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Tropical Style Decorating
"Bring the wild look of tropical nature inside! "
Tropical style is a mix of foreign influences asimilated by old traditions from different corners of the globe: Malaysia, Africa, Brazil, Caribbean or Philippines.
Tropics produced a very modern and distinctive style of their own. Exotic materials are at home here along with warm earthy colors and deep tones of green.
Even though you might not live in a sunny drenched climate: with palm trees or by that deep blue ocean, you can still achieve a tropical decor in your house quite easily. Retail stores carry a wide range of items to select from.
NOTE: Avoid overaccesorizing the rooms; floral and animal prints are "busy" enough with their color abundance and can make the space look overpowering !
Achieve A Tropical Style Look
Design Elements in Tropical Style Decorating
- Colors - earthy tones and shades of beige, cream, brown, or camel can be used for a tropical decor and bold colors will be used for accents.
- Furniture is all natural; exotic woods can be used for a true "tropical" effect: bamboo, teak, rattan or water hyacinth.
What is rattan?Rattan is a tree that grows mainly in the tropical jungles of southeast Asia. One of the strongest but light wood available, it is used to make wickered furniture. Because of its unique characteristics, the rattan pole or core is steamed and used into the wicker process to create intricately design furniture.
- Tropical style decorating can be achieved through the use of tented ceilings, cream walls hung with indigenous art, animal print fabrics overhead fans and wall to wall sisal matting.
- To bring the warmth of the tropics, flooring is done in rich brown polished teak or other exotic woods, or laminate in colors that mimic them.
- Lighting is not sophisticated, but rather simple, unadorned and plain.
- As floor coverings you can use wooven bamboo carpets, jute or sisal rugs to achieve a tropical style decor. Focus once more on natural materials!
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Tropical Style Decorating By Room
- Living room - leave the walls a neutral light yellow/tan color with an accent wall in a bright yellow-orange to bring warmth and provide the backdrop for some oversized art with botanicals or animals.
A tropical plant will find its place in one of the corners of the room.
Consider installing a fan with palm blades for the ceiling. Choose large pieces of furniture: wickered sofas, armchairs, upholstered in bold orchid flowers, or low leather three seats sofas and love seats. If you opted for latter ones, accesorize with bold leafy printed or plain coral throw pillows for contrast.
A set of wooden giraffes in different heights can complete the look.
- In the dining room you can keep the contemporary set of chairs and table, but place bright zebra patterned place matts.
Lighting: use free standing square, barrel or rectangular lamps with wood frames with dark shades or covered in rice paper.
A true tropical look for a dining set: table and chairs will have to be rattan in an intricate wooven pattern and upholstered chairs in a combination of tan/ mellow gold colors for a casula yet elegant setting.
- Bathrooms - make heavy use of the bamboo for stands, basin areas and various display items. In tropical style decorating, bamboo is a good choice for bathrooms as it has a dense texture and it is steamproof. Use wall affixed sconces with bamboo or palm leaves shades.
- For kitchen use tropical accents such as wooven napkin holders, wicker basket sets and bamboo placemats.If you have either wood floors or stone ones, use jute or seagrass accent rugs. Functional light-waved cotton or linen breezy drapes for your windows will let the light come inside. Hot summers will be more bearable with matchstick blinds for your windows. For backsplashes you can use tiles with colorful motifs.
For storage use wocker boxes. Display colorful pottery and clay pieces. Chunky dinnerware will enhace the tropical mood in the kitchen
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