Embracing what makes us unique

A few days back I landed on a new interior décor style that left me amazed and inspired on how it had been pulled off. From the chairs, to the cushions to the flooring  and  the wall hangings, every piece of décor had an African touch.

 As much as many consider this deco style to be ancient, in my eyes, it reflected class, elegance and sophistication.

African style is a décor trend that embraces a collection of African culture into the functional elements of the interior.

African theme

According to Andrew Mbabazi, an interior designer with Ayodele Innovations Limited, this is a style adopted by people outside Africa or those who migrate into Africa, who prefer to have their interior spaces designed with an African theme.

The African style is about people’s culture and way of living. Let’s look at it more in a broader sense of telling a story of togetherness, bravery, dresscode or cultural food. All this can best be reflected in the décor pieces .

Wall hangings

 Select a bold wall hanging piece of art that brings out an African theme. The choices are immense and depending on the structure of your home, this can best be placed in a focal area with a lot of movements, where it draws the attention that it deserves. This can be complemented with a rug with bold colours.

Mbabazi recommends that you can fill the wall with an African painting or a mural in line with a theme you have selected for your home. It’s usually simple but the statement made is bigger than its simplicity.

Anything that tells your story or triggers a conversation can be incorporated into your space.Add chairs with an African touch, lanterns with brown covers and plants. The magic is in how you do it.

Rugs

A rug that looks like an animal skin will go a long way in helping you incorporate the African Style into your living space. Colours such as black, white, brown, orange are best suited for this kind of style.

Colour concept

Mbabazi says neutral colours such as black and white, brown, orange and crafty grey can be used to make a space look sophisticated. Natural can  be used for roofing and constructing walls although it’s the finishing that matters.

Flooring

Mbabazi says even tiles or polished concrete that can mimic the same concept are excellent options. When opting for polished concrete, however, consider the texture and colours.

Alternatively, due to the modern trend of using tiles and terrazzo, not many people use polished concrete in their homes. Depending on how comfortable one is with a concept, Mbabazi warns that when embracing such a décor concept, one should stick to their personality.

“As a country, our culture is rich and bringing it into our spaces is the first step to embracing what makes us unique. If we give it a chance, it is a trend that will tell our story to the world,” Mbabazi says.