Tropical fish
A sunroom with a tropical theme brings warmth and joy to a home even in the dead of winter. Recent trends and major designers have romanticized tropical living focusing on mixing natural palettes with casual luxury. The trends focus on two major themes: colorful high-energy motifs inspired by flamingos, jungles and macaws, and a more traditional approach incorporating plantation decor.
Flooring
Choose flooring for your sunroom based on traffic. A room that will be used by kids and pets, especially those entering and exiting from outside, should have tough flooring. Since many sunrooms are built on an existing patio slab, consider simply dyeing and sealing the concrete in a warm brown color--similar to the color of a tropical hardwood like mahogany or rosewood. Concrete can also be scored with a grid pattern to look like ceramic tile. If you choose to work with your slab you can then add softer accents like area rugs. You could also select a rug designed for outdoor use. These rugs can usually be cleaned with dish soap and a hose. Other strong flooring options include tile and laminate flooring. If the traffic in your sunroom is more moderate, consider real wood or bamboo flooring. Wood or bamboo (technically a grass, not a wood) planks closely mimic the floors found in tropical homes and set up a foundation for your natural color scheme.
Furnishings
Rattan is a classic choice for tropical furnishings. Rattan works well with gentle use and can be repainted as needed. However, rattan is not a good choice for kids and pets; it's just too fragile. Sturdier options for a tropical-style sunroom include wrought or scrolled iron and furniture made of rich tropical woods. If you prefer the plantation style, use classic furnishings with tropical accents like pineapple finials. Plantation furnishings are generally found in dark woods or whitewashed.
Lighting
A tropical sunroom should have strong lighting to maintain a tropical feeling year-round. Ceiling fans are a tropical staple and are found in many tropical motifs. Find a ceiling fan with a powerful light kit and a dimmer to give you control of your lighting.
Color
The first color you should select for your tropical sunroom is a bright leafy or muted green. Layer other colors on top of your chosen green. If you are going for a bold palette, find a tropical animal or plant and copy its coloring. Mother nature always gets it right. If you find a beautiful purple orchid that you love, copy every color you see in it and rest assured that it will go together perfectly- the perfect purple, the perfect green, the perfect white. An independent paint store like Benjamin Moore (see resources below) will be able to match the colors for you. Even if you don't plan to paint, pick up paint swatches in your desired palette to help you match fabrics.
How Do You Define Tropical?
The tropical biome or rain forest occurs about 10 degrees north or south of the equator all around the globe. Your tropical sunroom could bring in accents from Central and South America, Africa, Asia, India or a variety of islands. Your chosen fabrics and accents could focus on a safari theme, the wealthy plantations of the Caribbean or the exoticism of places like New Guinea or Madagascar. The world truly is your oyster in this case, allowing you to bring in everything from carved bone accents to Indian silks.
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