Mediterranean Interior vs Southwestern Interior
Mediterranean Interior is a regional variant of Southwestern Interior — the desert New World offshoot of the same adobe / stone tradition.
Mediterranean Interior
The sun-baked villa interior of whitewashed and stone walls, terracotta floors, arched openings, and wrought iron — cool, earthy, and tuned to a warm coastal climate.
- Thick whitewashed plaster or exposed stone walls
- Arched doorways, niches, and windows as a structural motif
- Terracotta and patterned ceramic (azulejo/majolica) tile floors
- Dark heavy ceiling beams and wrought-iron grilles and fixtures
- Earthy palette of white, ochre, terracotta, olive, and sea blue
Southwestern Interior
The desert adobe room of earthen plaster walls, exposed viga beams, a beehive kiva fireplace, and Pueblo and Navajo textiles — warm, handmade, and rooted in the high desert.
- Thick adobe or earthen-plaster walls with rounded edges
- Exposed viga beams and herringbone latilla ceilings
- A sculpted corner kiva fireplace with raised hearth
- Saltillo tile or flagstone floors with handwoven Navajo rugs
- Desert palette: sand, terracotta, turquoise, and chile red
At a glance
| Mediterranean Interior | Southwestern Interior | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1920s–present | 1920s–present |
| Discipline | Interior Design | Interior Design |
| Region | Spain, Italy, Greece, United States (California, Florida) | United States (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas) |
| Family | Vernacular, Revival | Vernacular, Revival |
| Formal traits | earthy, sun-cooled, arched, rustic | earthen, handcrafted, warm-toned, regional |
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