The Sun, the sand, and the tropics. What more can you want? Why not bring summer vibes into your home all year round with Tropical Style.
Here is your Ultimate Guide in How To Use Tropical Design Style in your Home!
By: Lyndsay Romeo
This inviting and fun style brings the tropics straight to your home, allowing you to have your very own personal sanctuary.
Shown Above: Yuriko White Chandelier
Tropical Design Style Explained
Tropical Design Style consists of lively bright colors, patterns, florals, and natural textures. Let's not forget including animal motifs to the mix! This style is all about tranquility, bringing the nature indoors and having fun. Tropical style can also be defined by warm soothing colours inspired by natures backdrop from natural wickers and rattans and oceanic elements.
Key Points in Achieving Tropical Design Style
Although when you think tropical, you immediately imagine a home filled with tropical plants, patterns, and exotic decorative items of plants and animals. This is not entirely the case. Tropical Design is meant to bring relaxation, tranquility and adding substantial amounts of natural textures, materials and light.
Shown Above: Wicker Wave Large Pendant, Riviera Waterfall Console, Riviera Large Cocktail Table, Brussels Buffet, Bacharach Swivel Chair-Teddy Natural, Zola Lounge Chair.
Be Genuine to you while Maintaining Balance & Harmony
Tropical style can be successfully applied in both a Minimalist & Maximalist approach.
From a Minimalist Approach:
The saying 'less is more' works perfectly in the case of the minimalist approach. Although tropical design can be bold and energetic, it can also be achieved in a more subtle way using softer colors and only a few accents of the tropics here and there. Do not be afraid to add tropical decorative motifs such as floral or animal prints and items.
Make a tropical chandelier your showpiece and add slight hints of tropical decor in harmony with the chandelier to take another minimalist approach to this design style. As long as you love the items you are choosing, you will enjoy your newly designed space for years to come.
From a Maximalist Approach:
This style can be a maximalist's dream! Tropical Design Style in at a maximalist approach can be accomplished with bold tropical colors, patterns, tropical themed lighting from chandeliers to floor lamps, exotic decor and plants from faux to real.
Once more it is key to stick to what you love, make sure the furniture, lighting and decor you choose to complete this style are things that you love and can see yourself loving for awhile, as it is important you feel comfortable in your own home setting.
How to Add Tropical Style to your Home
1. Favor vibrant and energetic, tropical-influenced patterns
A great way to start getting your space tropical ready is by introducing tropical themed decor and motifs, think lush greens, natural materials, wall decor and accent walls with animal and tropical plant patterns.
Patterns come in a wide variety when it comes to tropical style, you can choose from jungle themed, exotic birds, animals, bold florals, tropical plants, and don't forget tropical fruits such as pineapples, bananas, mangoes and more!
If your preference is the more minimalist look, than stick to more softer and lighter tropical themed patterns. Add subtle hints of tropical motifs around your home and textures of natural materials, leaving more negative space, instead of filling every corner.
2. Connect with House Plants, Real & Faux
There is nothing more tropical than having greenery inside your homes, from flora to palm trees. Use large leafed palm or banana trees as accents in your space, to brighten things up and add that touch of nature you need. You can opt for both live plants or faux, depending on your preference. Either way, adding plants and greenery to your home is a fun and can even be a budget friendly way to decorate using this style.
Let's not forget adding touches of jungle flora to the mix, add calla lilies, bougainvillea's, birds of paradise, orchids and more exotic plants to add decorative hints or even more color to your tropical oasis!
Shown Above: Banana
3. Fill your space with tropical colors
One of the exciting parts to tropical design is the use of colors, from bold and vibrant jungle themed hues to neutral and nature inspired tints. Think lush jungle greens, oceanic and sky blues, bright and subtle hues of gold and yellow for that tropical sun glow, blend this in with hints of vivid colors of magentas, pinks and oranges.
Make vibrant accent walls in a tropical color of choice, or find a tropical wallpaper you love, create an accent walls and pull colors from that wallpaper to create an exciting and desirable space you will love.
Tropical design also has a luxy side to it, bringing in notes from design styles art deco and maximalist, adding accents of brass and copper will really add a luxury touch to your space.
4. Organic Forms, Natural & Sustainable Materials and Textures
Hello Earth, we love you! Aside from the vibrant colors, patterns, and tropical decor. It is important you bring in all aspects of nature, amongst all its textures and forms.
Find lighting made with natural materials such as rattan, jute, wood, wicker, abaca rope and more. You can opt into searching for handmade sustainable and ethically sourced products such as rugs, baskets, pillows, furniture etc.
Add wicker furniture and decor pieces to your space to include the use of natural materials. Adding wall decor made of natural materials is another fun way to incorporate raw materials into your tropical space.
Don't forget other natural materials like teak, bamboo, exotic woods and more. Tropical style allows you to explore mother nature with more depth.
Blend together these natural materials with drapes, and linens made from natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, jute, and sisal. Make sure to opt for neutral and warm tones hues for these added elements. Including nature into your space can also mimic the design style modern organic. Look for furniture that mimics nature, such as curved solid wooden tables, sculptures with organic shapes mimicking nature's finest.
Shown Above: Phebe Medium & Large Chandelier
5. Natural Lighting and a Bright Airy Space
Allow natural light to shine into your home during the day if you have the windows to allow for it. Get rid of any bulky or darkening window treatments and opt into a light and airy approach. Try using a more featherweight and semi-translucent drapes and shades. When choosing colors, go for more neutral colors to allow for more light to shine into your room.
If you do not have many windows in your space, no worries, there are different ways to incorporate more light into a room. Try doing things such as, opting for lighter wall colors to make the space seem larger, add mirrors to your wall, or floor mirrors to make the reflection of the room cause it to seem larger.
Shown Above: Wellington Four-Arm Sconce, Wellington Tripod Table Lamp, Wellington Tripod Floor Lamp with Table, Otto Buffet
Adding tropical inspired lighting and fans is another great way to add more light to your space.
6. Don't forget the decor
The Tropical Interior Design Style allows for so much room to play around with your decor and make it the perfect tropical oasis for you and your loved ones to enjoy!
There are many ways to incorporate tropical motifs into your home. Go for adding tokens, art, and items you may have already purchased during your travels in the tropics, this is a great way to accessorize and keep it personal to you. This is not only one way to honor tropical style, it's a way to make conversation of your tropical adventure's with your guests.
Alternatively, search for classic and traditional tropical furniture combines with bold colors and tropical motifs for added depth. Furniture made from mahogany, teak, walnuts can be mixed with timeless Victorian and or art deco pieces. Look for animal patterns and prints, and stunning tropical art pieces and artifacts to create a more attractive space.
Tropical is a popular and beautiful interior design style. This style is similar to coastal style, and you can use elements from both to compliment each other. Tropical style mixes well with many other interior design styles, from bohemian style and shabby chic. Find your preference and don't forget to sit back and enjoy your new tropical getaway from home!
