Spanish Bedroom Ideas: 25 Ways to Get the Look

A Spanish bedroom is the kind of room you remember from a summer holiday: thick white walls that stay cool in the afternoon heat, terracotta underfoot, an iron bed made up in crisp linen, wooden shutters striping the floor with light and a jug of olive branches on a carved chest. It's simple, earthy and incredibly restful, and it translates far better to everyday homes than most people expect.

In this guide I'll explain what makes a bedroom feel Spanish, the different Spanish styles to choose from, 25 Spanish bedroom ideas covering walls, floors, furniture, textiles, lighting and accessories, the colour palette, how to adapt the look to a UK home and the mistakes to avoid.

What Is a Spanish Style Bedroom?

A Spanish style bedroom borrows the materials and details of traditional Spanish homes: rough plaster or limewashed walls, terracotta tiles, dark carved wood, wrought iron, arches, patterned ceramic tiles and natural fibres such as linen and esparto. The mood is warm, calm and grounded, built on texture rather than clutter.

Five Spanish Bedroom Styles

"Spanish" covers several quite different looks. Choosing one as your starting point keeps the room coherent.

Spanish Colonial Revival is the style many American searches for a Spanish bedroom have in mind. According to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, it became popular after the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, with stucco walls, round arches, carved doors and wood or iron window grilles, and ornament drawing on Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance design. If you'd like to see how it relates to other period looks, the wider family of architectural styles puts it in context.

25 Spanish Bedroom Ideas

Walls and ceilings

1. Limewash or plaster the walls. Nothing says Spain more than soft, chalky walls with gentle movement. Limewash, mineral paint or a polished plaster finish gives depth that flat emulsion can't, and it looks beautiful in low evening light.

2. Choose a warm white. Pure brilliant white can feel harsh, especially in cooler northern light. A creamy, slightly earthy white such as Wimborne White gives the same sunlit feel without looking cold.

3. Add an arch. An arched alcove behind the bed, an arched doorway or even an arch painted on the wall in a slightly deeper tone instantly brings Spanish architecture into a plain room.

4. Build niches. Recessed plaster niches beside the bed are a classic Spanish detail and a practical alternative to bedside tables in a small room. Light them from inside for a lovely evening glow.

5. Expose or add beams. If you have original timber beams, celebrate them. If not, reclaimed or faux beams in a ceiling painted white give the rustic finca feel.

6. Create a tiled feature wall. Patterned Spanish tiles in blue, white and ochre behind the bed, or as a deep tiled dado, give an Andalusian feel. For a softer version, use tiles only as a headboard panel.

Floors

7. Lay terracotta tiles. Handmade terracotta floor tiles are the heart of a Spanish home. They're warm underfoot with underfloor heating, and the colour deepens beautifully over time. The same warm, sun-baked tones work on walls and textiles too, and terracotta as a colour is one of the easiest ways to bring Spanish warmth into any room.

8. Or choose warm timber. If tiles aren't practical upstairs, a warm oak or reclaimed pine floor with a large rug gives a similar earthy base.

9. Use esparto or jute rugs. Esparto grass has been woven in Spain for thousands of years. According to Wikipedia, the oldest known esparto baskets, about 7,000 years old, were found in a cave in Granada. A natural fibre rug in esparto, jute or sisal brings that heritage underfoot. Size it so it sits under at least the bottom two thirds of the bed, following the same principles as choosing a living room rug.

10. Layer a kilim or woven rug. For an Andalusian or Moorish look, a faded kilim in terracotta, indigo and ochre on terracotta tiles is wonderful.

The bed and furniture

11. Choose a wrought iron bed. A black iron bed with simple scrolls is the most recognisable Spanish bedroom piece. It's light enough visually to suit small rooms, and it looks just as good with crisp white linen as with layered blankets.

12. Or a carved wooden headboard. Dark carved wood, either an antique headboard or a reclaimed door fixed horizontally behind the bed, brings Spanish Colonial and Andalusian character.

13. Go for a plaster headboard. In a Balearic or modern Mediterranean bedroom, a built-in curved plaster headboard with a shelf on top is simple, sculptural and very Ibiza.

14. Use a painted or carved chest. A dark wooden chest or a painted Spanish chest at the foot of the bed or as a bedside table adds storage and age.

15. Add a bench or rush seated chair. A simple wooden bench or a rush seated chair in the corner, ideal for laying out tomorrow's clothes, feels authentically rustic.

16. Mix in rattan and cane. Cane bedside tables, a rattan headboard or a woven pendant shade lighten the dark wood and iron.

Textiles

17. Dress the bed in linen. Stone washed linen in white, oatmeal or terracotta is breathable, relaxed and gets softer every wash. Keep the bedding simple and let texture do the work. A pair of shams or a long bolster finishes the bed neatly, and bed shams add a tailored touch in a more formal Spanish Colonial room.

18. Add a woven blanket or throw. A striped Spanish blanket, a fringed cotton throw or a chunky woven bedspread across the end of the bed adds colour and texture.

19. Use embroidery and lace. Embroidered pillowcases, crochet edges and lace panels at the window nod to traditional Spanish handwork.

20. Layer cushions in earthy colours. Terracotta, rust, ochre, olive and indigo cushions in linen and cotton bring colour without fuss. Deep ochre, a close cousin of mustard yellow, is lovely against white walls and dark wood.

Lighting and windows

21. Hang pierced metal lanterns. Brass or iron lanterns with pierced patterns cast beautiful shadows across plaster walls in the evening. Use one as a pendant or a pair on bedside tables.

22. Add wrought iron wall lights. Iron sconces either side of the bed free up bedside space and suit the iron bed and window details.

23. Fit wooden shutters. Internal shutters, painted or in natural wood, are practical in summer heat and very Spanish. Combine them with light, unlined linen curtains for softness.

Accessories and plants

24. Display handmade ceramics. Glazed jugs, olive jars, painted plates and terracotta pots on niches and shelves add colour and craft.

25. Bring in olive branches, plants and flowers. Olive branches, lavender and dried grasses in a ceramic jug feel effortlessly Mediterranean. As a florist, I also love a few stems of bougainvillea pink or red geraniums in terracotta pots on a sunny windowsill, and decorating with fresh flowers is the easiest way to bring a Spanish bedroom to life.

The Spanish Bedroom Colour Palette

For a painted chest or shutters, a soft olive green is a lovely alternative to the classic Spanish blue, and the muted olive and sage greens popular in paint ranges today sit perfectly alongside terracotta and limewash.

How to Create a Spanish Bedroom in a UK Home

Spanish interiors are designed for strong sunshine, so a few adjustments help them work in cooler northern light.

• Warm up the whites. Choose creamy, earthy whites rather than cool, blue-based whites.
• Add more texture. Without bright sun, plaster, linen, wool and rugs stop the room looking flat.
• Layer the bed for winter. Swap the summer linen for wool blankets and a heavier throw in colder months. Many of the cosy autumn bedroom ideas, from rust and ochre textiles to layered lighting, sit naturally with a Spanish scheme.
• Use warm lighting. Lanterns, table lamps and warm white bulbs recreate the glow of a Spanish evening.
• Consider underfloor heating if you're laying terracotta tiles, so the floor stays comfortable all year.

Spanish Bedroom Ideas on a Budget

Mistakes to Avoid

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Spanish style bedroom decor?

Spanish style bedroom decor uses limewashed or plaster walls, terracotta tiles, dark carved wood, wrought iron beds, arches, patterned tiles, linen bedding, natural fibre rugs and handmade ceramics to create a warm, earthy and relaxed room.

What colours are used in a Spanish bedroom?

Warm whites and creams as a base, with terracotta, rust, ochre, olive green, cobalt or indigo blue, black iron and dark wood as accents.

What furniture is used in Spanish style bedrooms?

Wrought iron beds, carved wooden headboards, dark wooden chests, rush seated chairs, simple benches, built-in plaster headboards and niches, and rattan or cane pieces.

How do I make my bedroom look Spanish on a budget?

Limewash a wall, add an esparto or jute rug, switch to linen bedding, hang a pierced metal lantern and display a ceramic jug of olive branches. A second-hand iron bed or carved chest adds instant character.

What is the difference between Spanish and Mediterranean bedrooms?

Mediterranean is the broader term, covering Greek, Italian, Moroccan and Spanish influences. Spanish bedrooms lean more on terracotta, dark carved wood, wrought iron and patterned tiles, while Greek and Ibiza styles are whiter and more minimal.

Can a Spanish bedroom work in a small room?

Yes. A slim iron bed, plaster niches instead of bedside tables, a pale limewashed palette, wall lights and one natural rug keep a small room feeling open while still looking Spanish.

A Bedroom That Feels Like a Holiday

The best Spanish bedrooms are simple: warm white walls, earthy floors, an iron or carved bed, linen and a few handmade pieces, with light and shadow doing the rest. Choose one style, stick to natural materials and keep the room calm.

For more bedroom and interiors inspiration, explore the interior design section, and if you'd like help bringing a Spanish or Mediterranean feel to your own bedroom, you can book a one-hour online interior design consultation with me.