Tropical design brings you the feeling of warmth, simplicity, comfort and relaxation. This style will remind you of the sky, the beach and tropics. Having a tropical styled room provides a vacation mood every day of the year.

Various elements come together to create a tropical-styled room.

Color – The color palette used in this decorating style consists of neutral shades. This ranges from apricot, beige, bronze, brown, chocolate, old gold, shades of yellow and more. This makes tropical wall art perfect for the room. Another color, which is a staple of this design, is green. This includes the different shades of green, from yellow green to avocado and dark green. Other colors normally used in this style are coral, ivory, muted green and turquoise.

1. Texture – In any type of room, texture is very important. The soft couch, the silky drapes and the firm ottoman are contributing factors that give a room balanced texture. However, the items used in a tropical room are far different from those used in contemporary rooms. Instead of thick drapes, you will have soft and lush fabrics. Instead of carpeting you may find the likes of woven sea grass mats.
2. Furniture – There is a touch of simplicity, exoticness and artistry in tropical furniture. You will find wicker chairs, rattan headboards, bamboo shelves, and iron decorative metal art. Drapes and fabrics have floral and animal prints. Zebra and leopard prints are among the most common animal prints used.
3. Accessories – The room accessories are also made of wonderful items. There are beautiful shells, which are reminiscent of the ocean, and candles in coconut shells that remind you of the tropics. Tropical style also uses glass to add a touch of sophistication.
4. Indoor plants – The use of indoor plants is a great way to complete a tropical room. Some designers also use preserved leaves and botanical prints in their design.

Now take the essential elements of tropical design and bring them together in a room that will be your personal tropical haven. From your choice of color to finishing touches like tropical wall art you can bring your personal style to life. Develop your room around the following concepts.

The color palette:

Decide what color palette you will use. You can start with four different colors. You can have the shades of green, cream, light brown and chocolate. From these colors, decide which will go on the wall, what colors will be the fabric, the furniture and the accessories. This will guide you when you shop for new items and it will also help simplify your design plan.

The plan:

A plan is very important before you start shopping so that you know what you will keep, what needs to be re-upholstered or refinished, and what new items you will buy. Having a plan will also prevent you from purchasing items you don’t need and you help you budget for professional services, such as a carpenter or painter. Take accurate measurements of your space and draw it on graph paper, noting the locations of windows, doors, electrical outlets and fixtures that will not change, such as a staircase of fireplace. Then get busy creating the tropical haven of your dreams.

All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "master room" courtesy of Juan ValldeRuten..