Inspiration

3 ways you can add laid-back tropical style to your bedroom

Use this summer’s hottest textures – cane and rattan – to create three resort-style bedroom settings using the same secondhand headboard

3 ways you can add laid-back tropical style to your bedroom

Rattan and cane furniture are making a massive comeback in interiors at the moment. These tropical, resort-style materials were last popular during the 1980s, which is why they’re plentiful in vintage and op-shops now.

We took a secondhand cane queen headboard and matching bedside table and styled it in three different ways to show you how easy it is to try this retro look in your home.

White and natural 

The natural colour of cane teamed with crisp whites and off-whites makes for a very soothing and relaxing bedroom scheme. A white backdrop also enables the woven shapes and textures of rattan and cane to stand out beautifully.

To avoid the look feeling flat, a rattan pendant light and a round jute rug have been added to soften the white space and complement the bedside table and headboard.

The addition of some textured cushions in knitted and linen fabrics, along with some fringing and shaggy details, also helps to create interest on the very white bed. A lightweight linen throw over the end of the bed creates a relaxed, casual feel and can be pulled up as an extra layer on cooler summer nights.

When it comes to accessories, less is definitely more. The shell necklace and small macramé shell bowl are perfect examples of a couple of pieces that not only work together but bring textural elements to the room.

In keeping with our natural scheme, the finishing touch is a simple glass vase of palm fronds to bring a hint of the tropics indoors.

Green botanical 

Green is a very popular colour in interiors at the moment – ‘Greenery’ was the Pantone Colour of the Year for 2017. As it is also the colour of nature, green is naturally very grounding and relaxing, making it the perfect choice for a harmonious bedroom.

When teamed with furniture made of natural materials, green brings a lovely, lush vibe to a room. This feeling is emphasised here by the inclusion of a palm-patterned quilt and pillowcases and the addition of plants on the shelf and bedside table. Even the metallic palm art continues the botanical theme of this room.

Totally teal

When it comes to pairing colour with the natural shades of rattan and cane, the options are endless. While still channelling a coastal look, the deep teal used on the walls of this bedroom adds a bit of punch to the space.

It is important to remember that when you add a strong colour to a room, it works best if you repeat it in other elements. We have added a teal throw and linen pillowcases, and there are also hints of teal in the palm-tree cushions, which creates a cohesive look on the bed. The glossy foliage of a simple potted plant in a cane basket by the bedside also echoes the cushions.

Instead of a piece of art which may have been an obvious choice for this room, we have nailed two shallow baskets to the wall to create some interest. But the hero of this scheme is a stunning straw pendant light, which evokes the feeling of lying under a thatched-roof hut on a remote, tropical island.

Words by: Vanessa Nouwens. Photography by: Wendy Fenwick.

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