African Style Home Decorating Ideas

If you are looking to add some excitement to your home, the beautiful kaleidoscope of colors, organic rich textures and primal patterns of African motif can get the job done with stunning poise. The visual exhilaration of African decor is offered in a variety of fashions, such as fabrics, furniture and pottery, and comes in a wide range of patterns with muted harmonies of clay red, purples, pinks, brown, yellow, black, periwinkle blues and jade greens reminiscent of the sea.

For instance, styles that originate from the Maghreb area of Northern Africa countries like Morocco and Algeria, blend African influences with more traditional Middle Eastern and Arabic influences, while decor from the southern part of Africa bears some European influences from the days of colonization. East African decor, conceived in countries like Uganda, is particularly popular in Western homes decorated in African style. This style incorporates many tribal influences, such as traditional tribal symbols worked into pieces of art and African masks. Safari themes are yet another way to incorporate African decor into a home.

African home decor can really brighten up a dowdy room in your home. The vibrant colors add brightness and depth and make a place come alive. However, Africa is a whole continent and the style of North Africa can be very different from somewhere like Ghana, while South Africa is different yet again. You can mix and match items, choosing pieces from all over Africa. As long as they match, it doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the effect. Experiment and don’t be afraid to subtract things to create the best effect. Less can often be a lot more.

African Home Decor Ideas:

African Fabric:

The quickest way to transform a room is with swathes of African fabric. You can use it as a hanging on the wall or as a throw on the sofa. A large block of fabric will draw the eye, especially if it’s patterned as much African textiles tend to be. Be careful not to overdo it. Don’t put it on all of the walls or it will just be overwhelming.

Color:

African home decor is majorly inspired by nature. So earthy tones like black brown, cream, blues, rich greens, oranges, etc., are good color choices. For a more subdued look, use neutral dark red and add vibrant colors in your accessories. For a louder look, paint your walls with golden sunset or an orangish, sunrise or foliage yellow.

African Gourds:

Throughout Africa, people use gourds of different sizes for many different things. gourdes can be used for many reasons from decoration to holding water or other liquids. A display of gourds of different sizes can make a great accent for any room. You can often find carved gourds which add an extra dimension to the display. You can also use clay pots of different sizes which create the same look but with an utterly different texture.

Furnishing:

African art such as primitive tribal masks and figurines made out of ebony will give your room a very serene feeling. You could use furniture made out of bamboo to keep it casual and outdoorsy. If you want to give a more elegant look, then go for carved hardwood furniture stained in deep dark tones. You could also add different animal carvings or sculptures made from either wood or soapstone since animals are an integral part of Africa.

Traditional African Instruments:

Armpit drums are an integral part of African society. So put an armpit drum to enhance the look of your room. If you think armpit drums are very common, then you could go for instruments like the lute, sanza, balafon or ivory horn. These instruments will also lend a musical feeling to your room. Don’t put any instrument which doesn’t belong to Africa; your efforts and the entire look will be completely ruined by mismatched combinations.

African Instruments:

People associate drums with Africa and there are many types of African drums. Sizes range from tiny to huge and all of them can look good in an African-themed room. But why not go beyond that and put something like a small African harp on the wall, or a larger one, known as a kora, in the corner? Alternatively, something as simple as a thumb piano on a table adds a certain appeal and guests can play with it when they visit!

Lighting:

Give dramatic lighting to your room for a warm homely feeling. You could use lamps with animal or plant prints. Hurricane lamps will also accentuate the look. Moroccan lamps that are hand crafted will give a very unique look. Candles are also a great source of light. Put candles that will enhance your decor. For an extra romantic or elegant look, place the candles strategically before mirrors such that their light gets reflected all around.