Thank you roj leather and Simon for your recommendations. I like the hanging chair and the almanda creeper on the wall. This will certainly liven up the patio.

Have you ever thought about floating shelves? I think pairing a few floating shelves together would look great and would free up space in your living room. I really like the Eugene floating shelf from Bryght and I think it would compliment your existing pieces. http://www.bryght.com/product/160/eugene-cocoa-shelf

I would say definitely teak for outdoors in the tropical climate. Wicker would be fine if it's in a covered area. Here is an article about different woods for tropical climates. "The price of sustainably grown tropical outdoor furniture is becoming more and more affordable as the industry utilizes other varieties of sustainably grown tropical hardwoods, such as the following: Eucalyptus is a sustainably harvested plantation grown hardwood that possesses a smooth finish, lovely grain and a rich honey-red color that weathers beautifully due to the high oil content of its wood, and it smells good to boot. If allowed to weather naturally, the wood will take on a pleasing soft gray patina. It can be stained to retain the rich golden red color of the wood, however most people prefer the soft gray patina. Eucalyptus is less expensive and much easier to maintain than some of the other woods used for outdoor furniture. Balau is also one of the hardest of all tropical hardwoods. It is much more dense than teak and is in abundant supply. Like eucalyptus, it is more affordable than teak and will also withstand years and years of exposure to the elements. You will want to treat the wood occasionally with good wood oil if you wish to preserve the natural color, however this is a very low maintenance outdoor wood. Teak for good reason has become one of the most sought after of all the tropical hardwoods. Although it was at one time the preferred hardwood, along with mahogany, for ship building and decking, it is now grown on teak plantations due to its scarcity. The demand for teak is still high among those who are able to make the investment in furniture made from this beautiful top quality wood. Teak outdoor furniture is one of the more expensive options for outdoor furniture." http://www.thehouseandhomemagazine.com/Articles/Vol1No8/OutdoorFurniture/tabid/228/Default.aspx

As far as spacing between the pavers, you want a minimum of 3mm or ⅛ an inch, but the ideal spacing really depends on the whole space and how you want to fill the space between pavers. If you are thinking about pea gravel or sand, you probably want less space between to help keep your costs down and make it easier to power wash. If you are looking to add greenery then more space between the pavers gives you more green, creating a more natural-looking space. If you do decide to go the gravel route, you can apply a clear coat of something like gravel-lok. It acts like glue, keeping the gravel in place. It may not be able to take the full force of a power washing, but it will certainly hold the gravel in place better than not having gravel-lok. If you do want to go for a green option, grass could work, You could also look into small succulents, moss, or clover. With any green option, you will have a little more maintenance in the form of trimming and watering, but the look is stunning! You absolutely can put grass between the pavers. It will actually help stabilize and hold the pavers not move them. (if installed correctly) I would space it 4” apart and use netfin or a similar subsurface drip line to water the grass underneath the soil. This look is probably my favorite but you could also use a crushed aggregate in between too. Gravel is a terrible idea because it doesn’t stay in place. Here are some ideas from our projects of all kinds of paver designs: