The Appeal of an Island Themed Living Room

Is the theme or decor of your living room getting a bit stale?  Maybe you're ready for a small change or perhaps a complete transformation. There are endless ways to change up the appeal and atmosphere of a room, but if you are looking for a more relaxed feel, try decorating your place in an island theme.  This is a dramatic change that offers a relaxed atmosphere, making you feel as if you are on a tropical vacation even though you never left home.

If you want to turn a room in your home into an island getaway, start with the floors.  The floors can make an enormous difference when it comes to decorating.  In order to create a tropical island appeal, the floors should have natural wood tones to create a fresh and organic feel.  Jute and bamboo work great as well.  To really add pizzazz to a room, try adding straw floor coverings or rugs with leaf or tropical prints.  If you want more of a timeless, vintage island look, use richer tones.

No matter what you have accomplished in changing the decor of a room, it is never complete without adding a splash of color on the walls.  If a rustic beach appearance appeals to you, consider a stucco finish.  For colorful inspiration look to the beach for shades of sea blue, green, sun yellow and sand tones.  Need a focal point for your room?  Consider painting a fish or ocean scene on a large portion of one wall - you're sure to garner the attention of everyone who enters!

You may be curious as to the types of furniture to use in an island themed room.  When shopping or browsing furniture, look for "worn-in" pieces that have small island related or tropical details or carvings.  Wicker furniture is great for an island theme, and also creates a breezy, outdoor atmosphere that is relaxing and inviting.  A vintage steamer trunk makes a great coffee table; a driftwood hanging rack makes the perfect place for guest’s coats.  Open up your windows and let plenty of natural sunlight flood the room!  Sheer curtains and bamboo shades are the perfect window treatments, and they are useful on those days when the sun is extremely bright.

Lamps created of natural materials and embellished with stones or pebbles are a perfect accompaniment to the island themed style of decorating!  Lamps that create an ambient glow add to the cozy, relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of nights spent on the beach by the glow of moonlight.

Leaf designs are also a perfect addition to the room; look for fabrics with a tropical tone.  Throw pillows and accent rugs should provide vibrant jolts of color, and can be solid or patterned with leaves, coconuts and other items that bring the word "tropical" to mind.  Add to the theme using your own creative ideas, and you will have a living room that offers warm island breezes and soothing surroundings that you never want to leave!