front door, this is what you see:
Pretty great, right? The owners had just spent a year renovating, and while I didn’t have to live through the dust and disruption, I’d say it was worth it. The walls are smooth grey stucco – the color and texture makes them look like concrete, a material used liberally throughout the house.
They retained the traditional exposed beams (a “viga ceiling”) but whitewashed it to make it feel less oppressive.
Expansive, cool living and dining room…consistently contemporary furniture (some of it you’ll recognize from Design Within Reach) –
Here’s the serene master bedroom with a wall of blonde wood wardrobes and drawers. Practical, of course, but the wood adds some necessary warmth.
The attached master bath:
I read somewhere that it’s rude to take a bath in the host’s tub in the middle of their party, otherwise I totally would have. It was cold that day.
What I love is that the owners didn’t abandon the local style completely. The salient characteristics of Pueblo Revival architecture are still there: viga beamed ceilings, textured surfaces, natural materials, and a neutral, earthy palette. But they made everything lighter and brighter, replaced curves with corners, hung contemporary art and banished clutter. The result is a contemporary yet familiar Santa Fe interior.
Picture of the 1920s Navajo rug is from the informative website, Len Wood’s Indian Territory.
