The freshness of a salty breeze, the rush of wind through palm leaves, long beaches and intense sunshine… Who wouldn’t want to replicate the feel of a tropical holiday in their own home? Luckily, the task is easy to achieve when the power of interior design is employed correctly.
Tropical elements add warmth and sparkle to your home interior design. You can introduce those without being too obvious and opting for clichés. To add a tropical touch, you’ll simply need to focus on some of the following ideas.
Choose Your Tropical Style
The term tropical is rather general but it can refer to a number of things.
Will you recreate the lush appeal of the Bahamas? Or Hawaii? Or Maui? Each one of these places (and many other tropical nations) have their own stylistic appeal that you may want to recreate. This is the first thing you have to decide on, if you want your execution to look consistently good.
Hawaii-inspired design, for example, incorporates natural fibres, dark wooden finishes, bright but natural colours and lots of tropical plants. The decorating style of the Bahamas is based on lots of rattan, teak furniture and even paintings by Bahamian artists like Brent Malone, Maxwell Taylor and Stan Burnside.
Colours, Textures and Materials
These have already been mentioned but we need to emphasise the importance of all three design elements. They are the ones that will set the tone and make the design scheme recognisable.
As far as colours go, bright but natural is the rule.
Go for blues, greens, yellows, browns, orange and all creams. Apart from being reminiscent of an island paradise, these colours are also very soothing and perfect for the creation of a serene ambiance. There are many tones to choose among, giving you a good opportunity to introduce a slightly different concept in each of the rooms (a peaceful blue in the bedroom, a green and refreshing living room, bright yellows in the nursery, etc.).
When it comes to materials, natural is once again the way to go. Bamboo, rattan, sisal, linen and basket weave are all ideal. Not only do these materials bring the right vibe, they also add some fun texture to the interior design.
As you can see, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on very expensive accessories and upgrades. Often, a fresh coat of paint and working with what you have is going to be enough. Something as simple as the addition of rugs and rope decorative elements can easily transform the appearance of an entire room.
Plants, plants, plants!!!
Plants are another important element to bring the tropical flora to your home. Many tropical plants can be kept in containers and they’ll thrive with a little bit of care.
Some of the authentic houseplants to consider adding to your home interior design include Snake plants, philodendrons, monstera, pothos and calathea. Obviously, you have many other choices, as well. If you like a specific plant and it matches the brief, go for it!
When selecting houseplants, you should also check out the care requirements.
Unless you have enough experience with gardening, pick varieties that don’t have highly specific light, water and fertilisation requirements. Some tropical plants (especially flowering varieties) will be tempting due to their beauty but they could be notoriously difficult to take care of. Go here to learn more.
Style Boost with Patterns
If you don’t have authentic furniture pieces or artworks, you can add the tropical feel to your home through the selection of patterns.
Colourful and playful, these will instantly “lift” and brighten any room.
Bright flowers, palm leaves, tropical birds, tropical fruits and orchids are all fun and fairly obvious choices. You can also use colourful geometric patterns that feature fitting colour tones. Patterns reminiscent of sandy beaches and the ocean are also great.
There are lots of fabrics carrying tropical prints. These will be ideal for the creation of curtain, pillow covers, bedsheets and other textile elements that can be dispersed throughout the home.
With so many fun decorations to choose among, it’s easy to go overboard. The trick is to make a statement with one focal point that sets the tropical tone (or maybe more depending on the size and layout of your space) with everything else playing a supportive role. If you have too many strong elements fighting for attention, you’ll end up with interior design that looks too busy and cluttered.
Think of beach bar furniture or a little villa on the beach. There isn’t anything ornamental or excessive there. A few handmade furniture pieces and some lightweight fabrics will be enough to convey the message.
These are a few of the guiding principles to follow if you want to enjoy the beauty of the tropics every single day.
Still, bringing those concepts to reality is often easier said than done. If you don’t know how to execute a tropical design or you worry about going overboard, partner up with professionals.
At Home Guide home interior design, we love the warmth and holiday vibe that tropical design carries. Needless to say, we can execute a home renovation from start to finish including interior design, space planning and project management for results that are tailored to you and exceed your vision. Contact Home Guide now to let us know what your dream home looks like.
