Decorating your Home with African Art
Being the second largest continent in the world, Africa is as beautiful as it is diverse and is constantly changing. Believed to be a name originated from the latin word ‘aprica’, which means sunny, Africa is home to a large number of ancient tribes. Due to this, the tradition, culture, art forms, music form and religious practices of each tribe varies from country to country. Scientists also believe that Africa is the original home of the human race and the foundation of today’s civilization.
This vast ocean of culture, tradition and art forms have captivated the attention of lot of people and African art has found its way into our daily lives, especially in the decoration of one’s home. The African theme is a very popular decorating art with its wide range of soothing color options and earthy fabrics and other art choices. Whether a person is looking to decorate a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, a baby’s room or even the whole house, using an African theme can change the look of the entire house into a faraway haven.
African artifacts include subtle animal prints, masks, statues and rich nature-based color tones. Using these tribal treasures, a room or even an entire home can be given a warm and wonderful ambiance. The most popular of African decor art is masks. African tribal masks are available in a variety of colors like bright red, green, orange, blue or dark wood shades. These masks can be placed in the living room coupled with African statues and smaller masks, teak furniture and several animal print rugs. The colors of these masks can be co-ordinated with the sofas in the living room. These masks also look great as the dining room decor with a beautiful nature inspired table linen cloth placed on a dark wood dining table along with an African mask on the wall. The master bedroom can be drastically altered by strategically placing a few ancient masks on the wall and draping the four poster bed with animal print bed linen. This decorating theme can be extended into the bathrooms also.
In case an individual is looking for African art on a budget then there are cheap options available in a large number of shops selling home decor items like antique stores, flea markets or thrift shops. Although, the items that an individual might get at these stores may not be genuine African art. In case an individual is particular about getting genuine African art forms, then the local auction house can help and at a relatively less expensive cost and also in good condition. Another option to ensure that the art is genuine African art is to consult an antique professional.
Decorating | Comment (0)The Spiritual History of the African Mask
The creation and history of the African Mask is one steeped in meaning and tradition. The art of carving the African mask was often taught to young men who were apprenticed to master carvers. In other cases, the art of making masks and sculptures to be used in spiritual ceremonies was passed down in families from one generation to the next.
Rich with symbolic meaning, the African mask was treasured for its spiritual quality, as opposed to its aesthetic appearance. People living in different parts of African would produce art unique to their own culture. Here are some fascinating examples:
The Goma Mask
The Goma African mask was produced by people living near Lake Tanganyika, which is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This style of mask is elongated, with a dome at the top of the face. This style of mask also features a pattern of shapes carved into the forehead and face.
The Punu Mask
This style of African mask captures what is considered a beautiful female face by Gabon’s Punu tribe. This style features hair pulled up high on top of the head, with eyes carved in a shape that reminds one of an Asian woman. A Punu mask is sometimes painted white to represent the spirits of long-dead ancestors.
The Ligbi Mask
This celebratory African mask comes from the Ivory Coast. It features an elongated shape with wings on the side. The mouth is carved in the shape of a rectangle. Ligbi masks are used as part of Islamic holiday celebrations.
The Baule Mask
The Baule people carve African masks to be worn while dancing during harvest festivals. The mask’s round shape is a reminder of the Sun, the source of all life. These people respect the tremendous power possessed by the water buffalo which is represented by the horns carved into the top of the mask.
The remarkable thing about the African mask is that each culture has created a unique version to represent the spirit of its tribe. Today westerners appreciate the African Mask for its history, artistry, and ability to represent the owners unique taste and appreciate of diverse cultures.
General Tips | Comment (0)Decorating with African Art Creates Soulful Environments
Decorating with African art brings a unique look to your home or office. A number of options are available and you can feature one interesting piece or showcase an entire room in this style.
Choosing a Single Piece When Decorating with African Art
When you are planning your room, you may want to start with a single piece of art. Decorating with African art doesn’t have to be elaborate. You can start with a colorful batik wall hanging in bright colors, a hand-painted Korhogo cloth, or a Gabon mask. If you prefer not to display the art on your walls, you still have a number of options for decorating with African art. Since the piece you choose can represent your unique inner spirit; the options are highly individual and virtually endless.
Small pieces can add interest to your decor as well. Good choices include a hand-carved kisii stone elephant, a decoupage vase, or a carved chess set featuring animal pieces. Ebony bowls are available at reasonable prices and a “talking drum” displayed in your room will be certain to get conversations going.
Kisii Stone Plate Centers a Room
Another striking choice when decorating with African art is a kisii stone plate. This material is also known as soapstone. A multicolored effect is created by applying natural dyes to the surface of the stone. The stone absorbs the colors, making a kisii stone plate a wonderful option for decorating with African art. The piece can be hung on a wall or displayed on a table or a shelf using a stand.
Supporting African Artists
Another great reason for decorating with African art is that by buying these pieces, you are supporting the talented artisans who created them. Artists put their heart and soul into the items they draw, paint, weave, or fashion; and we give them a wonderful acknowledgment for their efforts by buying these items. The artist also benefits from the financial support we provide to them by buying their artwork.
Any decorative element you choose speaks loudly about your inner spirit, tastes, and style. Decorating with African Art gives you the chance to express your flair, passions, or social commentary without uttering a single word.
Decorating | Comment (0)Recharge Your Home With Your Own Decorating Ideas
A tastefully decorated home speaks volumes about your personality. It reflects your aesthetic sense and creative spirit. Decorating a home to match your personal aura may not always be a very expensive proposition. Your ideas and your ability to use small things to decorate your home can even work wonders.
The first point about home decoration begins with adopting a holistic approach. Consider your home in its entirety and not in segments. Whatever theme you choose should preferably be applicable for the entire room. Mixing of themes in one room generally does not go well. If you belong to the classical old school, go for gothic furniture, subtle colors and ornate décor. If you are absolutely modern in style, then you must be looking for new generation furniture in wrought iron or steel, dark and bold shades of color, lots of gadgets and contemporary décor to spruce up your room.
Small things like vases, murals, wall hangings, lamp shades, antique items, pictures, wall papers, mirrors and show items carry lot of importance in giving your home décor the right dimension. Vases with ornate or floral designs have unique appeal. If you have a particular theme for a room, your murals, wall papers, wall hangings and pictures must match that theme. Say, you are doing a room on an African Safari theme. Use Savannah wall papers, African masks, jungle décor, animal pictures and knick knacks, rugs looking like animal skins on the floor and lots of bamboo items here and there to create a lively jungle ambience in your room. Lamp shades always create special effects with their light and shade. If you are having a party, you can switch on to bright lights and twinkling LEDs, but when you are planning to listen to some music in a pensive mood, corner lamp stands with their mystic shades are always the perfect choice.
In order to prevent your home from getting a stale look, you must always change the room décor periodically. Rearranging the furniture, changing the cushion covers, hanging a new set of curtains, bringing in some new plants, changing the showcase artifacts and décor items and laying a new area rug are some good ideas. Removing clutter always creates additional space and breathes life into your home. This must be done regularly. Ideas are all that create the best decorated homes. The best tip in home decorating, therefore, is to continuously refurbish your idea bank and experiment on new things.
Decorating | Comment (0)A Jungle In Your Home With Safari Decoration
If you are interested about creating a unique jungle ambience in your home, try safari decorating. It’s an innovative way of using jungle décor, natural items, animal prints and earthwork to give a thrilling dimension to your home. Children have lots of fun with this exotic style. It all depends on your creativity and your ideas to simulate the most close-to-natural feelings with this interesting décor in your home.
To create the jungle ambience in your home, you need plants, animal knick knacks, special lights, safari accessories, jungle paintings and lots of things made of natural items like woods, twigs, and stones. Most of these items are readily available in the market. You can begin by sprucing up the windows. Curtains, drapes, shutters and blinds have everything to do with the jungle theme. Jungle printed curtains and wooden fittings are very popular. Your painting has to be commensurate with the general jungle ambience. Dark and bold shades create the most natural and stimulating jungle backdrop. Wooden furniture, floral, fern or animal print fabric upholstery and bamboo and rattan items go very well with the jungle and safari theme.
Lights create special effects in crafting the jungle theme. Animal and plant themed lights, zebra prints lamps, control devices like dimmer can really work up a terrific jungle environment right in your home. Most of these lamps and shades are available in the market. Another important item in a safari decorating theme is a rug. Rugs shaped and colored like animal skins create natural effects. You can also try rugs with animal and plant prints in sharp, striking and contrast colors. Natural sisal mats are also a great choice for the floors.
The idea of safari is never complete without the tale of African safari. Obviously, no safari decoration is complete without a special focus on the African safari and its accessories. Use the tall grassland, Savanna concepts in doing up the safari theme. Wall papers with shades in crème and visions of the tall grasses and trees can decorate the walls. Putting some items that typically represent the typical tribal African culture like masks, headgears, ethnic dresses and ornaments can really liven up a true African safari ambience. African paintings are also another great decorating item. By positioning the articles in a creative way and using appropriate light and shade effects that is very representative of a jungle, you can have a real safari feel right in your home. Though you can do most of the work yourself, you can get the services of expert safari decorators to create a perfect jungle safari ambience in your home.
Decorating | Comment (0)How to Get Top Quality African Art at Affordable Prices
African art, crafts, and clothing are more popular than ever in North America and Europe. People love the way genuine African items let them connect with a peaceful, thoughtful world view that is the hallmark of many African cultures.
These days headlines in the West frequently report on Africa. Millions of tourists fly, ride, and even walk all over Africa every year. Because African art is so impressive and so uplifting — while being quite affordable — visitors and tourists almost always bring art, clothing, and crafts back home with them.
Why all the interest in Africa? Africa is different. Go to just about any large African city and you’ll see what I mean. The downtown area may be populated with high rise buildings and people wearing business suits. It may not look all that different from the business districts of Chicago or Paris.
But then take a look at how people are getting to and from work. Most don’t drive, they walk, often for miles. Huge freeway-sized paths filled with thousands of people walking flow in and out of the city.
That’s often a Western visitors first clue that being born and raised in Africa helps you see the world in a dramatically different way. The more time you spend in Africa, the more you begin to appreciate the open, relaxed, thoughtful, and inspired view that permeates society. It can be a big breath of fresh air for anyone who normally lives in the hustle and bustle of LA, London, or even Albuquerque.
African art items deeply capture important aspects of the cultures in which they are created. A very skilled artisan can create an African mask, sculpture, or piece of jewelry that gives you a profound spiritual boost every time you see it.
Today you no longer have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to travel to Africa in order to get truly top quality art. Art experts living in Africa are working with Western business to establish ways to efficiently export quality art to consumers in the West.
Many of these changes happened when my long-time friend Joseph Bilson, who is an art expert in Ghana, West Africa, joined with me to figure out a way to make all the great art he was seeing in Africa available to people in the West. We soon realized we could create a web site called AfrikBoutiK.com, we put high quality photos of our art items on it, and let people purchase the art with credit cards through an e-commerce system.
Rather than convince the likes of Wal-Mart or Bloomingdales to carry the art, no doubt with a huge markup, we are able to bring Africa’s best art directly to the consumer at a dramatically lower price.
More so now than ever in history, the connective power of the Internet is making even the best art in Africa readily available to interested people all over the world.
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