Africa is a land of culturally rich heritage and a wealth of patterns. In fact, everywhere you look, you’ll see repetitions of shapes, colors, textures, and lines in all sorts of arrangements. Besides being visually engaging, patterns are quite an innate thing in Africa.

If you take a drive anywhere in this place, you’ll find patterns on the decorated houses, road stalls usually defined by color and shape. In this article, we’ve rounded up briefly about African patterns.

So, let’s get started!

African Patterns- Decoding The Story Behind it

Do you remember Adinka robes worn by Ashanti men? The fabric has various patterns that have symbolic significance. Africa is usually known for its individual art. For centuries, art was greatly influenced by the environment and natural surroundings.

Most patterns used in African art are either geometric or symbolic. If you see historic buildings, you’ll find a lot of geometrical variations in a repetitive order. For instance, chevrons and zigzags are primarily part of every form and facet of African decoration. Geometric shapes of diamonds or diamonds are the most common shape that can be painted, incised, printed, or embroidered. You name it, and you’ll find an example right away.

Sadly, a lot of the meaning and historical significance got lost in the modern era. But still, many are passing down this traditional heritage from generation to generation. For instance, bold patterns, either painted or etched, are quite an integral component of African mask design.

Besides the geometric patterns, symbols also hold great importance in African patterns. They are like visual expressions of any society’s culture, its beliefs, and history. Some might have proverbial meaning, while others might signify the wisdom of the tribe.

The idea is to communicate feelings, knowledge, and feelings. It could be anything from animal prints or humans related to critical events. So, whether you see an african rug, a clothing fabric, or a sculpture, whatever shape they’ll include will have a meaning behind its inclusion in the pattern.

Let’s understand this more with the following examples.

● Using parallel zigzags is about following the path of ancestors.

● Chequerboard black or white triangles/ squares represent ignorance and the beginning of learning and accumulating wisdom, respectively.

But, it’s not only the patterns that rule African art. Color has a lot of significance in African cloth as well.

African people ensure that there is meaning or spirituality behind each work. Even color variations hold meaning depending on the tribes and subgroups of the culture. While there might be a bit of difference depending on the culture, mainly the following colors have similar meanings.

● White symbolizes spirituality and purity. It is usually reserved for the purest people or circumstances.

● Gold usually represents wealth or fertility. The artists use it in the hope of a prosperous life.

● Red is usually used to represent trouble in spirituality or the political world.

● Blue signifies love and peace.

You will find variations of patterns and colors in all the common African patterns—Kuba cloth, Mudcloth, Kente Cloth. Every option holds a different meaning and significance to its tribe or sub-group.

Wrapping Up

Clearly, African prints have so much significance. Although they might be a natural color palette or design for African people, they blend well with other neutral tones.

Ever since I moved into the apartment close to my workplace, I was unhappy with the way my bedroom walls looked. Despite being newly painted in dull grey, they were uneven in texture and gave off a drab feel. Every evening, I would wonder how to give them a new look and feel without spending too much. Time was also a constraint. Last month, my friend Lauren dropped in for tea, and I shared my concerns with her.

“What about striped wallpaper?” She asked knowingly.

Before I could answer, she went on to explain how I could choose wallpapers in different patterns that could give an altogether different character to my bedroom. The walls would look more interesting and make me feel good after a long day at work. She added that striped wallpaper gives a very sophisticated and high-end look. They are the perfect option for changing the attitude and feel of any room, so why not my bedroom?

My First Experience with Custom Peel and Stick Wallpaper

As usual, I agreed to the suggestions provided by Lauren; and I was happy that I did so. The custom peel and stick wallpaper we purchased online had a peach and cream-colored floral pattern. The texture was complete with a neat matt finish having subtle undulations. Soon after the wallpaper installation job was done, my bedroom got transformed into one of my dreams. Soft but bright, elegant, and soothing to the senses, just as I always wanted. The best part was that the entire transformation got done within a day!

Other Benefits of Installing Wallpaper

Once my bedroom got updated quickly and easily, I understood the many other benefits of choosing wallpapers to make my personal space look different.

● The wallpapered room suggested a feel of permanence and establishment. It was an extension of my style and preferences and showed what I like.

● Another thing that came into prominence was that the peel and stick wallpaper brought my room together. It coordinated very well with the floor, furniture, furnishings, and the existing design theme to give a unified appeal.

● The newly added punch made my bedroom the perfect spot for me. It made my room look different from the remaining rooms at home. Now, my bedroom feels more functional and bigger than before.

Custom Wallpaper Installation – A Good Decision!

All thanks to Lauren, I have solved my design problems with custom peel and stick wallpaper. Given the many benefits of wallpapering, I have decided to invest in striped and textured wallpaper to give my study and living rooms a new feel. My walls have now become the canvas I wish to decorate in novel ways after buying the best wallpaper online. Why don’t you do the same to improve your space?

If you’ve ever considered revamping or renovating your home, you might be thinking about hiring an interior designer. Whether you fancy yourself a bit of an interiors expert or not, these specialists know a thing or two about design. If hired to tackle a project, they’re responsible for the layout of the internal space in a home, office, and even hospitality venues! Accordingly, if you would like to learn more about some of the different services offered by interior designers, this easy guide to hiring an interior designer is an incredibly useful resource.

Thinking of hiring one for your next revamp or renovation? Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons…

The benefits of bringing an interior designer on board

A bit like a project manager, an interior designer will be able to help you with a wealth of different things in your home, office space or venue. They’re often able to think much more creatively and get the most out of your space as possible. Furthermore, they’ll also be able to advise when to bring in professionals like FSBD Interiors to renovate or remodel a space. It’s made easier for them as they have no emotional attachment to the particular space that’s getting a revamp.

One thing they’re particularly good at is helping you to avoid making costly mistakes. This could be anything from picking out the wrong furniture to choosing to knock down the wrong wall. Remember that furniture can make or break a space. Your designer will be able to look into high quality ranges such as Hay furniture, to help bring your space to life!

By helping you make the most out of your residential or commercial space, hiring an interior designer could also increase the value and demand of your property, if/when you come to sell it, too. If your space has been professionally changed, it’s likely you’re now making the most of it, using the right colours and introducing the appropriate furniture.

The negatives to hiring an interior designer

Although handing over the reigns to someone else during your project can be satisfying, it’s important to remember that interior designers can be very expensive. Whether you’re taking on a big renovation or opening a new venue, you’ll have to consider if you have the budget or not to hire someone. It may be that if it’s not going to be financially viable, that you invest in a number of interior design books or scour the internet for inspiration instead – although you won’t get that professional finish.

If you’re renovating your home, you may also find that it looses a personal touch too. This is because interior designers aren’t thinking about family heirlooms or adding wedding and family photos to your space. They’re coming at the project from a outsiders perspective. If you do hire a designer, it may be worth expressing the importance of keeping your personal touches there too and seeing if they can work these in.

Chances are that as a professional, they’ll be able to. So, if they’re important to you, make sure you speak up during the planning process!

Green armchair next to blue settee in colorful living room interior with painting and posters. Real photo

The first things that your house guests will notice by the time they step into your home are its appearance and smell. Have you ever wondered why each time you get home from a long vacation, the house seems to have a weird smell?  Whatever scent you catch, that’s the same scent your guests will also smell. This only happens because the longer you’re exposed to a particular scent, the less likely you’re going to distinguish it.  

Thus, it’d be a good idea that you also pay attention to how your house smells, aside from its appearance. Some people say that a clean home smells like nothing. But, achieving this is almost impossible. With plenty of activities each family member does inside the house, such as cooking, playing with pets, kids running around, and just the daily life, your home is bound to end up smelling like different aromas.

So, don’t be surprised if there are days when your house smells like that chicken you just cooked, that milk your kids spilled in the living room, or that strong perfume your teenage daughter used before she passed by the living room and went out.  

Luckily, there are things you can do to keep your house looking and smelling fresh every day. So, navigate below for the four ways you can improve the smell and look of your house and make it beautiful, even without using the artificial and chemical freshening sprays. 

Flowers in vase on the table at modern kitchen

Display Fresh Flowers Every day 

One of the simplest ways to add fragrance and color into your home is by putting and displaying fresh flowers!  Not only are you incorporating colors into your living room, kitchen, or bedroom, but flowers are also known to produce natural and appealing fragrances. Plus, there are endless choices of flowers out there that you can use to decorate and set the mood of your house for that day or week. You can go for roses, sunflowers, or peonies as your gorgeous table centerpiece! Keep in mind that flowers may smell foul if you don’t change the vases’ water often, so make sure to keep their water fresh, too.  

Incorporate Indoor Plants 

If you’re not into flowers, but still want living things in your home, you can go for the green indoor plants. Most house plants need less maintenance than flowers, which make them a perfect choice for people who want to make their home look and smell good without much effort and maintenance.

House plants may not produce as good a fragrance as flowers do. Still, their leaves will act as an air humidifier and freshener, therefore cleaning and purifying your air from the different mixtures of aroma you’ve exposed your home into. Plus, indoor plants will also make your home visually appealing, so make sure you arrange your plants in an artful and organized way.   

Throw Open Your Fancy Windows 

When was the last time you bothered to open your windows?  Perhaps, you seldom open your windows because it’s below zero degrees outside or you just forget about them every time. However, during the hot summer months, use your windows to your advantage and push them wide open. They may not directly make your home look beautiful, but open windows will easily let the natural light in, illuminating and brightening up your home!  

Plus, the fresh, natural air outside can easily whisk away the lingering smells inside your house. The fresh air from the outside may not exactly smell something like fresh flowers, but the clean and fresh scent is already enough to remove the stinks from the inside. So, while the cold weather is still away, open your windows now! 

Create Jar Room Scents 

It’s easier to buy artificial air fresheners from the market to get rid of the smell you have inside your house. However, some of them may cause allergic reactions to some of your family members who have asthma, and these sprays often contain chemicals and ingredients that are harmful to your health. So, instead of the ready-made ones in the stores, you can create your own jar room scents.  

If you use glass jars at home, you can use them by filling them with rosemary or thyme herbs, pine twigs, slices of citrus fruits, cinnamon spices, and extracts of almond. From these ingredients, you can create multiple pleasing scents. For instance, you can mix the rosemary herb, vanilla extract, and slices of lemon for your first jar room scent, then soak them in warm, heated water. 

For the second jar scent, you can mix cloves, cinnamon sticks, and orange slices, and then soak them with heated water. Once you’ve filled all your empty glass jars with different mixtures of scent, you can display each of them in the areas of your home where you want them scented. Not only will you make your home smell beautiful, but these jars also look colorful and adorable.

Wrapping Up! 

There you go—four simple ways to make your home smell and look beautiful, without costing much fortune!  The best thing about these options is that no synthetic and artificial scents and chemicals are involved in these options, making them safe for you and your family.

When you’re ready to reinvigorate a room, you have more options than ever before. One of the best ways to reinvent an entire space is to change what’s on the walls. Right now, more interior design experts and aficionados are opting for wallpaper instead of paint.

Advantages of Wallpaper

From its versatility to its practicality, wallpaper offers many advantages over paint. Here are four of the biggest benefits.

It’s Designed To Last

Wallpaper is far more durable than paint. This is especially true if you live with children. Most paint jobs should be touched up every five years at the very least. Meanwhile, the best kids wallpaper often lasts for 15 years before showing significant wear and tear.

It’s Less Expensive Than Paint

This durability also translates to significant savings, particularly when you compare the cost of wallpapering to the cost of repeatedly hiring professional painters. You may pay more for wallpaper and its installation upfront, but it’s resilient and easy to clean with cloths, brooms, vacuums and wallpaper dough.

It Hides Imperfections

Wallpaper can also be used to hide fairly significant imperfections on your walls in a way that multiple coats of paint cannot. Covered with thick or patterned wallpaper, blemishes, bumps, divots and cracks are camouflaged.

It Encourages Creativity

Perhaps the biggest attraction of wallpaper is how creative it allows you to be with your space. It’s available in a seemingly endless array of prints, patterns, materials and textures. You can use it to create a single statement wall or envelop an entire room. Employ it behind shelving to create depth or accent some of your favorite books, photos and other décor. You can even change it out frequently if you’d like, provided you select temporary panels and master the basics of how to install removable wallpaper.

Disadvantages of Wallpaper

While wallpaper presents several advantages over more traditional paint, it’s not without its drawbacks. Here are three things to keep in mind before you begin researching where to buy wallpaper.

It’s an Investment

As outlined above, wallpaper is less expensive than paint in the long run. It is, however, more expensive up front, and that initial investment may cause trouble for various design budgets.

It Can Be Difficult To Replace

Accidents happen. Because it’s so unique, finding a replacement roll for wallpaper gouged by a dining room chair or torn by a careless moving company can be tricky. It’s worth noting that this is true even if your wallpaper is a solid hue. Dyes can vary slightly from batch to batch.

It’s Difficult To Install and Remove

There are a handful of obstacles to putting up and taking down wallpaper. First, both processes require special tools. Second, hanging up wallpaper involves matching seams and patterns with precision. Third, removal can be challenging and time-consuming, especially if the person or team who installed the paper didn’t adequately prepare the wall underneath. For these reasons, many homeowners choose to leave installation and removal to professionals.

Gone are the days of Grandma’s dusty, headache-inducing, floral wallpaper. Today’s wallpaper choices reflect an array of tastes and time periods, from classic Hollywood Regency designs to sustainable bamboo materials and minimalist, modern prints. When you’re ready to makeover your living room, kitchen or virtually any area of your home, consider making a statement with wallpaper.

Furniture is among the first things that come to mind every time I want to redesign my home. It makes my space feel complete, even though it’s a bit small. I also use pieces of furniture such as coffee tables and sofa suites to define my standards and express my unique, admirable sense of style.

When I’m buying furniture for my home, whether it be with help from this guide or anywhere else, I’m extremely selective. This allows me to pick only those pieces that add value to my space and satiate my individual needs. Considering the factors below before making any choices has always guided me in knowing the best furniture to take home and about staging furniture for sale.

Style

The market is full of fantastic furniture styles that range from modern, traditional, and minimalist to antique and Scandinavian. The pieces of furniture I purchase for my space depend on the type I want. More often than not, I do my research and have a particular look in mind before I leave my house. This way, not even the most talented salespeople will convince me to pay for furniture that doesn’t fit my style.

Quality

I prioritize the quality of the furniture I choose for my home at all times. I don’t particularly appreciate spending my hard-earned cash on low-quality items that don’t last. To get the best quality, I visit top-rated furniture stores near me. I also scrutinize the pieces before I pay for them to ensure they are perfect. If the furniture squeaks, I avoid it at all times. Lately, I’ve been selecting couches with fifth legs because it offers more support.

When I’m looking for furniture at online stores, I read their reviews to know the services to anticipate. On top of that, I ensure that the piece I want comes with a warranty before making my order. If the delivered furniture is not the quality I expected, I know where to start to get my money’s worth.

Color

I once worked with a professional interior designer, and they taught me that the color of my furniture matters. That’s why I consider it before purchasing a couch or any other piece. If the furniture I’m buying is for décor purposes, I go for bold colors. When obtaining big pieces of furniture, I gravitate towards neutral colors, especially when I plan to keep them for a more extended period.

The lighting in my rooms also affects the colors of the furniture I invest in. If, for instance, a lot of light gets into my living room, I have no problem choosing hot or bright pieces, as long as they complement the space’s theme.

Space

I measure the space of the room whose furniture I’m buying before I head to the market. This helps me buy pieces that can fit in there and help me attain the style I desire. I never viewed this as an issue until I bought a bed that was too big for my child’s bedroom. I had to return it to the store and get a smaller size. It was a bit tedious.

Timing

Great timing has allowed me to find some of my most valuable furniture pieces at a cost-effective price. The prices of different types of home furniture keep changing throughout the year. The secret is to identify when they fluctuate and go down.

I bought my favorite coffee table during the Christmas season, and its price tag was unbelievably friendly. Was I lucky? No. My timing was just perfect. Then, the store I visited was offering crazy discounts because they were dying to do away with their last pieces. It’s also possible to get fantastic home furniture deals on Independence Day (July 4th), Veterans Day, or Memorial Day.

Budget

Budget affects everything. When searching for home furniture to buy, I try my best to choose pieces that fit my financial plan. Sometimes, I can get inspiration for these online, and other times I get lucky at thrift shops. This, however, doesn’t mean that I’m ready to leave a precious item. If I have some savings, I use them up; but I never borrow money.

My objective has always been to design my home in the classiest way possible. That’s why I take my time to select the ideal pieces of furniture for my place. Considering the factors I’ve elaborated on above helps me avoid mistakes, and instead, I get precisely what I need.

Beautiful interior of modern room decorated with fairy lights

Decorating your home is harder than it looks. Most people are not professionals when it comes to creating a pleasing aesthetic while also retaining the functionality of a home. There are a lot of different aspects to consider, especially if you are redecorating your entire home. If you are feeling overwhelmed, then here are some tips to help you pull together an amazing design that will make you feel right at home.

Colors

One of the very first things that you need to decide is what color palette you are going to use in your home. This will affect all the other decisions that you make, so it is important to decide early and make sure you are happy with the decision. The wrong color palette can make your home seem disorganized, even if everything else is perfect.

The theme that you want to convey with your home decor will greatly influence the colors you choose. A woodsy theme is going to have a much different color scheme than a modern theme. If you aren’t sure what theme to go with, think about a central piece or painting that you want to use in a room and then build a color palette around that signature piece.

Personality

You want to feel at home in your house, so it is important that the decor matches your personality. When someone walks into your home, they should automatically get a feel for who you are as a person. You can reflect your interests by the things that you have in your home and the decorating emphasis you choose. Colors, art, and other decorative items will show your guests a lot about what you value.

Lighting

The lighting you use in your home will have a drastic influence on the mood and atmosphere. Appropriate lighting will give your home a beautiful and functional feel. Even if your home is beautifully decorated in every other sense, bad lighting will make it seem messy or cramped.

There will be different lighting needs for different rooms of the house. In areas like the kitchen and bathroom, you will want to make sure there is a lot of bright light. Those are areas in which you will need to see details and will want a lot of light to make working in those rooms easier. You may even want to consider several sources of light like the main light and over-the-counter lights to make this even better.

In other areas like the living room, you may want a variety of light options for different reasons. During the day or during game nights, you will want the room well-illuminated. During a quiet night in, you may want to be able to dim the lights to offer a softer setting. You may even want a floor lamp to put by your favorite chair to help you when you read in the evening. Having several different light source options is a good idea.

Dead Space

Be aware of any “dead” space in your home. Dead space refers to a place in your home that seems empty or bare. This may make your room seem incomplete. You can turn bare spaces into functional spaces depending on their size and location.

You may be able to turn the area into a small study area or a place to display artwork. You could use the area as an extra storage place. You can also use these spaces to show more of your personality by hanging items from places you have traveled or places you would like to travel.

White

Don’t be afraid to use white in your decorating. White is versatile and will fit with any theme and color palette that you choose. It also adds some sophistication and a sense of cleanliness to any decor style.

Especially if you are a fan of darker colors for your walls, adding in some white elements can help brighten up your room and make it seem larger. You can also choose white as the base color for your room and use pops of color to accent and add personality.

Rule of Three

One of the easiest and most important design rules is the Rule of Three. Objects that can be grouped together like accessories, fabric, or shelves look more visually pleasing when grouped according to odd numbers.

When choosing items to place on shelves or walls or a mantle, you should be very aware of using odd numbers. A tray with small decorative pieces should hold odd-numbered items. You can also do this when hanging a collage wall or decorating shelves. Try to avoid even numbers and opt for the odds instead.

Energy Efficient

While you are redecorating your home, you may also want to think about small ways you can make it more energy-efficient. This can be as small as getting thermal curtains that will help keep in the warm in the winter. You can also switch to a more energy-efficient light bulb in your lamps and other lighting options. If you are upgrading appliances, look for ones that will help reduce your carbon footprint and your energy bills.

Don’t Forget the Details

Sometimes we can get so focused on the large items in a room that we forget the small details are what really pull it all together. Small pieces like decorative door hardware & accessories can add more personality to your home and give your guests more to discover during their stay.

Other details like family pieces, portraits, or vacation items will make it feel like your space. You should take care to decorate your room carefully, but be careful not to give it a cluttered feel. You want the space to feel decorated, not cramped.  

You may also want to consider getting some plants to add to your space. Owning plants has been shown to increase positive moods and make your home a healthier place to live. Some plants will purify the air while you take care of them. They also add some extra flair to any space and come in a variety of sizes and styles to fit your design.

The Entryway

When decorating a home, sometimes the entrance can get overlooked. It is usually a small space, so that is understandable, but don’t make that mistake. The entrance to your home sets the tone for the entire experience. It needs to be both inviting and functional.

Entrances can also get very cluttered easily since it is where most people are taking off their coats, jackets, hats, and shoes. Having a system to keep all of this from piling up is going to set a better mood for your entire home. If the entrance is cluttered, then that is how the rest of your house is going to feel, even if it is not.

Furniture Arrangement

When you are deciding on a layout for your home, it is important to think about functionality as much as design. You want your home to look nice, but you also want to be able to use it. Arranging furniture to accommodate your lifestyle is your best bet. If you entertain a lot for dinner, then you are going to want a bigger dining room table that takes center-stage. If you have regular game nights, then you will want the couches and chairs to be facing each other and central to a flat surface for the game. If your family does regular movie nights, then you will want to make sure that everyone has a good view of the TV from where they will be sitting. The key is to make it the best fit for your needs.