A Guide for Tropical Theme Decorating

Living in Costa Rica is a feast for the eyes but you can create a tropical theme decorating a space where ever you call home. Every morning I open my door onto a green and colorful tropical scene that evokes peacefulness. When decorating the interior of your home, it is the feelings that you want to evoke that should be your guide.

There are many interior decorating styles, or shall we say themes, that can provide an outline or idea for the “feel” you want in your home. It is the most important thing to remember when you do interior design, creating a space you love to be in.

 Decorating themes can be contemporary: sleek, minimal and clean. A country theme is comfortable and quaint typically including farm animals, quilts, homey touches. Or my favorite, a tropical theme, with soft color invoking a natural and warm feeling. When you have a theme in mind, close your eyes and let your mind wander to the images it brings forward.

Creating a Tropical Feeling

As an example, let’s consider the tropical theme for decorating. Can you feel the warm breeze fluttering gauzy curtains, the salty smell of a blue ocean, the earthy green of a tropical jungle? How about the swishing sound of palm fronds swaying in the wind? Light colored walls offer a fresh feeling to a room; decorative details such as palm leaves or ferns on pillows give a tropical feel without overwhelming the room.

Light gauzy curtains certainly give you that breezy feeling. Added greenery such as branches or leaves, a potted tropical plant, or a silk version of a  palm tree if a real one is unavailable! Natural wood floors are warm and inviting but if changing your floor is not an option, try including natural fiber rugs, or a hand painted canvas rug with tropical design.

The important thing is to create a space you love to be in, be it with tropical theme decorating or anything else.  The goal is to acquire a sense of calming, peacefulness without having to open your door!

Custom Interior Design Request for Round Area Rug of Canvas

Going the distance to create a Designer’s vision is my favorite part of contributing to interior design with hand painted canvas rugs.

Case in point, Tamarindo Pacific Interiors has requested a round area rug with an unusal design for a commercial interior design project.

Until now, round canvas rugs have not been part of my repertoire. From everything I had read and researched about them it appeared the only way to make a round rug from canvas was without a hem. Because hems are sewn onto our canvas rugs for strength, durability and esthetic purposes, I had avoided this particular shape. Typically, when a round rug was requested, an octagon rug was suggested; this design shape works beautifully with all types of décor.

But a client’s wish is my command so after much trial and error a canvas round rug was created incorporating several seams around the perimeter, producing a somewhat quilted look. Again, a sewn hem lends to durability given the type of edging we had to make for the round shape. 

A Rug of River Rocks

Upon completing the sewing, the next step was to create the unusual design: river rocks. A photograph was supplied by the designer and my mind raced with ideas. First I tried a stencil, which does work, but required hand painting both the outline and finish for each and every rock onto the canvas. I can do this, but the goal is to create a streamlined process which will produce the desired effect most economically for my client.

Test number two was making and using a stamp for the rock design. Wow! what a perfect effect it produced. Because I used black as the base coat to mimic the dark shadows in the rock design, when I apply the stamps of rocks the black comes through giving each rock texture and depth. True, each rock within the stamps was painted individually but with an array of brushes and colors the process became easier and the effect simply dramatic.

I made samples of both the round rug and a round design within an octagon rug offering my client two options. (Lucky me…the samples will be placed in my bathrooms). This was a fun challenge, rewarding for both me and my Interior Design client. So yes, we now offer round rugs…and have to show the Round River Rock Rug as an example…say that ten times fast!

Interior Design Costa Rica

Last month I mentioned Interior Design Costa Rica Professional, Silvia Kohn, who had been hired by the high-end Hacienda Pinilla development located in Guanacaste not far from Tamarindo. Silvia had asked me to participate in a three day open house by placing my canvas rugs within 3 model homes. This was a great opportunity, but I felt it might be worth the trip to attend the event and talk about my rugs to interested folks. Silvia encouraged my attendance.

With display information in hand, I arrived the first day late afteroon. The hot sun was starting to cool ever so slightly and as I entered this first home, I was struck with how soothing the interior design colors, the close proximity of the pool and its sparkling water aided in producing a very elegant yet relaxed feel.

In the spacious and nicely appointed kitchen, Silvia had placed one of my canvas rugs at the kitchen sink; she also assigned one to the patio area, outside in the Rancho fronting the pool. These were ideal placements, indicating how diverse the rugs work for functionality and interior design work.

Altough a quiet turn out, it was Semana Santa after all, I had the pleasure of meeting several of the Hacienda Pinilla sales staff. Friendly, professional and personable these young Costaricenses took a sincere interest in my rugs. They were not familiar with canvas rugs and asked lots of questions. It was great fun talking with them. They now have enough background information to talk about floorcloths intelligently to their clients visiting the model homes (the rugs will remain) in the future, after the open house event.

Day two, the second model home impressed more than the first. Similar in design, this was a larger home and the canvas rug selected for this house was placed in the master bedroom. At the entrance to the room a large painting on the wall, a modern piece, in soft muted colors, was almost matching in colors with the striped rug Silvia had requested from me.  They complimented one another so well, it was as if they had been painted by the same artist! More people showed up, many people who live, at least part time, at Hacienda Pinilla. One couple was seriously shopping for their new Costa Rica home.

On the third and final day, it was quite busy with visitors. Silvia and the Pinilla staff were moving around welcoming, showing and answering questions non-stop. At one point she pulled me away from a small group, whispering enthusiastically, " You must meet this woman! She's the directora for Intercasa."  With Silvia's introduction, Alejandra and I met and immediately hit it off. She was so enthusiastic about my canvas rugs, like most people, including those involved with interior design in Costa Rica, she was unfamiliar with them but loved the fact that they could be customized with any interior and exterior designing.

So that was the trip! Canvas Rugs Costa Rica and interior design in Costa Rica  is alive and well and I am thrilled to be part of it!

~ Laurel

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