Tropical décor is a funky fusion of jungle imagery and late 19th to early 20th century antiques. While it’s commonly confused with beach décor, this is a distinct style that has been around for over 100 years. Let’s dive in and discover your inner wild side with animal prints, bold colors, and retro relics.
While coastal and tropical décor sound like the same style, they have distinct differences.
Coastal décor is associated with a color palette of whites, light blues, and soft beiges. The imagery tends to boast more oceanside stereotypes: boats, anchors, sea life, and lighthouses. There’s also a focus on bright lighting, stripes, and natural fabrics.
Instead of whites, beiges, and blues, tropical décor favors bolder beiges, soft whites akin to cream, greens, and jewel tone accents. Along with this darker color palette, tropical décor utilizes dim lighting. Tropical imagery includes larger tropical plants, jungle animals, and antiques.
Tropical décor isn’t a new thing: in fact, it’s been around since the mid 1800s. It originates from the British Colonial style, when explorers came home from sailing around the globe and were influenced by their tropical adventures.
Side Note: Set in 1912, the animated movie Tarzan is a great example of this period and style.
One of the strongest elements of tropical décor is the color palette. Although the main colors include greens, blues, and creams, various jewel tones are incorporated here as well. With your personal style, you do have some wiggle room if you prefer muted tones over vibrant hues (and vice versa).
Of course, when one thinks of the tropics, the exotic animals always come to mind. Birds such as parrots, toucans, and peacocks are popular, as well as jungle cats, monkeys, elephants, crocodiles, and snakes. Consider bringing these creatures in through printed fabrics, wall art, figurines, and animal-print rugs.
Another large element of tropical décor is the vegetation. Lean into this by incorporating plants such as monsteras, spider plants, orchids, and more. If you prefer some lower-maintenance décor, invest in faux plants for year-round green.
Due to the eclectic nature of this style, it’s easy to find furniture that will blend well with tropical home décor. Since the tropical look is based on antiques and unique finds, don’t be afraid to keep your favorite pieces and mix different styles together.
There’s no right or wrong bedroom furniture for this style. However, if you’re looking for a place to start, we have an ideas! Wood is a great element to incorporate for that natural appeal. There’s a wide array of tones and finishes to choose from to match your personal taste. The best way to complete your bedroom look is with colorful décor, wall art, plants, fun lighting, textured rugs, or even by painting an accent wall.
A great way to bring in a punch of personality is by adding an accent chair. While they are commonly styled in living rooms, you can place them anywhere: your bedroom, the extra space in the hallway, or your office. These chairs can help bring in texture and color in a functional way.
So, you’ve made it through this blog, and you’ve decided that Tropical Décor is your next move. What’s next? First, go through what you have that will work with this aesthetic. Even if you have certain pieces that you love and it doesn’t seem like they fit the vibe, don’t get rid of anything yet!
The next step is to find some inspiration by collecting images for ideas. This will help you figure out how to repurpose what you already have, and it will give you a clearer picture on what you need to find. You can find inspiration on Pinterest, following people on your socials who have this style, creating collages from magazines, or sketching ideas.
Once you have some ideas on what you want, it’s time for the fun part: collecting! Head into your nearest Furniture Mart to find your missing furniture pieces. Not finding exactly what you’re looking for? Let us help you execute your vision with custom furniture. This will allow you to design exactly what you’re missing to bring your space together. This is a great way to bring in fun patterns and find the exact colors you’re looking for.
When it comes to décor, Furniture Mart has plenty of new items to choose from. However, if you’re looking for antiques, there are other places to look. Try your local thrift or antique stores. Plenty of websites and social platforms have items for sale, especially if you’re looking for something specific. Still having trouble finding décor? Ask your friends and family if they have anything stored in their attics or basements that can take center stage again.
If you don’t feel like your home is a perfect curation of tropical décor, that’s okay! Lean into the fusion of this design. Don’t give up on pieces you enjoy, even if you’re concerned they won’t fit the style. One of the best parts of tropical décor is the many ways you can make it your own.
Remember, this is an exciting home design journey! Try out different arrangements and experiment with moving items around. Allow your home to be a work-in-progress for a while. This is one of those styles that takes time to curate. If you go out and try to do it all at once, odds are you won’t be happy with the look. The difference between cluttered and eclectic is whether you love the items arounds you. Give yourself time to find items that bring you joy.
Enjoy the process and happy decorating!
