Tropical Decorating

by Giorgina Devereaux

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

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

Rattan brings a natural element since it is a Tropical tree that grows in the jungle.

It 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.

Although Tropical decorating and furniture woods like ebony, mahogany, and teak are a great way to achieve a Tropical look, make sure they are certified sustainable before purchasing them.

Exotic hardwoods like teak, rosewood, and koa are also used for furniture.

Furthermore, Tropical decorating features include ornamental carved motifs, such as pineapples, palm leaves, trees, and flowers for that added Tropical effect.

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.

Linens: For bed and bath linens, look for prints that feature palm trees, Tropical plants with vivid, beautiful native botanicals like hibiscus, anthurium, orchid and the Bird of Paradise.

You may also use Thai silks and floral-printed linens.

Some of the linens available for the bedroom consist of 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 stripe bedskirt; or 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.

Flooring: For flooring, you may go with hardwood, such as a dark hardwood or bamboo, and if you cannot, tile or stone is another possibility. 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. 

They help keep the Tropical decorating look alive while providing textural interest against the flooring.

Other area rugs feature monkeys swinging from palm branches, palm trees, lush foliage of the tropics, coconut palms, and flamingos. For the bathroom, consider covering the floors with bath mats made from teak or that have palm tree patterns, starfish, and Tropical fish.

Wall Color: In the Caribbean, you will notice homes painted in vibrant colors, such as bright orange, pink, and green.

In addition to these colors being vivid, it also serves a purpose in that the brighter colors deflect sunlight and help keep the home cooler.

Other palettes include natural colors, such as fresh aqua blue, sandy tan, olive green, pale peach, and pale yellow.

These colors should serve as the primary colors in Tropical design since they represent sand, water, and trees.

Also, the use of pale gray shades evokes feelings of weathered seaside boardwalks and blend with the aforementioned colors. Tropical decorating and furniture schemes incorporate the use of red and purple 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 decorating themed wallpaper and borders. If color frightens you, just paint the walls a neutral shade and incorporate color to the room through the use of accessories.

Accessories: For accents, you may select among 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 Tropical home décor are coconuts, seashells, starfish, 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. They can be used as a table centerpiece, displayed in jars, shadow boxes, or baskets, and may be glued as 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 paper towel holder, bamboo, and more.

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

If the size of the room is an issue and it is serving two purposes, you can create privacy while adding a Tropical 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 or in a basket weave because they look alluring and help tie in the other accessories, wall color, and furniture.

A wonderful way to welcome the beach indoors is by 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.

Lighting: It is important to have good lighting, and why not consider lighting fixtures or lamps decorated in monkey, leaf, or jungle accents?

The dark lamp shades will blend nicely with the Tropical furniture in the room. Accent lamps shaped like palm trees, seashell lamps, pineapple lamps, palm wall sconces, rattan wall sconces, or a ceiling fan with palm leaf blades are great.

A popular light ceiling fan is a wide blade fan made from rattan or with palm paddles.

Wall Art: Consider using both animal hide designs, such as zebra stripes or leopard spots, along with pictures of monkeys, lions, and elephants for the wall.

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

Plants: Tropical decorating plants are a fabulous way to give your home the Tropical flavor, and large plants like Areca palms, coconut palms, 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 artificial plants or trees. They look close to the real thing without the maintenance.

Window Treatments: Ideal window treatments should project a natural quality. Some choices to consider include bamboo or matchstick blinds, linen panels, and plantation shutters. Another way to dress up your windows is by hanging curtains consisting of Tropical themed prints.

Tropical decorating definitely provides a relaxing escape where you can comfortably retreat after a long hard day at work. Your home is a reflection of your personality and should be a place where you feel a sense of tranquility.