Since you have white and black windows, fans, doors, gates, you need a light tan beige rather than an off white cream - off white will just look dirty next to the white. Something that goes warm neutral instead of yellow will work well. Tropical can mean lots of different things to different people - pick one accent color - a lagoon type green-blue-green with large leafy palms, and add a sail shade (triangle shaped) in the same tone to the upper deck.

Get wooden flooring, nice cream walls with statement pieces of art and lights to brighten the place up!

I would get rid of that pendant. Here's one link to industrial pendant lights http://www.houzz.com/industrial-pendants Pick a light that you like and show it to your landlord. I bet she/he will say yes to your suggestion since pendant lights can easily be changed. In fact, if there's already a really secure junction box there already i bet they may even go with a ceiling fan light combo if that's what you really want

Well actually I'm not a fan of wall decals/stickers and sticky hooks don't hold up on concrete walls with a weird paint on them Anyhoo, I only put up original art in the form of painting OR of family/friends portraits. It's been sorted out. But still can't figure out how to delete this post or edit it to no longer relevant, if someone knows lemme know!