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Tropical Decorating Ideas

Whether it’s the Ponte Vedra homes we build, or the ones we build in any community or on personal land, they all capture the essence of the coastal lifestyle. We work hard to design and build homes that not only meet your personal needs, but also make the most of indoor/outdoor living, letting you use every inch of your home almost year round. When it comes time to decorate your own personal resort-like home, our design team is happy to help, but here are some great tropical design ideas to get you started.

Many Florida rooms over the decades have made the most of natural breezes and created walls of louvered windows or shutters on three walls. This kind of window design lets in plenty of natural sunlight throughout the year, making it enjoyable for much of the year, and the ability to adjust the windows or shutters to catch breezes provides a nice contrast to artificial chill. Go for white lower walls and dark wood shutters or consider deep blue walls with crisp white shutters or window frames. You can always install French doors to separate this room from the rest of the home, while still keeping it open and airy.

Living on the coast, there’s nothing wrong with using some coastal specific decorations. The key is not to overwhelm a room with coastal themes and head into kitsch. A glass vase or bowl filled with shells you find on your walks is always an elegant addition. Alternatively, frame some old coastal maps of the area for some vintage wall art. A weathered window shutter hung on a narrow wall or as part of a gallery wall adds a surprisingly stylish touch, while old boat lanterns sit nicely in the corner of a room or amid the legs of a side table or on a bookshelf.

Wicker is always on trend in coastal homes, and this year, it’s making a comeback in a big way across the country. While wicker tends to show up on those lovely wrap-around porches, it can easily work inside the home in everything from decorative wicker baskets for holding magazines or throw pillows to the returning peacock wicker chairs. If you feel like going bold, use a pair of peacock wicker chairs at the ends of your dining table, keeping the rest of the chairs simple.

Another obvious choice is the inclusion of lots of plants. Big, bold plants with large, deep green leaves add an instant touch of the tropics. If your green thumb isn’t cooperative, you could always go with a tropical-inspired wallpaper that creates a jungle-like visual. Part of the fun of coastal decorating is being able to have a bit more fun with your design. Be bold with your prints, balancing them with solid colors in the rest of the furnishings, while still picking up colors from the wallpaper.

Finally, don’t forget pure color. White, blue, and sandy colors are classics, but the fun thing about coastal homes is that they can be bolder with color. Paint an entry in a bright yellow, green, or even go for chartreuse! Consider painting the ceiling of your Florida room a sky blue to further enhance the feeling of being outdoors. In the living room, let white be your base, but then throw in all of the colors of the rainbow, with a fun mix of colorful throw pillows, bold modern art, bright side chairs, and ethereal curtains. Think of the riotous colors of tropical gardens or many tropical coastal home exteriors and have fun mixing and matching those bright colors within a room

There are so many ways to add tropical design elements to your Ponte Vedra homes. Think about what coastal and tropical design means to you and consider how you can incorporate that into your home’s design. Even if you prefer a more relaxed vibe, don’t be afraid to throw a few pops of bold, tropical color in from time to time. You might be surprised at just how much it brightens your day.

Categorised in: Design Tips, Tropical Decorating Ideas

This post was written by Glenn Layton Homes