Trend: How to design a Tropical bedroom
I’m just so in love with all the flamboyant tropical merchandise that’s hitting the shops this spring. We’re seeing pineapples and parrot’s everywhere and some vibrant green jungle green prints. Cheese plants are back in vogue, and I never thought I’d say that! I designed this room for ITV’s This Morning. I had a Carte blanch so I was inspired by what’s on trend right now. I happened to have this month’s issue of Living Etc on my desk so I pinched that for inspiration. I need to think fast as I had less than a week to design and prop for it- as well as fit it around everything else!
So I started with pink for the walls. This colour is so fashionable the moment and is a perfect choice for bedrooms. It’s a soft and nurturing colour and very flattering on the skin. I’ve gone for a warm dusky rose pink called Nancy’s Blushes by Farrow and Ball and it compliments the plain pink bed linen by John Lewis perfectly. Then when it comes to choosing furniture I wanted the look to be less beach hut and more Palm Springs condo. So I’ve chosen this stunning high headboard bed and a pair of Biba Garbo side tables in mottled bronze mirror, both by House of Fraser. Other key elements include the Esmeralda chair from Mia Fleur, which has a lovely vintage twist, and the Harpa rattan chair from Habitat. Adding a wink of rattan is key to adding an authentic touch to this tropical look.
- Create a feature on one wall using a striking pattern. This amazing new design called Lemur Pink Tropical Fusion by the Graduate collection at Wallpapers Direct is a touch expensive at £125 a roll but in an average sized bedroom you’d only need a roll to do a feature panel. It’s also fantastic to support young graduate designers. I set it within a baton of wooden moulding, the sort of thing you’d buy for a dado rail, painted in with the wall colour. My other tip is to put your feature wallpaper behind the bed head. This way when you come to relax you don’t need to stare at the jazzy wallpaper at a time when you’re trying to relax.
- Choose a large statement rug. I think it’s nice to layer rugs in a bedroom so its super soft underfoot. A really large size will help to ground the room, it stops the bed looking like its floating in the room on itself. Get one big enough that you can get at least a third of the bed over it. This Stockholm rug from Ikea was perfect as it’s a whopping 250 x 350cm.
- Add an element of glamour with mirrored furniture and gold accessories. Pick gold lamps, brass pineapples and accessories and dot them throughout the room. I love this pineapple lamp from Graham and green in metallics and a teamed it with a dark green Malachite style drum shade.
- Go for plain bed linen, that doesn’t clash with the patterned wallpaper and then update the look with cushions and throws. You could buy a set of patterned bed linen too and ring the changes, there is loads of tropical prints on the high street this season by H&M, BHS and Marks and Spencer’s.
- Add some rattan into the scheme. As I had a large space to design within I chose this statement rattan chair from Habitat but I apprecaite it wouldn’t fit into te average sized bedroom! I love it, as it’s just a bit naughty in a 70’s porn film kind of way! I’ve also fallen in love with this collection of fantastic rattan mirrors from Graham and Green which really give the nod to the 60’s era and create a lovely focal point opposite the bed.
- For the tropical look to really work I feel you have to really layer up the plants. Houseplants have never been so fashionable but if you’re anything like me then fake is totally the way to go. I called in lots of fake plants from Ikea and some really stunning arrangements from Mia Fleur to create this jungle inspired look. You can even arrange them on a plant stand!
- You’ll notice throughout this scheme I have accessorised it with plenty of gold accessories and tropical motifs like parakeets and pineapples. For me this is the fun element if this trend, and stops interior design from taking itself too seriously! I Love this parakeet from House of Fraser.
You can watch the interior design segment I did for ITV’s This Morning here. I think it was right up Rylands street!
Here is a list of all the gorgeous product used in this design, with live weblinks to the stores in capital letters. A lot is from the highstreet but also look out for a few of my favourite online retailers like Mia Fleur and Graham and Green too.
Garbo side table – £319 – House of Fraser
Hepburn bedstead – £999 – House of Fraser
Parakeet – £40 – House of Fraser
Small angular gold candle holders – £12 – House of Fraser
Large angular gold candle holders – £22 – House of Fraser
Gold pineapple – £30 – House of Fraser
Armadillo ornament – £30 – House of Fraser
Elk ornament – £25 – House of Fraser
George column vase – £35 – House of Fraser
HABITAT
Harpa rattan chair with footstool – £450 – Habitat
Pineapple Vase – £20 – BHS
Jewellery Tree with Birds – £15 – BHS
Antique Brass Pineapple Cloche Table Lamp – £50 – BHS
Naples floor lamp – £149
Stockholm Rug, £280 available at IKEA
Nordli chest of 4 drawers, £140 available at IKEA
Fejka, Artificial potted plant, Fern palm, £20 available at IKEA
Fejka Artificial potted plant, Bamboo, £15 available at IKEA
Fejka Artificial potted plant, Bamboo, £35 available at IKEA
Ragkorn Rattan Pot, £28 available at IKEA
Fejka Artificial potted plant, Fig, £8 available at IKEA
Jujubar Plant Pot with Saucer, £3 available at IKEA
Brass Hexagonal Vases, small £16.95 / large £23.50 available at Mia Fleur
Marble Melamine Tray, £16 available at Mia Fleur
Rose Geometric Bud Vase, £12.95 available at Mia Fleur
Brass Wire Storage Basket, £32 available at Mia Fleur
Brass Plant Stand, £155 available at Mia Fleur
Glass Display Box, £62 available at Mia Fleur
Marble and Brass Side Table, £325 available at Mia Fleur
Artificial Mother-in-laws Tongue, £28 available at Mia Fleur
Artificial Palm Leaf Stem, £7.95 available at Mia Fleur
Artifical Areca Palm, £16.95 available at Mia Fleur
Esmerelda Round Chair, £545 available at Mia Fleur
Artificial Eucalyptus and amaranthus arrangement £62
Artificial eucalyptus and palm leaf arragement £45
Glass Bottle Vase, £38 available at Mia Fleur
Rose Geometric Large Vase, £75 available at Mia Fleur
Luxury Egyptian cotton oxford pillowcase – £12 – John Lewis
Luxury Egyptian cotton king size duvet – £55 – John Lewis
Luxury Egyptian cotton super king fitted sheet – £30 – John Lewis
Decor mattelasse cushion – £25 – John Lewis
Small green cut glass vase – £30 – John Lewis
Large green cut glass vase – £50 – John Lewis
Octagon perfume bottle – £25 – John Lewis
Gold pineapple – £40 – John Lewis
Tropical leaf cushion – £30 – John Lewis
Peony tropical flower mix in goblet vase – £150 – John Lewis
Mini Cactus – £8 – John Lewis
Mini Echeveria – £8 – John Lewis
Mini Echeveria with Stalks – £8 – John Lewis
Mondrian shelves – £260 – Graham and Green
Black and white scallop frame – £11.95 – Graham and Green
Black and white bone frame – £28 – Graham and Green
Cactus vase – £45 – Graham and Green
Cockatoo on perch – £52 – Graham and Green
Small pink vase – £16.95 – Graham and Green
Set of 5 rattan mirrors – £315 – Graham and Green
Pineapple lamp – £125 – Graham and Green
Makrana emerald lamp shade – from £45 – Graham and Green
Lemur pink tropical Fusion wallpaper- £125 per roll – Wallpaper Direct
Ombra peacock linen, used as a bed throw – £80 per metre – Black Edition
Nancy’s Blushes Emulsion – from £39.50 for 2.5l – Farrow and Ball
Glass box in gold £12.99- H&M
Gold metal palm tree candlestick £14.99- H&M
Gold palm printed cushion £6.99- H&M
