
Create That Tropical Escape at Home

Planning Your Tropical Escape at Home
What Does “Tropical Style” Mean To You?
Imagine Your Tropical Space
For some people, ideas about how to create different
In this part of our guide, we will explore many different

Photo Credit: Flooring America
There Are Many Different Kinds Of “Tropical Style”
Creating the awesome

Photo Credit: Architizer.com
“Tropical Style” Doesn’t Have To Mean Tiki, Unless You Want It To!
When mentioning “tropical style”, most people automatically think of a beachy or surfer look. It’s that “t-shirt and flip flops under a thatched roof hut” look which is perfectly fine. You can create some really great spaces that are complete and fully functional with that look. But sadly, many times going
If you start trying to pull things together without an inspired plan and simply hope that the end result will just somehow work out, you could end up with a lot of kitschy knick-knacks and silly wall art. The resulting look can end up pointing too heavily in one direction. It might even scream “a tourist decorated this!” So it is very important to be focused, to do some research online about what you envision, and then to look for the best possible sources for the materials and pieces you will need to bring that vision to life.

Photo Credit: retrorenovation.com
Discover Tropical Home Décor Treasures
Bring island vibes into your home with exclusive artisan-made goods.
As we said earlier, don’t get us wrong about tiki! It can be awesome when you know that is the look you want when you are building that full-on tiki room with a bar somewhere in your home or a thatched-roof bar out it the yard. Tiki has its place and can really work in both large and small amounts. But if that is not what you are looking for and do not want it to overwhelm your look (which can easily happen), then using only a little here and there can really add a cool and classic retro touch. It can blend in very well with unrelated pieces to create awesome and relaxing

Photo Credit: hepcatshaven.com
We think that this look is best suited for a true tiki bar whether it is an actual bar in your home or a place in your yard out by the pool. Those are really the only places where we think full tiki works, colored lights and all, but that is only our opinion. You have to do what works for YOU. We absolutely love tiki bars!

Photo Credit: imbibemagazine.com
The article from Imbibe Magazine in the photo credit link is actually pretty cool. If you are looking into doing a tiki bar, it has some great tips. There is also an awesome group on Facebook called “Theming Tiki Bars” which is a great way to connect with fellow tiki lovers. It is an amazing source of inspiration with pictures of some truly amazing work!

Photo Credit: Punchdrunk.com
The Key To Awesome Tropical Looks Is Authenticity
The wonderful thing about

South Padre Island, Texas

American Samoa, South Pacific. Photo Credits: Jetsetter.com
At night, it’s entertaining with friends under low-lit lighting and tiki torches, warm breezes and cool

Having said that, keeping things authentic also means that “less is more” just as it is with most styles of decorating (tiki is an exception). You can have a lot of authentic pieces, all genuinely handmade and beautiful on their own but using too many of them will not work. Well-chosen pieces in a room will create that peaceful and fulfilling impact that you want. Too many things mean clutter and mental distraction. Pieces and colors overpower each other and compete for attention. The overall look and flow of the room is disrupted. Don’t let things get messy! Here are a few examples of messy:
Too much wall art next to a mounted bookshelf makes this room look like a failed modern library that is on a collision course with a comfortable seating area. The whole thing is a visual mess!

Another example is when you have many really nice pieces and they are all on display. Too many pieces on the furniture anchoring the back wall, too many pillows on the couch, and too many things both on and under the coffee table….your eyes just don’t know what to look at here.

Here again is too much wall art. A few contrasting pieces can create a nice collection on the wall but these are too similar, none stands out on its own. And what’s with all of the pillows? Where are you supposed to sit? On the floor? Store extra pillows in a closet and swap them out from time to time to change up the look.

Photo Credits: bananivista.com
So if you keep “less is more” in mind, you can go in many different directions with

Photo Credit: Atomic Ranch
Here is a condo in Palm Springs that was done completely in mid-century Polynesian (tiki). For some people, it will be over the top, especially with all of the colored lighting. But the point is that this look is a classic way to decorate and in this instance, it is authentic. We think it is pretty cool. If it works for you, that’s the important thing. Here a few more pictures from this particular home:



Photo Credit: Realtor.com
Moving on to other definitions of “tropical”, there is the casual beachy surfer look. This is great for people who love the thatched roof hut idea while hanging out at the beach. It is very light with weathered woods, mostly muted colors and linen fabrics with iconic surfing elements mixed in.

Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy

Photo Credit: Home Furniture
And then you can still go “thatched roof” but in a more upscale fashion as in Fijian / South Pacific while still being very casual. Modern day South Pacific or Polynesian (post-tiki) is full of browns, beiges, creams and whites as base colors and then has accents and foliage which provide bursts of greens, oranges and other bold colors.

Photo Credit: Roger Wade Studio


Photo Credits: inhabitat.com
Or you can go with British Colonial which takes its inspiration from the West Indies and the former British colonies in the Caribbean. This style has a more formal atmosphere to it, definitely no t-shirts, flip flops or thatched roof tiki huts here. British Colonial is famous for its vibrant colors, dark polished woods, frequent use of palm fronds used against white or cream backgrounds and heavy use of textural elements like rattan wicker.

British Colonial can come across as being cluttered or over-decorated to those who prefer a more minimalist look. But this “full” look was typical back in the day of the colonies.

Photo Credits: boredart.com
This style really has a wide range of looks to it, we love all of them! British Colonial is one of our favorites because it is classy and upscale. This blog site provides some excellent information and beautiful photos!

Photo Credit: Ethan Allen on Pinterest
Or you can even go with exotic Asian-inspired looks which range from the Javanese and Balinese inspirations of Indonesia. Many looks from this part of the world feature dark polished woods which are intricately carved and are in a very ornate setting.

Or you can go with a more simple yet still authentic Indonesian look.

Photo Credit: Indonesiacolonial-furniture.com
If you have the possibility of creating an indoor/outdoor space, full on Javanese/Balinese is awesome.

Photo Credit: Blogspot.com
Or go with modern Thai which is yet another very comfortable yet subtle

Photo Credit: Livingasean.com
Create Your Own Tropical Style!
As you can see, there are endless possibilities when it comes to tropically inspired décor. Different places focus on different elements of nature but the one thing they all have in common is that what is found in the

Or you can simply focus on bringing in some color and a few special pieces which bring the feelings of a

Photo Credit: Completely-coastal.com
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where you live. You have to do what works for you. If you can enter your special space and really feel like you are in the islands even if it is 20 degrees below outside, you have succeeded!

Photo Credit: bluprint.onemega.com

Photo Credit: VRBO
Final Thoughts
So in the post, we explored many different
Our next post includes information about the foundational aspects (colors, textures, fabrics, foliage, and lighting) that are needed to create a wide variety of