The tropical look provides an island retreat awaiting you as you walk through the front door. Close your eyes and imagine the colors you’d see walking along the shore of an island paradise. Use soothing blues and white to reflect a glorious sky, lush greens, and earthy neutrals like beige, cream and brown to represent a sandy surf. Accent colors include reds, corals and other hues that remind one of tropical flora.
Be environmentally conscious and fashionable when purchasing your floor covering. Sisal and jute rugs woven from natural fibers keep the tropical look alive on the floor and provide textural interest against wood flooring.
A popular accessory for Tropical-style rooms is a wide-blade fan constructed from rattan or with palm paddles. Many of these fans today perform double-duty as light fixtures, with bulbs already attached at the base of the fan. This option keeps rooms bright and circulates air, making it a thoroughly modern, space-efficient design that nevertheless brings thoughts of the Tropics to mind.
While tropical woods like ebony, mahogany and teak are popular for attaining a tropical look, don’t purchase them unless they are certified sustainable. Wood furniture can also achieve a tropical look with carvings; popular motifs include pineapples, palm leaves or trees and flowers. Bamboo and rattan furniture also go far to create your private paradise, are eco-friendly, and utterly picturesque.
Keep fabrics breezy and light, both in color and texture. Favorite tropical prints reflect native botanicals that provide splashes of color, like the hibiscus or Bird of Paradise. Use real plants to bring the lush beauty of the tropics indoors, or dot bare surfaces on walls with floral prints or indigenous art. For a fun and practical twist, place a travel trunk someplace that needs some tropical flavor, and use it to store linens and other items out of the away.
For a HUGE selection of Tropical inspired furniture and lighting visit the GREENCulture websites today.


Moroccan Decor - Oh My! Make Your Home Shine With Moroccan Rugs and Tapestries.
It is said in Morocco that he who enters Fez with a rug will leave with a moneybag. This saying originated because of the high demand for beautiful Moroccan rugs and carpets to decorate the home. In Morocco, woven materials are an essential part of daily life and are also believed to be a source of magic and power.
Weaving is a Moroccan tradition involving many different saints, depending on the region of Morocco you visit. The most popular weaving saint throughout Morocco is Sidi Moulay Idriss. He is believed to be the inventor of weaving, embroidery and tailoring. The popular belief in Morocco is that he was a sage who had magical powers.
Moroccan rugs are uniquely decorated with many variations of design, vivid colors and an assortment of textures and materials. The power they embody from their creation and carry throughout their use in the home, set Moroccan rugs and carpets far apart from others made in Islamic and African cultures.
Moroccans say that no two Moroccan rugs are alike so you can be assured that any Moroccan rug added to your home is one of a kind. Your neighbors will be in awe of its unmatched beauty and the attention to detail paid by the weaver. Moroccan weavers are given great freedom to do as they feel with their ample vocabulary of symbols, shapes and animal representation.

The weaving motifs and patterns speak on many levels. The design can be an indicator of status, wealth, and religious beliefs or simply identify a family or tribe. The different symbols used also hold magical powers in Moroccan culture. Some are thought to ward off evil and bring good luck.
The most common places to find woven tapestries incorporated into Moroccan décor are in the bedroom, dining room and living area. Of course, woven Moroccan materials are also used for saddles, clothing and in traditional ceremonies.
To add Moroccan flair with tapestries to your bedroom, there are several options. Intricately woven Moroccan blankets can be used on the bed. The heaviness and warmth will depend on what materials the blanket is made of. Add throw pillows in vibrant colors with woven or embroidered designs.
The dining room is a very common place to find a woven carpet in a Moroccan home. Instead of a table, Moroccan families place a large rectangular rug on a divan. Since most home in Morocco are dimly lit, the bright colors of the rug create a nice contrast.
Your living area is meant to be the most inviting and comforting room of your home. Make guests feel welcome with Moroccan chairs made of hand-woven fabrics, topped off with more embroidered throw pillows. Put Moroccan throw blankets across the back of the couch to give the space that something extra.
These are just a few of the many, simple ways to add Moroccan decor to your home without drastically changing everything. Just including these small touches of color and intricately detailed pieces will give your home a new Moroccan feel.
Adeal Benhayoun is the owner of Star of Morocco, which specializes in Moroccan decor and Moroccan pottery. Please visit us, to learn more about Moroccan rugs and how they can be used.


Indoor Gardening Plants
Eventually we are all given a house plant either as a gift or a plant from someone who is moving and can't take their plants with them, instantly giving you the basis for indoor gardening. Many times if you don't know how to care for it the plant will wither and die. Other times people start to care for the plant and suddenly become avid gardeners.
Indoor gardens are similar to outdoor gardens, it's just that you are caring for plants in your home instead of in your garden. A big plus to indoor gardening is that it can be enjoyed by people that live in the cities with no access to land. It is also a joyful hobby for people that are confined indoors. The real bonus is that they are healthy for us. Basically plants take in carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen (photosynthesis) thereby purifying the air that we breath. So you have attractive plants with added benefits.
Indoor gardens are ideal for people that live in hard, cold climates or for someone who lives in a climate that gets searingly hot. With an indoor garden the gardener can manipulate the environment so that their plants thrive. If it is dreary, cold and grey wouldn't it be delightful to have gorgeous plants sprinkled around your home that not only add beauty but cheerfulness too?
After choosing the plants you wish to grow you must choose a container for it. You can opt for a small plant that can be placed on a counter or windowsill. Even a large evergreen in a big pot can be placed next to your door or in a sunny spot in the corner. You must make a plan for your indoor garden. Figure out where you want to place your indoor garden so you will know how much space you have for the plants. Once this is done you can choose the container and the plants you wish to grow. Don't forget to research the plants needs, like watering, sunlight and food before you go to the nursery center.
Once you have gathered all of your material you can start planting and arranging your indoor garden in your home. When arranging your garden be sure to put plant that needs bright sun near a window. Plants that just need indirect light should be put in a more comfortable spot of low or indirect sun for them. If you get this wrong you will be throwing out your plants and buying new ones.
Don't overlook planting an indoor herb garden especially if you like to cook. Herbs needs are four to six hours of sun per day and loose easily drained soil. They are pretty plants and will add zip to your meals.
If you have pets carefully choose your plants. Pets and plants must be able to cohabitate in your home peacefully. Some plants are toxic to animals. You have to be sure that your animal and the plant can live together. For instance, a tall plant may be seen as a scratching tool by cats or even a litter box. Cats have been known to wrap themselves around larger plants and snuggle in the warm dirt. Sometimes this can disturb the roots. One way to beat this is to put ornamental rocks or crushed seashells right on top of the soil.
You can have an indoor garden and enjoy all of the benefits of beautiful plants. Just do some research either at you local nursery or on the internet. What are you waiting for? Start planting.
Happy Indoor Garden!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips     Gardening Outside and Herb Gardening