Bold patterns from Africa on-trend
Trek through home decor stores these days and you’ll probably see goods from around the world — India, the Far East, South America. And Africa.
Just as fashion houses like Celine, McQueen, Valentino and Missoni have referenced African prints and hues over the last few seasons, so are interior designers and retailers doing that now, drawing on a wealth of crafts like woodworking, pottery, textiles and pattern-making.
Jeanine Hays, creative director of the interior design firm AphroChic in Brooklyn, N.Y., works with her team to develop modern takes on traditional African textiles and patterns found in ceremonial objects. For instance, they have a collection of poufs upholstered in prints drawn from kuba cloth, silhouettes and headdresses.
“We’re inspired by our own African-American heritage, and our interiors and products reflect iconic African-American imagery,” Hays says.
In her own brownstone, Hays uses a long, graphite bedroom wall to display a basket collection made by a Rwandan women’s collective. The vibrant shades of pink, mint, gold, and black and white pop against the dark wall, making a sculptural statement.
In the home of a Brooklyn client, Hays curated a gallery of baskets and objets d’art against a backdrop of industrial-style shelves.
“Our belief is that modern design and cultural style combine to create spaces that we’re connected to, that we care about, and that tell our stories,” she says.
One eye-catching piece that’s cropping up frequently in interiors is the Juju hat, used in dancing rituals by the Bamileke tribe in Cameroon. The Poufs and pillows upholstered in African motifs are fun ways to introduce the style. headdress features an exuberant circle of chicken or guinea fowl feathers.
Consuelo Pierrepont, designer and co-founder of Sway Studio, an interiors firm with offices in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, says the Juju hats have a softness and geometry that make them a favorite decorative element.
“They’re incredibly versatile and can stand alone as a statement or be layered into a collage wall, with other art mediums or more Jujus,” she says. “Although they come in a variety of dyed colors, we love the tonal palette of the natural pieces. Jujus add so much depth and texture that a room hardly needs anything else to feel decorated.”
Pierrepont also says that carved, wooden Bamileke stools have been popular with clients. The sides of the drum-shaped stools are carved in a hatched pattern evoking a spider’s web. The stools are known as “king’s stools” because they’re used by royalty on special occasions.
“They have an appealing sculptural quality, and the real ones have a lot of character — no two are alike,” says Pierrepont. “They’re nearly indestructible — the barrel shape makes them incredibly