It’s time to visit the tropics! If not by plane, then by a touch of design magic! Tropical interior design can involve the use of natural materials, such as wicker, rattan, bamboo and teak. Then again, many Hollywood Regency-style rooms filled with glossy furnishings go tropical with the help of fabrics featuring palm leaves, lattice prints and cane motifs.
Light and breezy spaces can be achieved with white or sea blue walls and linen curtains, while more ornate rooms may showcase silky drapes, luxurious pillows and potted palms in elegant planters. Is your style minimalist modern? No need to replace your clean-lined furnishings with wicker pieces! Add a bowl of citrus fruit or a large tropical leaf in a cylindrical vase, and you’re set. Tropical interior design can be applied to any style. We think you’ll agree when you see the images below:
Tropical Entryways
The first area seen when you open the door of your home, the entryway is the perfect place to establish a tropical motif. A potted palm and a pair of shell lamps introduce a vacation vibe, as shown in this first image. Crisp blue and white striped walls also contribute to the beachy atmosphere. [from Lamps Plus]
The foyer below contains heavier elements, such as a dark wooden console table. Yet a pair of framed palm leaves instantly brings the tropics home. The house’s beachfront setting doesn’t hurt, either! [from Allison Elebash]
Tropical Living Rooms
When it comes to living rooms, many tropical features can easily be integrated into the space. Let’s start with the natural elements, such as a sea grass rug and a woven pendant lamp. The room below, designed by Lee Kleinhelter, also includes a tropical leaf centerpiece. [from Lonny]
Speaking of woven decor and tropical leaves, this next space features a pair of round, textured lamps and ceiling-high palm leaves. The safari-themed room is designed by David Flint Wood. [from Lonny]
Don’t think that wicker and teak are the only staples of a tropical room! For a touch of palm beach glamour, go with painted bamboo furniture and a lattice-motif mirror. [from Inspire Me]
Or go all out! In this next room, by John Loecke, Inc., more is more! Vibrant tropical wallpaper is the backdrop to a slew of artwork and leafy carpeting, lighting and centerpiece decor. [from Lonny]
There’s no getting around it: the room below is a full-on upscale tropical living space! In this oceanfront penthouse, opulent drapes and traditional furnishings are transported to coastal glam territory with the help of two potted palms. [from HGTV.com]
But don’t think you have to go all out to achieve a bold tropical statement. In this next image, modern furniture reigns, yet a few large leaves in contemporary vases give the space a hint of beach-side living! [from CB2]
Can you count the tropical motifs in the room below? Tropical leaves in vases, a woven pendant light, palm leaf ceiling fans, painted bamboo dining chairs and a bowl of fruit. Did we miss anything?! [from Allison Elebash]
Tropical Dining Rooms
The tropical dining space is fresh and breezy, often with crisp accents like painted bamboo chairs. In the room below, designed by Jamie Meares, a seahorse table brightens the interior, which keeps the sunlight out with the help of exotic floral curtains and bamboo blinds. [from Lonny]
For a modern take on the tropical dining room, go with a bold geometric wallpaper and temper it with a large tropical floral painting. In this space designed by Eileen Kathryn Boyd, a bowl of apples ties the green and white motif together. [from Lonny]
Tropical Kitchens
Tropical kitchens often feature lush greenery. Not to mention, these spaces are ideal for displaying bowls of delicious fruit, as seen in the bright space below. [from upworld]
This next Palm Beach-style butler’s pantry showcases a hand-painted tropical wall by Raines Thompson. Leafy plants in ceramic faux-bamboo pots stand out against an abundance of white trim. [from Inspire Me]
Tropical Bedrooms
There’s nothing like a light and airy tropical bedroom! White walls, a palm leaf fan, and bamboo blinds and furnishings keep the space fresh and breezy. [from Allison Elebash]
To really bring the tropics home, go with palm leaf wallpaper in the bedroom. A green and white motif is the perfect backdrop for vivid accents in colors like yellow and peacock blue. [from Lamps Plus]
Or go with a green and white lattice-print wallpaper and frame a large tropical leaf painting as the room’s centerpiece! The Hollywood Regency bedroom below is made all the more elegant by a crisp white poster bed. [from One King’s Lane via Shop Talk]
For an ultra-modern take on a tropical bedroom, try a coastal mural in earth tones. Glass windows and lush foliage both inside and out continue the tropical motif. [from Houzz via Plushemisphere]
Tropical Bathrooms
The bathroom is a great setting for a bold tropical motif. After all, people are often more willing to take design risks in a smaller space, and many welcome a powder room with a theme! Below, a “tropical meets Art Nouveau” bathroom designed by Celerie Kemble and Anna Burke features leafy wallpaper, a gilded bamboo mirror and a cane tissue box cover. Yellow calla lilies complete the look. [from Lonny]
We end with a bathroom that includes no tropical features of its own. Except an abundance of verdant plants outside, which brings the tropics indoors with the help of floor-to-ceiling glass windows! [from Luxury Idea]
While some rooms stay tropical all year long, others go tropical for the summer! If you want to dabble in tropical interior design but aren’t looking for a year-round commitment, replace a few pillows with breezy selections, add some lush greenery, and you’re set. When autumn comes, put those tropical accents in the closet and replace them with earth-toned pieces for the new season. For some design enthusiasts, featuring tropical motifs throughout the year is a comforting way to stay warm inside on the coldest of days! Why not make your home feel like a vacation each month of the year?!
