Awesome and amazing accents are a must because they do two things: they not only complete a room but they bring it to life in a way that draws you into the whole experience of the space, which hopefully is your tropical escape! It doesn’t matter how nice or new your foundational pieces are such as a sofa, coffee table, dining room table, or bedroom furniture. If you want to create a true tropical escape at home, your room will simply be lifeless and incomplete without the right accents. And choosing the right accents is important because they will determine that whole experience. Is it truly the tropical look you envisioned? Or did your accent choices have you land in a more non-tropical coastal setting like a New England coastline? Maybe the result is now more Mediterranean. Or are you now out on the open sea with an abundance of nautical items? Choose your accents wisely! They will determine where you land. Having said that, here is a beautiful tropical example of “fresh and full of life”.

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Photo Credit: Pufik Home Inspirations

In the example above, a small sofa, a marble coffee table and two cane chairs are the foundational pieces. Everything else are accent pieces. You can imagine that if all of the plants, artwork, tabletop decor, and the rug were removed, it would be a pretty boring room! But when you bring everything together as shown, a wonderful tropical retreat is the result.

When choosing foundational elements, having them be plain and simple in the right colors is fine. But when a foundational piece or two has its own accented detailing such as the cane wicker in these two chairs, it really helps to tie the look together because those foundational pieces blend in even more. The use of cane furnishings here creates a light and airy look even though these pieces are sturdy and provide comfortable seating. We love this chair because of its design and style.

Here is a great example of a bedroom that is full of life and transports you to the tropics! The red chair is another wonderful example of how a foundational piece acts as an accent too as the red is bold and it really works. If you find that in an example like this that you would want to have a bigger pop of color such as this red, then look for something like this red papasan chair which is the perfect textural addition to this space. And it is super comfortable too!

Photo Credits Mixandchic.com & Kings Lane

Also, look at your current wall art. Oil paintings and good-quality framed prints are perfect for tropical looks. For some real interest, consider textural pieces such as woven mats for the wall. You can be as creative as you want!

We still have a few in stock (they sell out quickly!) and of course we are always on the lookout for other cool ones too! This awesome see-through mat made from natural palm fibers is about 5 feet across and really makes a statement!

Photo Credit: ArchZine on Instagram

Tabletops are perfect for wood carvings, blown glass, pottery and metal sculpture work which really add depth and texture. Check out our shop and see what we have. A really great piece might be there just waiting for you! Picture frames that fit into the atmosphere you are creating will really personalize your space. Candles, whether real or battery-operated really create a peaceful mood at night. Just look at your escape place, right down to the last detail. You want everything to play its part and to fit in perfectly.

Photo Credit: thebohoabode.net

Liven It Up! Tropical vs Coastal

Some people like bold pops of color and others like things more quiet and subtle. To make things more lively but still serene and relaxing (which is the whole point of creating your place to escape), really focus on what colors you like and how bold or subtle those colors should be in your space. There really are a lot of differences between tropical and coastal and we could write a series of articles about that. But for now, let’s just do a quick “compare and contrast”.

Photo Credit: Baers

Going tropical and coastal both require the use of color. But different colors and their levels of boldness will determine what your results will look like. There are several different coastal styles and they all bring in varying degrees of colors vs neutrals, natural elements such as different woods and plant life and of course, locally inspired artwork and cultural pieces.

Photo Credit: Simple Details Blog

“Tropical” inspires visions of hotter and more humid places like rainforests with lush landscapes, brightly colored birds such as toucans and parrots and things like coral reefs and brightly colored marine life. It creates visions of dark polished woods, lava rock and natural stone, and homes that open up to the outside. There are amazing beaches with sand that ranges from white to golden and of course, the breathtaking blue and turquoise waters. 

Photo Credit: Mixandchic.com & Kings Lane

“Coastal” typically means the non-tropical coastlines of the continental US. It means traditional seaside cottages, rocky coastlines, cooler weather and even lighthouses. Think coastal Oregon and the Pacific Northwest or New England, particularly the Hamptons and Cape Cod.

Photo Credit: houzz.com

Then we have Mediterranean Coastal which is largely based on Italian and Spanish influences but also includes Greece and southern France. It uses bright colors with more of a faded or sunbaked look and has heavier carved woods, terra cotta tile and even metal and black iron work.

Photo Credit: One Kind Design

The beauty of using coastal styles is that you can use colors and their levels of boldness along with certain textures and accents to transport yourself to whatever part of the coastal world you want, right in your own home!

This excellent article by Deirdre Sullivan over at The Spruce (a wonderful site for everything about your house) will give you many different looks, colors and design inspirations to consider as you decide which tropical or coastal look is the best one for you.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! Accents are your friend and there are a million different ones out there. Do some digging, get creative and bring some new freshness and life to your tropical or coastal space!

For your convenience, here is a list of the products we have recommended in this blog post which can really help to create an amazing and relaxing tropical experience!