Caribbean Color and How to Bring it Home

Here are some easy ways to bring the colors of the Caribbean home with you.

When you think of the colors of the Caribbean do you think of turquoise waters and hot pink bougainvillea?  Maybe the colorful streets of Old San Juan?  Well if you don’t actually live in the Caribbean, many HOA’s frown upon painting the exterior of your home these colors. Here are our favorite ways to incorporate some Caribbean flair in our client’s homes.

There is a fine line between bright and cheery, and what we like to call “clown throw up” in the world of color.  To avoid color clashes here is our easy formula to enjoy bold fun colors easily.

1. Start with a neutral base. By that I mean, choose a neutral tone for the flooring, and a complimentary neutral to pale-colored shade on the walls.  Beige and gray can play well together if you select shades with similar undertones.
2. Large scale items in the room should be fairly neutral or done in solid timeless shades. A navy sofa, for instance, is the furniture equivalent of a good pair of blue jeans. It can go with any top, or set of wild pillows!
3. Keep your neutrals from being boring by introducing a variety of textures within the neutral color palette.
4. Choose a key item that you love to set the tone for color. For me, it’s often art, but sometimes it’s a fabulous throw pillow or drapery fabric.  Color inspiration can come from anywhere. We’ve even seen a client’s favorite beaded clutch bag set the color scheme for a space. Your key item can truly be anything colorful that you love! (Ren Spooner shirt anyone?)
5. Pull out more colors and tones from your key item for pieces like rugs, throw pillows, blankets, and dishes. Add a colorful trim to window treatments to help connect the colors throughout the space.
6. To add a little extra oomph, consider an accent wall. Even the ceiling can be considered an accent wall.

Waves of color but not over the top were layered in this Caribbean vacation rental bedroom. By using our formula, we were able to accentuate the neutral walls and textured rattan bed frame with the side table in a crisp navy. The white bedding pairs with the textural white lamp, and the BIG color is brought in with the colorful art, Euro pillows, and throw blanket.  The big color items are easy to switch out and update for a fresh look every couple of years.  While the big pieces that are more costly to change will be able to work with a variety of looks.

This design would have fallen flat without the dramatic turquoise accent wall.  The deep color highlights the unique bed in a way that a cream-colored wall would not.  This room is filled with natural beachy textures and cool sandy tones.  The color pieces would be easy to switch out for a refresh in the future.

Product links for living room refresh:
Colorful Cotton Rug
Natural Fiber Rug
Sofa
Art Work
Accent Pillows