Tropical Decorating: What Is Tropical Interior Design & How to Recreate It
Get inspired by this beautiful biophilic design.
Whether you live in a lush locale or simply admire the style, tropical decorating can add a sunny disposition to any space. This interior design style takes inspiration from tropical destinations, often incorporating natural materials, botanical patterns, and bright colors. Our guide covers all you need to know about tropical interior design, including tips on choosing fabrics, furniture, and decor that suits the style.
What Is Tropical Interior Design?
Inspired by warm tropical regions like the Caribbean, tropical designs focus on incorporating natural elements into your home. These spaces are typically filled with vibrant colors, jungle-themed prints, and natural fibers to reflect the lush landscape.
Though tropical-style spaces are easy to personalize, some key design characteristics include:
- Furniture with rattan, wicker, or cane details
- Natural motifs like banana leaves, oversized florals, or tropical animals
- Bold colors like teal or yellow paired with earth-toned neutrals
- Thriving houseplants that add bright greenery
- Lightweight, breezy textiles
When you think of tropical decorating, you might think of the bold hues you might find in lush jungles, such as leafy green, hibiscus pink, or sunny yellow, and pair those colors with grounded neutrals. If you prefer a more pared-back color palette, you can build a subdued tropical island palette with muted blues, pale greens, and sandy beiges.
Tropical patterns like to incorporate flora and fauna, such as plants, animals, or fruits that you might find as part of the natural landscape. Some of the most popular prints are leafy botanical scenes (like the wallpaper in the photo above), oversized florals, or tropical birds. Add throw pillows, curtains, or bedding with tropical designs to infuse your space with refreshing style, or opt for panels of jungle-themed wallpaper for a bold wall-to-wall statement.
Tropical furniture finds inspiration in the sand, sea, and rainforests of the region. Materials like rattan, bamboo, and seagrass bring natural texture, while breezy fabrics like cotton and linen add laid-back, breathable comfort. To make tropical decorating easy, look for simple ways to incorporate themed pieces, such as adding a dresser with cane detailing or a rattan headboard to incorporate some natural texture.
Best of all, you can use tropical furniture to blend multiple styles. Try pairing a linen sofa with a wicker accent chair or woven coffee table for a beachy twist on tropical interior design, or use tropical-patterned textiles to complement glam silhouettes (like in the image above).
After you've filled your space with furniture, tropical decor works to tie the space together. From banana leaf wall prints to tropical houseplants to wicker storage baskets, there are plenty of fun ways to decorate your home with tropical style.
Tropical decor can lean more boho or coastal depending on your personal style, so go for what you find chic. This could be topping your side table with a decorative pineapple, adding piles of textured throw pillows to your sofa, or hanging a pair of palm-printed canvases beside your bed.
Tip!
Find effortless inspiration for tropical decorating with our guide How to Decorate With a Tropical Color Palette.
Tropical Lighting
While natural light can help your space feel more tropical, there are plenty of ways you can boost your lighting and dial up the ambience. Pick ceiling fixtures that are made with rattan or bamboo for some texture overhead. Fit your windows with bamboo blinds for neutral window treatments that are easy to adjust, or opt for lightweight sheer curtains to let as much natural light flow through.
