Tropical patios are both festive and relaxing.
No matter where you live, decorating your patio with a tropical theme will bring both a festive and relaxing atmosphere to your outdoor living space. In their book "Color Your Home Beautiful: Ideas and Solutions" authors Martha Gill, Mark McCauley and Anna Kasabian explain that a tropical decor starts and ends with nature itself. If you focus on the colors, textures and materials you find outside naturally, you will have a great start for a tropical backyard paradise. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. If you don't have any outdoor furniture yet, purchase pieces that are inspired by the tropics, including items made of bamboo, teak or natural wood, or of wrought iron with tropical designs. Outdoor furniture can be purchased at major retail and online stores, found at resale shops, or acquired at a discount beginning in June of each year, as stores begin stocking fall items.
2. If you already have outdoor furniture, dress it with tropical printed cushions, pillows and tablecloths. You'll find replacement cushions, outdoor pillows and tableware at retail, catalog and online stores.
3. Use a large jute outdoor rug to bring pattern and texture to the floor and help demarcate your patio's sitting area.
4. Bring more color to your patio with fabric cabana curtains. They can be hung directly on the wall in panels or from the corners of pergolas, canopies or overhead decks. Popular tropical colors include yellows, greens, blues and reds. Stay away from dark, muted or gray color palettes. Mimic the bright colors of the sky, sea and foliage of summer.
5. Add large and small tropical plants to your patio, including palms, lilies and birds of paradise. Tropical plants are known for large, glossy green leaves and brightly colored flowers. Transplant your plants into colorful pots and place them directly on the patio. Move them back inside during cold weather.
6. Line the edge of the patio or other dominant feature in your yard--such as a stone path--with tiki torches. Fill the torches with citronella-infused oil so they provide both ambient lighting and bug repellent.
7. Install a fountain on your patio to add a hint of a tropical waterfall, as well as white noise. You can get a self-standing or wall-mounted fountain, either electrical or solar powered. As of 2010, garden fountains can be purchased at garden, retail and online stores for $150 to $400.
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