The tropical decor theme bursts with all the vivacious mystique of the rain forest—and you won’t even have to break out the machete! With a few choice accents, you can replicate the lush embrace of the forest canopy right under your own roof:
1. Color: To the surprise of no one, the dominant theme pigment here is green. Get creative and invoke cool, jungly shadows with muted greens like olive or sage. More saturated greens are reminiscent of sunbeams trickling through vivid leaves. Neutrals like ivory, beige, khaki, mocha, and brown can temper brighter, “floral” pops of color; think corals, reds, russets, oranges, and yellows.
The Bali Palm Tropical Bedding, with its succinct color scheme of green, copper, and beige, introduces a streak of balmy elegance into the bedroom. Binding the edges of the comforter and shams, the twist cording resembles forest vines.
2. Balance: Like an ecosystem, your decor should maintain some semblance of balance and order. You can mitigate the often vibrant prints of the tropical theme with casual, island-inspired furniture. The Leikela Dining Set is leather-wrapped rattan, a texture that exudes easygoing appeal. The warm pecan stain is coated in a glossy finish, and the Wailea Coast print features green fronds feathering a black background. Touches of red provide interest.
3. Your Tropical Vision: A careful arrangement of home accents will refine your tropical vision. Fewer colors and simpler designs make for a neat, minimalist look. Tropical candleholders and wall mirrors can be combined to fashion an inviting foyer. But if you really want a bold and refreshing look, go for a colorful wall sculpture, like Caribbean Sunset. Molten orange is offset by placid blue in this sultry sculpture, its silhouette free-form and loose, its palm trees languid and curvaceous.
Laid-back though it is, tropical decor seizes attention in a way more conventional decorating styles cannot. The tropical theme arms the bold decorator with lively patterns and bright colors and sends him or her marching into the undergrowth. To what end? No one is quite sure. But the reward for those with an adventurous heart has always been great.
A Home Like No Other 