Carmel Mission
Mission style has a variety of influences, the primary one being the Catholic missions of California. The first mission in San Diego, California was built in 1813. Catholic priests of the Spanish Franciscan order founded the mission. The Franciscans were a humble order, and their simplicity of spirit is reflected in Mission designs. While people of all religious and cultural backgrounds now enjoy Mission style, its beginnings are tied to the exploration and colonization of the American West. Does this Spark an idea?
The History and Elements of Mission Style
Mission style also reveals Mexican, Spanish and Moorish influences. While the mission churches were very similar to the churches of Europe, their interiors were spare and focused on functionality. This happened both as a result of the Franciscan influence and the limited resources at their disposal. The hallmarks of this style include bare stucco or plaster walls and dark carved-wood accents and furniture. As authors toward the end of the 1800s romanticized the rugged lifestyle of the West, the desire to emulate western styles arose. At the same time, England was celebrating its own salute to simplicity: The Arts and Crafts movement. The Arts and Crafts movement, or Craftsman movement, had two essential hallmarks: the influence of natural forms and the creation of works of the highest possible quality. What we now think of as "Mission Style" is a combination of these two complementary modes of design.
Bring Mission Style to Your Walls and Floors
The shell of a Mission Style design should be simple and neutral. Floors should be long planks of dark hardwood or similar laminate, or ceramic tile, plain, or with a few colorful accent tiles. Walls should be stucco or textured plaster and be painted off-white to palest yellow.
Mission Style Furnishings
Mission furniture is usually finished in oak or natural cherry stains, allowing the wood's grain to show through. The furniture also often features heavy, custom-made hinges and pulls. It is made with few other embellishments and features straight lines with gentle curves. Mission furniture was typically upholstered with heavy, saddle-quality leather in natural colors. The most famous maker of Mission furniture was Gustav Stickley. Stickley, the company he founded, is still manufacturing his original designs (see Resources).
Mission Style Accessories
The neutral walls and wooden accents of Mission style look great with colorful accents in rich colors. The pottery and lighting fixtures of the Arts and Crafts movement are perfect accents to Mission Style (see Resources for a source to buy period light fixtures). If you prefer more modern accents, concentrate on bringing warm colors and natural forms like those of leaves, flowers, vines and trees into your home. As stated above, the Moors--what the Spanish called North Africans--also influenced Mission style. With that in mind, you can bring in some of the colorful patterns found in traditional African and Moroccan design.
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