African Decor - 7 Quick Tips on How to Decorate with African Style

By Chris Barret

Whether you are looking to add a touch of the safari to your home or paying homage to your nationality, African décor is a classy and unique way to give your home's decor a cultural appeal. African home decor draws its' cues from the many cultures that grace the huge continent of Africa.

Here are a few tips on putting together an African themed room:

1. Colors: The colors of an African themed room should be based safari or jungle motif. Black, browns, cream and burnt orange make great foundation colors. Add splashes of green and blue to add depth. Stay with natural colors and tones.

2. Textures and prints: Textures are a very important part of African style. You can add natural accents such as bamboo picture frames, straw mats and plants to quickly add texture to your room. Cheetah, leopard, and zebra prints on tapestries, pillows, rugs and blankets will also go a long way towards adding African influence.

3. Hand-crafted African Art: From primitive tribal masks to intricate ebony wood sculptures, African Art is prized around the world. For your walls, hang primitive weapons, tools or tribal masks. Tribal hand-crafted instruments and dried gourds will also lend and African appeal to your home.

4. Drums: Drums are an integral part of African society and make for very interesting conversation pieces. Leave a small drum at the end of the couch or by a few plants. Larger drums can even make unique end tables.

5. Mudcloth: Mudcloths are a form of art that are very unique to Africa. They are made from cotton cloths that are painted with dyed mud with striped tribal designs or primitive tribal scenes. The cloth is then washed, treated with an organic solution and hung to dry. Mudcloths are great for wall decor, draping over a couch or for pillow covers.

6. Indigenous animals: It is important to add elements of the African safari to your home decor. Elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, and zebras are an integral part of African society. Look for tall wood giraffes sculptures and soapstone carvings of elephants and lions.

7. Woven baskets: Woven baskets are an ancient form of art in African. Typically crafted with simple geometric designs, African baskets will vary in design and materials depending upon the region they are woven. Use African woven baskets for wall decor, magazine baskets or fruit baskets.