If your taste runs toward tropic-inspired but you're not keen on South Beach pastels, plantation style might be for you. Rooted in Britain's 17th-century invasion of the West Indies, plantation style combines heavier colonial elements with the lightness and brightness with which most people identify sea-inspired decor. You can recreate a plantation look in your own home with pieces you already have or can purchase inexpensively at import stores.
According to Realtor.com, plantation style developed when English, Dutch and French colonists settled in the East and West Indies as well as African and Southeast Asian locales. Formal furnishings accompanied European travelers to these hot, humid climates, but the woods typically used to create them were unavailable or undesirable because they failed to hold up in tropical humidity. The colonists began to craft furniture using local woods. Indigenous residents added their carvings to the pieces to create a style that combined traditional European design with tropical motifs.
Hallmarks of Plantation Style
Plantation style combines rich, dark-stained woods, such as mahogany and teak, with white or pale, cool-colored walls. Upholstery tends to be overstuffed and cozy. Natural fibers on walls, floors and window treatments add texture and interest. Modern plantation style is clean and uncluttered. The dark furniture anchors the room, notes designer Tracy Steyn, while whites and neutrals keep things fresh and light.
Where to Use Plantation Style
Plantation style is as much at home in a formal, English-inspired room as it is in a casual, seaside retreat, according to Realtor.com. The overall feel is that of being on vacation in an exotic location. Any room where you want hints of formality without sacrificing warmth, brightness and comfort makes an excellent candidate for plantation style.
Designing Your Plantation Room
Start your plantation design with your furniture. If you don't have dark wood pieces, Steyn recommends refinishing light colored ones with a dark stain to anchor the room. Next, choose the wall color. Although white is the traditional color used, you can experiment with light, cool neutrals, blues and greens. Natural fibers such as sisal and grass cloth work well as floor treatments. Keep curtains and other fabrics light and breezy. Consider wood blinds or plantation shutters as well. Accessorize your plantation room with lots of green, leafy plants, ceiling fans, topical- and botanical-themed art and vintage travel memorabilia such as trunks and postcards. Use bright, warm colors such as red and coral sparingly, and in small doses.