Hawaiian Decorating

by Giorgina Devereaux

Aloha!  Hawaiian decorating welcomes the splendor of the Hawaiian Islands into your home and offers the tropical feel and beauty reminiscent of this fantastic getaway. 

Hawaii reminds us of plush greenery, lovely flowers, majestic palm trees, the fresh island breeze, and unforgettable hospitality. 

Decorating with Hawaiian decor will bring a refreshing and tranquil feel to your home, along with unspeakable magnificence that will renew you daily. 
 

Those of us who have been fortunate enough to experience Hawaii know firsthand what a spectacular destination it is to visit. 

It’s those fond memories that keep us yearning to return to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands repeatedly.  However, since it’s not always possible to travel there annually, there are ways to bring a slice of Hawaii into your very own home.  You can achieve this by incorporating the perfect combination of color, accessories, furniture, and art that draws from natural elements. 

Consider including colors such as white, sand, pink, and different shades of blue and green, yellow and orange into your Hawaiian decorating. 

These colors bring to mind the fantastic hues we see in Hawaii with the lovely blue water and extraordinary colorful flowers. 

Some beautiful flowers to consider are Hibiscus, Bird of Paradise, Red Ginger, and Orchids. 

If you want to give your home an even more authentic Hawaiian decorating touch, you may wish to display a Tiki statue or mask. 

With these simple ideas, along with other options that we will explore, you will be on your way to transforming your home into a spectacular Hawaiian tropical experience that reflects this beautiful style and aura.  The result will be a relaxing and enjoyable Hawaiian feel that will allow you to relive the fresh tropical breezes and peaceful island living time and time again.

Hawaiian Decor Ideas

Wall Color:  Vibrant colors, such as bright orange, pink, and green are a reminder of the tropics.  Not only do these colors add energy to the space, but brighter colors deflect sunlight and help keep the home cooler. 

Other natural colors to consider are fresh aqua blue, sandy tan, olive green, pale peach, and pale yellow.  

These colors should serve as the primary colors in a Hawaiian decorating design since they represent natural elements, such as sand, water, and trees.

If you prefer colors that evoke feelings of weathered seaside boardwalks, you may wish to use pale shades of gray and blend it with the aforementioned colors.  Hawaiian decorating and furniture schemes incorporate the use of red and orange because they bring tropical flowers to mind.

For the bathroom wall, consider colors consistent with earth tones or oranges, pinks, and blues.
 

You may also paint murals on the walls or go with tropical themed wallpaper and borders that feature palm trees, pineapple motifs, and floral designs.  If bright colors don’t suit your tastes, consider painting the walls a neutral shade and incorporate color through the use of accessories.

If you are trying to create an open feel, painting the walls white will allow you to achieve that. 

Furniture:  Hawaiian decorating consists of large and comfortable upholstered pieces. Furniture in lighter woods can be used, but complement the room better when combined with dark tables and lamps.

You may also include accent pieces in wicker, bamboo, iron, and rattan. Dark wood and rattan furniture fit very well with the Hawaiian style. 

Furnishing your home with natural materials, such as rattan will further tie in the Hawaiian theme and give your home an authentic feel since it is made from a tropical tree that grows in the jungle. 

Rattan is generally used as decoration for wicker style pieces on the sides of tropical style computer armoires, the sides of writing desks, or the padded backs of chairs.

It is flexible and durable, with knobby joints that are wrapped to convey a smooth appearance.

Wicker is a kind of furniture building technique where strands of grass or vines are woven together.  Bamboo is also used on furniture pieces and can be described as thick grass with a hollow center.

Natural materials like cane, seagrass, water hyacinth, and banana leaf are often woven to form chairs, sofas, tables, and countless accents.

These materials create sturdy and lightweight furniture, such as computer armoires, printer cabinets, along with other furniture that is eco-friendly.

Other types of furniture to consider are those made from ebony, mahogany, and teak since they have that tropical look.  Exotic hardwoods like teak, rosewood, and koa are also used for furniture and definitely worth considering.  Furthermore, Hawaiian decorating features include ornamental carved motifs, such as pineapples, palm leaves, trees, and flowers.
 

The fabrics used in this style should be soft and lush.  Neutral solid colored chenilles are excellent for the major upholstered pieces, while ottomans and chairs might be upholstered in jungle prints and leaf designs.

Flooring and Rugs:  For flooring, you may wish to consider hardwood, such as a dark hardwood or bamboo as well as tile or stone.  

You can accent floors with area rugs in sisal and jute that are woven in natural fibers or by using mats and rugs made from rattan and seagrass. 

This helps keep the Hawaiian decorating look alive while providing textural interest against the flooring. 
 

Some area rugs to consider include the following:

• Monkeys swinging from palm branches

• Palm trees

• Lush foliage of the tropics

• Coconut palms

• Flamingos

• Pineapples

• Underwater and surfing themes

• A fun beach scene

For the bathroom, you may wish to consider adorning the floor with a mat that is made from teak or that has palm tree patterns, starfish, and tropical fish.

Lighting:  It is important to have good lighting as part of your Hawaiian decorating, and why not consider lighting fixtures or lamps decorated in a monkey, leaf, or jungle accents?

The following lighting choices blend nicely with Hawaiian style furniture:

• Dark lamp shades

• Accent lamps shaped like palm trees

• Hula dancer lamp

• Seashell lamps

• Pineapple lamps

• Palm wall sconces

• Rattan wall sconces

• Ceiling fan with palm leaf blades

A popular light ceiling fan is one that consists of a wide blade fan made from rattan or that features palm paddles.  This lighting fixture brings added Hawaiian spirit. 

Linens:  For bed and bath linens, look for prints that feature palm trees, tropical plants with vivid, beautiful native botanicals like Hibiscus, Anthurium, Orchids, and the Bird of Paradise.

You may also use Thai silks and floral-printed linens.  This brings a punch of color to the room and adds a splendid tropical feel.

Some of the linens available for the bedroom consist of the following:

• Banana leaves and Bird of Paradise on a yellow background

• A blue background with white shells

• Blue, yellow, and white shells

• Seahorses

• Crabs, sand dollars, and starfish

• A red, yellow, or white background monkey print with a striped bedskirt

• A champagne tone on tone coral reef with tone on tone grass cloth tripe bedskirt

• Pink flamingos on a bright aqua background

There is also an incredible assortment of bathroom towels and shower curtains with tropical fish designs, coconut trees, and flamingos, just to name a few.  The choices are endless and quite splendid.
 

Plants and Flowers:  Adding tropical plants is a fabulous way to give your home a flavor of Hawaiian decorating. 

Large plants, such as the Areca palm, coconut palm, and Cycas palm perfectly suit this theme.

The use of wicker plant pots to house the plants is a nice finishing touch.

Before proceeding to invest in the purchase of real tropical plants, make sure you are not allergic to them.  

Also, consider what’s involved for the care of your plant.  If you do not wish to care for a plant or tree, consider an artificial version.  Faux plants and trees look close to the real thing, are virtually maintenance free, and look beautiful year round.

Some beautiful Hawaiian flowers to consider include:

• Fuchsia Pink Plumeria

• Hawaiian Red Ginger

• Hawaiian Yellow Heliconia

• Lavender Pink Plumeria

• Bird of Paradise

• Orange Orchids

• Red Hisbicus

• Anthurium

Wall Art:  Consider incorporating wall art that features a Hawaiian theme, such as photos of Hawaiian natives or ocean reef life. 

Other ideas include hanging Tiki masks or surfboard wall art for that extra Hawaiian effect. 

You can also hang prints that have stylized leaf designs, palm trees, and pineapple or beach prints.  Kids will also enjoy the Hawaiian decorating style in their rooms because the bright colors add a cheery and fun feel.

Hawaiian wall art consists of the following:

• Beach scenes

• Ferns

• Hawaiian dancer

• Hawaiian fish

• Hawaiian fruits

• Hawaiian natives

• Heliconia flowers

• Red Hibiscus flowers

• Orange Orchids

• Palm leaves

• Palm trees

• Photos of ocean reef life

• Royal Hawaiian Hotel

• Surf riders

• Trompe l’oeil consisting of a window peeking out into a tropical paradise

• Pineapple stained glass window

• Tiki tribal masks

• Surfboard wall art

Another idea is to cover one wall with wallpaper that essentially functions as a mural, such as one that features a romantic sunset in Hawaii overlooking the ocean.  This will have a stunning and real life effect and is a fantastic way to quickly transform a room into one that is warm and peaceful.  Friends and family will be amazed at the panoramic views this mural will create.
 

Water Feature:  A water feature brings a dose of calm and splendor to a Hawaiian themed home.  You may wish to consider a floor fountain that showcases a bamboo tree etched in glass.  This type of fountain is the perfect touch to a Hawaiian decorating theme because of the bamboo design that is reminiscent of nature.  Listening to the trickling water is a soothing way to relax and unwind.
 

Window Treatments:  Window treatments for a Hawaiian decorating theme should project a natural quality. 

Some ideas include bamboo, wood blinds, linen panels, and plantation shutters. 

You may also opt for curtains that consist of a tropical theme, along with wood curtain rods that feature a pineapple finial. 

Through the use of natural elements, you will bring a tropical feel to the home, which will further enhance the Hawaiian experience. 

Accessories:  Consider the following accessories for Hawaiian décor:

• Switch plates that features a hula girl, Hawaiian flowers, surf theme, palm trees, beach scene, and tropical fish

• Picture frames that have a pineapple, palm tree, or floral design

• Hula dolls

Other accents include those that are dark brown, black, or even muted reds.  Bamboo is an ideal element for this style.  You can add bamboo picture frames, bamboo vases, and bamboo candles as accents.

Other items that go hand in hand with Hawaiian home décor are coconuts, seashells, starfish, pineapples, and palm trees.

Coconut candles are an exceptional and simple way to add a peaceful feel to your home while seashells are perfect for generating the feeling of tropics.  They are beautiful and decorative.

If you happen to live near the ocean, you may pick up a few seashells, which can be used as a table centerpiece.  Consider displaying seashells in decorative jars, shadow boxes, or baskets to further enhance its beauty. 

You may also glue a collection of small shells on a blank framed canvas for a lovely wall accent.
 

For the kitchen table, you may include natural covered stoneware, textured placemats, loosely woven fabric napkins, and sturdy glassware.

Other accessories for the kitchen consist of wooden bowls, baskets, a palm tree or pineapple paper towel holder, canisters, bamboo, and more.

If you have a breakfast bar in the kitchen area, you can add high bar stools made from wicker, rattan, or bamboo to accentuate the Hawaiian decorating style.
 

If the size of the room is an issue and serves multiple purposes, you can create privacy while adding a Hawaiian touch by using room dividers made from bamboo.

Another item you might use to spruce up your design theme is decorative pillows in bold colors, pineapple or palm tree motifs, or in a basket weave because they look alluring and help tie in the other accessories, wall color, and furniture. 

Simply prop them on the couch and watch it come to life because of the vivid colors. 

To welcome the beach indoors, consider displaying a fish tank containing tropical fish, along with accessories inside the tank, such as a sunken treasure chest, brilliantly colored rocks, and artificial algae.
 

Hawaiian style decorating definitely provides a relaxing escape where you can comfortably retreat after a long hard day at work.  Since your home is a reflection of your personality, it should be a place where you feel a sense of tranquility and comfort. 

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