The look of Tex Mex style is a fusion of sun-baked shades and muted earthy tones coupled with hues taken from life in the American southwest - turquoise beads, silver spurs, and breathtaking red sunsets. Take one part dusty cowboy boots, add a Navajo blanket or two, toss in a worn, Spanish influenced leather chair and you get the idea. It's a fiery, informal mix for people who don't do anything halfway.
English equestrian style, by contrast, is a more formal, refined take on the same elements. Textures are smoother, colours are richer, lines are more considered, with their origins in the forest greens, dark woods, clear lakes and misty mornings of the British countryside. Think one part Ralph Lauren plaid, plush velvet draperies, polished black riding boots and a few tarnished trophies. Contributing design editor Lynn Spence stepped in here when owner Liz Lewis won a $5,000 living and dining room makeover contest from Smitty's Fine Furniture. Playing with the scale of classic pieces, and choosing rich fabrics, Spence gave the space a comfortable, casually elegant feel. “This is a working farm, so my goal was to create a practical and sensible, yet inviting, environment.”
If you have a secret penchant for polo, and a pair of jodhpurs tucked away in the back of your closet, chances are you're a fan of English equestrian style. The cool, earthy tones translate easily into home decorating. Find them in rooms filled with comfortable practical furniture, a multitude of luxurious throw cushions, horsey prints and patterns (sturdy enough to withstand a parade of muddy boots and dogs), and touches of ever-so-slightly tarnished silver. This casually elegant look can work in any style of home, be it high-rise apartment or ancestral country manor.
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