How To Choose an Inspiring Tropical Color Palette

 Entry #2764, August 19, 2013

In the heat of summer, a bright, crisp tropical palette is as refreshing and attractive as taking a bite out of a ripe watermelon.  On the other hand, most of us have seen tropical colors gone wrong in a room with a little too much of a good thing.  How can you strike a balance and bring in exciting color that doesn’t overwhelm?  It is easy to paint on bold colors with a large brush in an effort to capture their powerful emotions, but for tropical colors to really shine, controlling their appearance in your home is the best way to make a summer statement.

Coral and green turn this room from Plain Jane to a breath of fresh air

Image via:  Pinterest

Keep the Theme

First, set a palette.  Narrow your tropical colors to two or three, like coral red, grapefruit yellow, or ocean teal.  To truly bring home the tropics, stick to pure, clean, and saturated hues of each color: leave the toned-down shades on the shelf!  Bring in those central colors in varying amounts from room to room to create continuity.  The dining room may be mostly teal with yellow touches and give way onto a primarily yellow kitchen with coral accents.  The repetition of a few colors in the same shade throughout each and every room creates harmony, intentionality, and will help control the palette from becoming too loud and confusing.

Tropical colors don’t have to be loud and chaotic to pack a punch

Image via: Houzz.com

Minimize Details

When you have lots of bright color, let your palette take center stage over other elements like pattern and texture.  When you’re decorating, it’s all too easy (and fun!) to add gorgeous details everywhere.  Contrasting curtain trim, pillow fringe, and themed accessories; the list is infinitely long.  While those types of details are great, they are better suited to enhance more neutral palettes that won’t overpower the senses.  Let your color be your color, and edit patterns and extra details to the absolute minimum.

While it’s difficult to use restraint in a design full of explosive colors, your careful editing is what separates a loud and uncomfortable scheme from one that feels vibrant and inviting.  Make sure you include plenty of elements in neutral shades to serve as the background “canvas” for your summer style, and let your creativity show in the bright colors you choose.

For more color ideas on Stagetecture, click here.