Part of coming home from a fantastic vacation is drudging through the post vacation blues. I know, the positive outlook is to think things like "at least we got to go" and "smile because it happened" - but you all know exactly what I mean. The souvenirs around you remind you of where you were last week, and all the pictures you get to go through and post make you miss it even more! OK - temper tantrum over, all in all, Kauai was an amazing vacation and I can't wait to go back!
All that warmth, sunshine & colorful surroundings does something to a body though - suddenly you get urges to wear nothing but tropical prints & redecorate your entire house in bamboo & palm tree prints. The funny part too, is while you're there, in the stores... it all makes perfect sense! Hence why we had to buy an extra suitcase just to get it all back home. Oops! I behaved, most of it was souvenirs, though I am left with all kinds of great ideas of themes I could see incorporating into the house. Now hold on a minute, I don't mean anything over the top like this:
Sure, this might be paradise for some people, but for me? It's a little too theme restaurant-ey...
Gotta give 'em credit though, that looks like a
ton of work. I mean taking some of the colors, textures and raw materials and bringing them in. Keep in mind I get these feelings after pretty much every vacation, that means it was good, right? What better way to keep it going than to redo a room inspired by some good memories. Paint is a great start, I know some of you hate doing it - but there's no denying the transformation power of paint.
A favorite photo is a good start for ideas, using popular paint websites (I used Chip It by Sherwin Williams) you can play around with ways to pull those colors in. That Basque green would make a great accent wall, especially in a cream colored room.
Here's a great example. Subtle colors on the walls and pops of color in the artwork and accessories. Plant life (a must!) and nature inspired patterns on the pillows hint at the tropics, while wood in the furniture and shelving actually bring the natural element in. Again, plant life is a must - who in the world doesn't like plants? If you feel you can't keep a plant alive, go to a nursery and tell them that. They'll hook you up with a plant that you just. can't. kill. Pothos Ivy anyone? You could forget it for weeks and it's still thriving.
This room is a dream come true! Not just the fact that it's directly on the ocean (though that helps!) but the even simpler, paint free way to bring a tropical feel in. Sky blue pillows and an accent chair immediately catch the eye. Special attention on the nature brought in again - an orchid, a bowl of oranges, that green rug which reminds me of a lush beach lawn.. this is exactly the type of transformation you could do in a weekend for very low cost. All those earth-tones! Here's another from the same site, with more obvious natural patterns & cues:
I'll take a set of those chairs any day! That style of wicker is really intriguing to me, what's your take on that? Starting to see it a lot in patio furniture again, too. Here are some easy tropical additions for the walls too, cute beach themed frame sets:
On a neutral wall the coral, teal and turquoise can't help but make you think
beach... and you could fill these with memories or leave them open. I love leaving empty frames on the wall, no clue why. I'm a sucker for plain ol' colors & shapes I guess! Alright, and just for fun, I feel like day dreaming about living in one of these gorgeous homes:
Wow... that ceiling... that floating bed.. oh and yes, the ocean! Hello new master bedroom.... why yes, I'd love to lay down. Or check out this stunner:
While we
may not be able to add a full window wall view to the ocean, you can recreate that vibe. That coffee table is killer, reminds me of all those from the seventies - which, the good news is, should be super easy to pick up in a thrift shop, am I right? So glad
styles
come back around, that's helpful on the budget. Now, not saying I wouldn't take that living room above as is, but I'd probably throw some color pop in there somehow. Either painting those chairs a bright, fun color or at least swapping those pillows for some wild eye-catchers.
This post would probably be better in the Spring, when we are all coming out of our winterness & want nothing but color. Moving into fall this might seem the opposite of decor themes, what with all the pumpkins that are about to bowl us over, but hey - maybe a redo like this would change things up and make the cold dark months more fun?
I actually like Fall & Winter, but I know most people get a little bummed out when those days get shorter. What do you think, could you bring the tropics into your home or is it more of a cute-but-keep-it-on-the-vacation sort of theme? Have a great one everybody!
Awesome blog Jess! Love how you show paint chips for the photos-very cool idea to match up to the scenery. Love your ideas!! :)
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