Desert Interior Design Ideas for Paradise Valley, AZ, Home

For the main color scheme of this southwestern home interior, we opted for soft white and warm wood. We repainted the terracotta-colored walls a soft, warm white for a spacious, bright, and inviting feeling. This white offers the perfect neutral backdrop for other desert interior design ideas like bold decor pieces or accent colors. 

To balance the white across the home, we also refinished the floors with cozy brown tones that also echo the ceiling rafters. We retained the old-style terracotta colored brick flooring in the foyer and hallways to reflect the southwest landscape. In the rest of the home, we either installed or refinished the wood floors with a warm deep brown for balance against the bright white. 

The soft white and warm brown base colors of the home allowed us to easily work in more desert interior design ideas to breathe new life into the otherwise traditional home. We love to incorporate locally-made decor and furnishings if we can, and in this case, our clients discovered local painters at an art fair. We commissioned the artists to create wall art throughout the home, all of which reflect either the desert landscape or close-up details of desert flora. 

In the foyer, we added a large terracotta pot with tall bamboo branches that add color and texture while visually grounding the soaring stairway. Window treatments throughout the space feature geometric patterns in neutral colors for a touch of visual texture. 

For this southwestern home interior, we chose soft blues as an accent color for rugs, throw pillows, blankets, and more to invoke the bright blue desert sky. Potted plants dot the entire home as well, adding texture and color, while also echoing the same flora you’d find in the desert landscape.

Another key element of the desert style is an emphasis on simple comforts. Plush, comfortable furniture can be found in every room and is often positioned toward open windows to take in the beautiful desert landscape. Layers of blankets drape over furniture and bedding to help ward off the desert night’s chill. Pillows are also found on nearly every couch and chair because whether you are tall or short, pillows help enhance comfort on any piece of furniture. 

We also wanted to make sure to accommodate our clients’ love of hosting family and friends. So in the gathering spaces, we opted for more seating options in the form of long sofas, multiple chairs, and even ottomans that can be tucked away whenever they’re not needed. 

In such a beautiful landscape, we wanted to give our clients the opportunity to comfortably enjoy their desert home. We created a few different outdoor seating areas with plush outdoor furniture, which help encourage people to enjoy the weather and appreciate the landscape. 

Additionally, furniture upholstery, blankets, and pillows, while being comfortable, also offer other design elements to every space. They allow us to implement additional desert interior design ideas like new patterns, colors, and textures that add depth to the southwestern home interior design.