GET THE LOOK - What is Tropical Style?

MATERIALS - This look is all about a connection to nature so natural fibers and materials abound. Everything should be easy care like washable cotton and linen. Tile is a great flooring option, particularly in a black and white checkerboard laid diagonally, but for a richer look stick with darker wood.

FURNISHINGS - Furnishings have more traditional shapes, although a more contemporary Tropical Style has cropped up that uses cleaner lined furnishings. Solid carved wood pieces are mixed with rattan, cane, bamboo and wicker furniture. Teak, mango, acacia, palm and rosewood are some of the exotic hardwoods used.

COLORS & PRINTS - Prints are fun and colorful, depicting motifs seen in island life, like tropical fruits, flowers and animals, palm trees and leaves, and bamboo. Also mixed in are stripes, toiles, animal prints, and trellis patterns. Newer tropical wallpaper murals let you wrap a whole room in a tropical scene. Colors are inspired by the water, the vegetation and brightly colored birds and flowers. Use bright blues, greens, teals, and turquoises, corals, oranges, pinks and yellows. Or, if you want to go neutral stick to white decor and upholstery which pops against the darker wood of furnishings and flooring.

LIGHTING - Lighting can go either way using more traditional shapes or more contemporary ones. Again, materials like rattan, caning, and wicker and bamboo bring in a natural element, but more traditional metal or crystal fixtures that would have been brought over from England can be used as well.

ACCESSORIES - Accessories include potted flowers and trees, candles with hurricanes, screens, found and carved wood objects and framed art referencing island motifs.