Imagine a tropical paradise. What do you think of? Lush gardens of fruit trees and sweet-smelling flowers. Warm sun and the sound of colorful birds. Concrete, utilitarian buildings. Wait, what? Welcome to the tropical brutalist style, which exists at the intersection of tropical islands or jungles and brutalist architecture. Let’s explore this style and how you can make it your own!
What Is Tropical Brutalism?
Before learning how to use it in your home, you must understand tropical brutalism’s history and inspiration. Tropical brutalism is a design style inspired by combining tropical decor and aesthetics with brutalism architecture found in areas including formerly colonized nations in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America.
Tropical brutalism architecture is the foundation.
In many countries where tropical brutalism has flourished, brutalist architecture was a matter of cost savings as their political situations shifted, economies changed, or populations rapidly increased – typically a complex combination of these factors.
Much like the brutalist architecture found across Europe in the eras following WWII and the Soviet Union, tropical brutalism employs somewhat harsh, practical aesthetics. Large amounts of concrete are used for cost savings, along with commonly available materials, including local tropical woods, glass, and metal.
Tropical brutalist decor brightens it up.
Decor is where tropical brutalism begins to deviate from its European cousins. Tropical brutalism combines brutalist architecture with the warmth and color of typical tropical aesthetics! This means that the bright yellows, citrus oranges, ocean blues, and jungle greens you may associate with a tropical style meet utilitarian buildings. Think of a sunny yellow door at the top of a concrete staircase.
You may find bamboo lining the ceiling, a patio bursting with plants and fruit trees, and open floorplans allowing maximum airflow in a hot, humid environment. Typically tropical furniture like wicker and rattan fills the rooms like sunshine, while brightly colored textiles hang on the walls. Tropical brutalism is all about juxtaposition!
How to Bring Tropical Brutalism to Your House
Whether you live on a tropical island or in a large metropolitan area in the United States, you might wonder: How can I try tropical brutalism at home? This combination may seem unachievable in the everyday home, but you can take elements of this style and make it your own.
Use raw materials like concrete, wood, and stone where possible.
Walls, floors, and countertops are great surfaces for these materials, which are hallmarks of tropical brutalist style. However, they can be more difficult to change in your current home. If you can’t replace your surfaces, consider using new colors, like painting your walls concrete grey or putting up peel-and-stick wallpaper. The key is to stick with these basic materials (or designs that look like them) for larger home elements.
Pick the right furniture.
Start with your furniture to create a tropical living room or bedroom with a brutalist twist. Natural fabrics like cotton and linen work well on furniture, including sofas. Neutral, earthy colors, as well as glass and metal pieces, can help ground your larger pieces in the brutalist aesthetic.
Bring in tropical accents.
Now for the tropical side of tropical brutalism! Bright accents are critical to pulling this look off. A coral-pink accent chair, blue floral throw pillows, green curtains, or a yellow bedspread can brighten a neutral space. A colorful rug can help add a statement piece to any room, including your living room.
Don’t forget the plants!
They might be the last on this list, but plants are one of the most essential parts of tropical brutalism. Hang plants from minimalist baskets and put larger plants like money trees in floor pots. Flowering bushes and fruit trees can go in almost any room with plenty of sun and humidity. Trailing and vining plants, like pothos, look great on bookshelves and can help your home office feel more tropical. If your home isn’t suitable for live plants, or you don’t have time to tend to them, consider faux plants instead.
Find Your Aesthetic at CORT Furniture Outlet
At CORT Furniture Outlet, a world of unique aesthetics awaits. Whether you’re drawn to modern minimalism, classic elegance, or eclectic charm, we have the perfect piece to fit your taste and personality. We choose our furniture with function and lasting appeal in mind, so no matter what decor style you choose, our furniture will be the ideal foundation for your home. That also means there’s always going to be something for everyone in our inventory!
When you’re ready to change your home decor, find timeless pieces that match your style and work with your new taste at CORT Furniture Outlet. Shop gently used furniture and decor at up to 70% off retail prices at your local CORT Furniture Outlet or online today!
