Asian Tropical Home Styling
Tropical home styling can be a surprisingly tricky look to pull off when you actually live in the tropics. On one hand it seems to make perfect sense - surrounded by tropical foliage with easy to find (and reasonably priced) Asian antiques, rattan and cane furniture - you wouldn’t be the first person to think ‘why not? Palm prints, chinoiserie and rattan everything, here we come!’ But before diving headfirst into transforming your home into a tropical oasis I would ask yourself the question ‘is the tropical look really me?’ because the items you purchase now in your newfound ‘I live in the tropics’ phase, will be (should be) leaving with you on a ship back to a home country at some point. And then what? Are palm printed pineapple cushions going to work for you in drizzly Sussex? (it’s worth considering).
As with all my home styling advice I strongly suggest you stick with a styling look that speaks to you and don’t get swept up into trends. That being said, here we are living in lovely Singapore and a tropical look can be an absolute delight. And because I am embracing all things ‘living in the tropics’ this month, I thought I would tackle this very question - how to lean into tropical home styling without going full cliche.
1. Start With a Neutral Base
The Asian tropical look can rely on a lot of green - and given the view out the window is another whole lot of green, I would avoid tipping into green overload and begin with a calm canvas. Think: white walls, sandy-toned upholstery, and sisal underfoot. These tones give your eyes a place to rest, and make any colour (green, or otherwise) that you do introduce feel considered and appropriate.
2. Add Colour, But Keep It Curated
A well-styled Asian tropical home doesn’t shy away from colour, instead, it’s just used with intention. Add to your neutral base with a little colour that will complement the bright green foliage that is often seen through the window: soft greens, sky blues and maybe some earthy browns. The trick? Limit yourself to two colours at most and gently repeat them throughout the space to create flow.
Don’t forget that the colour of the foliage outside your window - or in this case, adjoining your outdoor area - needs to be considered when choosing a palette. Here E&A Interiors make beautiful use of soft dusty blues to provide a counterpoint to the bright vibrant green of the foliage. The look is refined and sophisticated and relaxing and perfect for a nod towards life in the tropics.
3. Layer With Texture, Not Clutter
Woven baskets, rattan chairs, linen cushions, timber accents — texture is your secret weapon. Rather than crowding your space with tropical ‘things,’ layer in natural materials that nod to the tropics without spelling it out. And whatever you do, go sparingly. Just because you can buy a chair, console table and coffee table in rattan, it doesn’t mean you should. Make sure you have a mix of materials to avoid everything matching.
A great example of using a neutral palette with just a hint of colour from the artwork and candlesticks and instead allowing texture to take centre stage. This console table has been styled expertly by AE Interior Styling using scale and symmetry to great effect.
4. Incorporate Botanicals — Just Not Everywhere
A single oversized palm or a well-placed monstera can do a lot of heavy lifting. If you’re not quite ready to commit to plant care, try large-scale botanical artwork, an understated botanical print or if you know you’ll stay living in your home for a little while, wallpaper. Remember: restraint is what separates a tropical-inspired home from a themed one.
5. Choose Decor That Tells a Story
Swap mass-produced ‘tropical’ decor for pieces that actually mean something. A vintage shell dish you found at a market. A handmade ceramic from your last holiday. Styling with sentiment always feels more genuine and gives your space that layered, lived-in magic.
Claire Warren from The Greyhouse wrapped the entrance area of this modern condo with a beautiful ochre fabric wallpaper - providing a beautiful subtle tropical feel when combined with potted orchids and rattan oak cabinetry.
Leaning into tropical home styling doesn’t mean decking the halls with palm leaves and rattan everything. With a few thoughtful touches and a focus on texture, light and colour, you can create a space that feels relaxed, refined and a little bit like a five-star resort — minus the jet lag.
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