Showing posts with label tropical interiors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tropical interiors. Show all posts

Monday, October 21, 2013

Decorating Tropical Style



There are two kinds of tropical interiors........trendy and timeless. As you know I am not a big fan of trendiness, so it stands to reason this blog will focus on elegant, timeless, tropical interiors. If done correctly a tropical room can stand the test of time and never be dated or out of style. It doesn't matter where you live, you can create a tropical getaway in your own home with a few design tips. 



Tropical style is all about comfort, ease and utility and is eclectic by definition.The style is characterized by warm and soothing, colors drawn mostly from natural elements such as the sea, sky, and vegetation. Hues may be deep and rich or may fall on the lighter, brighter side. The sea and sky provide a range of blue tones, while the sun-drenched sand offers various golden tones. Other colors come from tropical foliage which is lushly green with brilliant flowers in a rainbow of colors. Other element include natural materials like bamboo, rattan, jute and exotic wood furniture such as teak. Fabrics and accessories are usually printed with island motifs, tropical plants and materials, framed dried plants, natural textures with simple floral prints or various topics in the jungle. 

By using a tropical influence you can create your own oasis at home.

Great song for getting in a "tropical"mood!!



Whether on the windows or a piece of furniture like this armoire, shutters look fabulous in the tropical  interior.


Wicker furnishings are a perennial favorite for those choosing a tropical theme.

Wonderful wooden ceilings make a big tropical statement. Beds are usually high off the ground to allow fresh air of the island to circulate around the room.


Traditional elegant furnishings infused with modern colors and tropical plants creates a dynamic space


Just a touch of the tropics is all you need sometime. Rooms that are saturated with tropical elements can turn sour on you real quick.


Lattic is another material that can be used to creat a fabulous tropical room. You may not have this grand a space to decorate, but like with many of the images I post, you can take an idea and do something with it on a smaller scale.

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There are many tropical accessories on the market today. Just be selective and choose the items that will last through the "trend".
In case you like vibrant colorings, then to boost tropical adorning, you should utilize colors such as orange, yellow, violet or purple which can brighten up the tropical interiors.


This beautiful entrance is an example of quite tropical elegance. It is traditional in design but the tone on tone palm wallpaper and the simple centerpiece of tropical foliage add an unmistakably island feel.


Another tropical color palette is created by combining lots of neutral colors and soft hues which give the feeling of airy space.


Baskets and metal containers filled with tropical plants will seem hugely appealing in a tropical space.




Feel like you are living in the tropics with an outdoor motif via tropical foilage wallpaper like the ones seen here and below. 


Opt also for those shades of yellow and green which come in contrast if you have dark colors of the furniture.

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A good selection of accessories makes this bathroom successful

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I am a sucker for a harlequin floor and find they work very well with tropical interiors


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A traditional room can still achieve a tropical look with plants and the right accessories like the parrot figurines and the bird cages.The shades of blue, green, and gold are natural and work well with the tropical elements.


Tropical travel posters make an instant statement. The roll up shades finish the look although I would have to add a palm or banana tree.


Kitchens are sometimes difficult to incorporate into a tropical design but this one works wonderfully.


This bedroom features a simple and clean approach to the tropical motif.



I love the elegance of  this room. The cane backed chairs and the large tropical plants give this room just the right amount of the island atmosphere.


This room has many nice elements associated with an island style from the shutters to the parrot chandelier.


The natural elements of stone and bamboo are perfect for a tropical style bathroom. the divider is an excellent choice!


Emphasis is commonly placed on hardwood furniture such as teak or mahogany to give weight to a tropical interior. The painted or papered ( it is hard to tell which from the picture) wall treatment sets the stage for the tropical flavor of this room.


Wallpaper is gaining in popularity again and is another option for creating beautiful tropical spaces.



A tropical bedroom with a minimalist style. Just some trunks at the end of the bed and a few other accessories is subtle yet still gets the message across. A mosquito netting canopy would look nice too.


For more tropical images visit the Blog Archive on the right of the page. Click on Tropical British Colonial Interiors posted in June of 2013.



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Friday, June 14, 2013

Tropical British Colonial Interiors



I fell in love with this style when I vacationed in Barbados several years ago and stayed at Sam Lord's Castle, the former home of actual pirate Sam Lord, who lured ships aground by hanging lanterns in the coconut trees. Captains mistook the lights for the nearby port city of Bridgetown and ran their ships into the reefs. Sam and his men then promptly looted them. This beautiful plantation was decorated in authentic West Indies British Colonial style and couldn't help capturing my heart. Unfortunately this beautiful historical landmark burned to the ground in recent years, a sad loss for the people of Barbados.

As the British colonized the world, from America to India and the West Indies, they left a distinct style behind. This worldly and timeless design was influenced by the climate and cultures of the places the British inhabited. And British Colonial style was created. At its largest, the British Empire covered approximately one-quarter of the world. It truly was the empire on which the sun never set. As British subjects were sent around the world to the colonies to govern, do business, and protect the home country's interests, they brought with them the traditional decor from home which they intermingled with local materials and styles and adapted them to suit the practical needs of climate and landscape. They produced a unique and beautiful blended colonial style.

Built upon the romance of its bygone namesake era, tropical British Colonial and it's beautiful Caribbean Plantation homes recalls the exoticism of the tropics with the substance of traditional design.




Let the music whisk you away to the islands!




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Tropical British Colonial furniture takes its utilitarian influence from the tropical environments in which it was found. Using generous proportions of local wood such as Teak, Mahogany, and Mango Wood, this furniture was designed to absorb much of the humidity found in those areas.


Since the wood expands and contracts, much of the construction also used natural grasses and rattan to allow for this movement. I love the woven straw walls of this interior space.


British Colonial floors are often covered with woven sisal or reed mats, baskets are used for storage, and caning and weaving is used in chairs and furniture like this headboard.


Bamboo is also a popular material for bedding and other furniture.


Walls in British Colonial interiors are usually light in color which is lovely contrast to the dark wood floors and furniture. The pale colors help make the rooms seem light and airy which is important, at least psychologically, to counteract the oppressive heat. 




Tall, rounded windows or garden doors - An elegant touch often found in British Colonial decor.



Shutters to keep out the hot midday sun and ceiling fans with wide, rattan fanlike blades that helped to decorate as well as cool plantation rooms are all with us today. Other elements for your tropical British Colonial interior include mosquito netting draped around beds for a fun touch and bamboo shades for covering windows


To truly evoke a tropical paradise, dot the room with exotic plants.



Many times a room would be decorated with a trompe l'oeil effect adding depth and drama to an otherwise blank room or wall.


British Colonial furniture is a great complement to both traditional and transitional furniture designs and that's what keeps it relevant to this day.


Adding elements of this style to your home not only brings an air of romance and sophistication to the overall design, but will make you feel as though you've traveled around the world collecting without ever having really left home at all.



Tropical and British Colonial styles mesh together well because they both rely on themes of exotic islands and far-off travel.




Be sure and include large potted plants such as ferns and palms as well as orchids in your design.




Add a four poster bed to your bedroom. Decorate it with rich colors reminiscent of the tropics or Asia. Wicker and rattan furniture also fit well in a tropical or British Colonial bedroom. Add cushions or bed covers with a large tropical floral print. Use a large rattan trunk for storage at the end of the bed and look for heavy dressers and armoires with ornate Indian designs and rustic hardware.
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This style is equally fabulous  outside as well!!


Visit my website at www.lisafarmerdesigns.com


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