10 Ways to Make your Home More Tropical (a.k.a. Hawaiian)

Hawaii Vacation Connection

When people come to Hawaii, they always want to bring a little aloha back with them. We've done a monologue on how you can bring Hawaii home with you, but we've never talked about how you can make your own home Hawaiian (meaning tropical). Doing small things to your hale (Hawaiian word for “house”) to create reminders of the relaxation, enjoyment, and good times you've had in Hawaii is a great way to stay sane during the months when you're not here. Haha, just kidding. But it really is a great way to bring peace and tranquility into a home, not to mention some great décor ideas you can try out and share! Here are ten easy things you can do to make your house more tropical. Hopefully they help to bring a bit of aloha to you and your family when you're not in the islands. Plant a tropical tree outside. The most tropical looking tree that can survive in mainland weather conditions is a banana palm. You can find the typical green ones or the beautiful ones with red stems, but both grow well in outdoor climates. Hang a bamboo wind chime. The sound of bamboo stalks clinking together in the wind is undeniably calming. It is also very characteristic of Hawaii because so many shops, restaurants, and hotels use them as décor. Use pareos (sarongs) as throws or bedspreads. In the morning after you've made your bed, try spreading out your favorite pareo over your comforter at the foot of your bed. Keep a bar of plumeria soap at your sink. Plumerias are the scent of the islands. It's the fragrant you smell when you first step off the plane, the trees you see lining streets, homes, and yards, and the flowers that make up most Hawaiian leis. Grow tropical indoor houseplants. Just as an outdoor plant helps to bring Hawaii to your home, so too do indoor plants. Plus, they tend to grow better because they're in a more controlled environment. Lather up with tropical shampoo. If you purchase tropical shampoo with awapuhi, coconut, ginger, or mango, the scent you'll get when washing your hair will inevitably take you back to the islands. Use a Hawaiian doormat. Your front door is known to be a place of strong feng shui, so why not make the most out of it and be sure it gives off something tropical and soothing for all who enter? Use a Hawaiian doormat at your front entry way for people to see every time they enter or leave your home. Embrace the local way to enter a home (and put up a sign to say it!) When you're in Hawaii, it's customary to remove your shoes before entering a home. Try adopting this practice for your own house and put a sign up at your entrance to inform others. Play some island music. Music totally creates an ambiance, and if you're looking for ways to create a tropical sense of Hawaii in your home, try some Hawaiian music. Listening to this type of music as background noise is a great way to keep the island vibe alive. Paint a room sunshine yellow or island green. Studies show that there is actual brain chemistry going on when you enter a room painted certain colors. Yellows and greens are known to create calmness and relaxation and is why so many doctors’ offices and dentists’ offices are painted these soft shades.