Afrohemian style skillfully fuses African culture with bohemian aesthetics to create interiors that are vibrant, soulful and free-spirited.
This eclectic decor celebrates heritage and creativity through art, fabrics, materials, colors and collections.
Today let’s look at different Afrohemian decor ideas to help you craft a home that reflects your roots and originality.
Let the art begin!
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Spotlight Eye-Catching African Wall Art
One of the most direct ways to proudly highlight your African roots is through culturally symbolic wall art and sculptures strategically displayed throughout your home.
Wood carvings depicting tribal images, abstract paintings in vivid hues, ceramic pots handmade in Africa—pieces like these deserve prominence.
Place them in entryways where guests can immediately appreciate the craftsmanship.
Cluster masks, weavings and photographs together in a gallery wall that demonstrates your passion for African artistry.
Or dedicate an entire wall to a floor-to-ceiling mural celebrating your heritage.
Seek out works that use cultural symbols, figures, animals and motifs so their significance is clear.
For example, the sankofa bird, adinkra symbols, cowry shells and fertility dolls are traditional West African images full of meaning.
Intricately carved mask sculptures are also iconic.
Spotlight these special pieces above seating nooks, fireplaces, or anywhere they can be admired.
You may also find handicrafts and antiques like musical instruments, pottery, stools or staffs during trips abroad.
Display these in shelves as mementos of your travels and connection to different African regions.
Let them spark storytelling when guests ask about your adventures.
For paintings, look for abstract styles using brilliant colors, geometric shapes, or collage techniques.
Commission local African artists to capture your family orinterests through their artistic lens.
Not only does this support them, but it will result in an incredibly personal work of art.
Photography can also commemorate your heritage.
Frame black and white portraits of ancestors, street scenes from African cities, or landscapes featuring native animals and nature.
Blow up colorful photos of family celebrations and customs to relive fond memories.
No matter which medium you choose, thoughtfully curated African wall art asserts your identity and becomes an opportunity to share it with others.
Display pieces you feel a connection to and watch your home come to life.
Upholster with Vibrant African Fabrics
Traditional African textiles like mudcloth, kente cloth, adinkra cloth, dashiki prints, ankara, batik, and kitenge offer the perfect vehicle to infuse your home with glorious color and heritage.
Use these fabrics abundantly on window treatments, throw pillows, area rugs, and upholstered furnishings.
For example, make a vibrant statement by using hand-dyed mudcloth to reupholster a sofa or accent chair.
The unique patterns will become the eye-catching focal point of any room.
To complete the look, use the same mudcloth print on throw pillows, a floor pouf, or window valances.
You can also liven up lackluster furnishings with fresh slipcovers sewn from these lively fabrics.
Wherever you incorporate them, traditional textiles breathe new energy into your rooms.
Kente cloth from Ghana features vibrant interlocking stripe patterns that represent concepts like courage, power, and knowledge.
Use kente to make decorative pillows or upholster a bench.
You can also display lengths of kente fabric as wall art or turn them into tapestries.
Adinkra cloth from Ghana depicts proverbial Adinkra symbols and messages to communicate wisdom.
Adorn furnishings or walls with adinkra’s bold symbols and yer deeper meaning will surround you.
Dashiki prints similarly use African motifs along with vibrant colors.
Sew dashiki fabric into caftans or use it to cover chairs and stools for a pop of color.
Look for any opportunity to incorporate these meaningful textiles.
Use swaths of ankara or batik fabric as table runners.
Sew kitenge fabric into accent pillows or poufs.
Designate a mudcloth chair as your reading nook.
With endless patterns and colors to choose from, traditional African textiles offer a wellspring of options to grace your home.
Incorporate Natural Materials
Afrohemian style skillfully blends cultural heritage with laidback bohemian aesthetics.
Therefore, natural materials are key for creating an earthy, organic feel.
Incorporate handicrafts and furnishings made from wood, rattan, clay, jute, leather, and other natural elements.
For example, hand carved teak wood furnishings have an appealing texture that feels both cultural and bohemian.
A teak dining table would pair perfectly with rattan chairs for casual seating.
Or add a handmade wooden bench with leather cushions at the foot of your bed.
Woven accents also complement the Afrohemian vibe.
Incorporate baskets of all sizes and purposes around your home.
Use rounded baskets for storing blankets in a bedroom, or stack narrow ones in a bathroom for rolled towels.
Hang lightweight rattan balls or birdcages for an airy accent.
You can also display decorative baskets prominently on shelves rather than hiding them away.
Clay pottery crafted locally makes excellent decorative accents.
Group an assortment of rounded pots and vases on an entryway table or shelf.
Use clay vases and pitchers as unique vessels for floral arrangements.
Or fill pots with air plants for an easy natural accent.
Don’t overlook the importance of wood furnishings beyond their materiality.
Look for pieces featuring curved shapes, tapered legs, and organic forms reminiscent of nature.
A hand carved dining table or swooping chair brings warmth and uniqueness to your decor.
Jute and cotton lend themselves to laidback textiles like woven area rugs, poufs, curtains and pillows.
Use them to soften wood furniture and add cozy layers.
And of course, houseplants are a must!
Let their leafy greens and trailing vines complement the texture and colors of your abode.
Not only do they purify the air, they lend spaces a peaceful, earthy vibe.
Blend Global Patterns and Motifs
Don’t be afraid to fuse patterns and motifs from across the globe to create an eclectic Afrohemian interior.
While African prints take center stage, incorporate Persian rugs, Suzani textiles, ikats, folk motifs and artwork from other cultures too.
These worldwide influences blend soulfully within the Afrohemian decor context.
For example, pair a brightly patterned West African mudcloth sofa with a Turkish kilim rug underneath.
The kilim’s muted palette balances the vibrancy of the mudcloth.
Or upholster a bench in a Suzani floral fabric, then toss Moroccan poof pillows on top for layered patterns.
Use an Ikastyle area rug underneath for even more visual interest.
If your walls feature African motifs or masks, layer Persian carpets on the floors and decorate shelving with eccentric folk art.
The fusion of worldwide aesthetics is what makes the Afrohemian look so unique.
When it comes to pattern mixing, start by choosing one culture’s textiles as your focal point.
Say you love Indonesian batiks – use those fabrics on key furniture pieces and window treatments.
Then weave in Turkish kilims, Indian block prints, or Swedish rag rugs as accents.
Just be sure to unite the palette and style.
Stick with patterns that have similar color tones and vibe.
Don’t forget folk art and handicrafts too.
Add an American quilt here, a Haitian metal sculpture there.
Make a display of Mexican pottery or frame Australian aboriginal artwork.
These culturally symbolic touches personalize a home.
You can also incorporate patterns through materials like wood, clay, tile and cement.
For example, an inlaid wood mosaic tabletop or patterned cement floor tiles.
Use natural materials to show off global motifs in an elemental way.
Overall, patterns help deepen the cultural richness and give Afrohemian decor dimension.
Thoughtfully blending fabrics, folk art, and materials from across continents results in a comfortably curated interior.
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Build a Color Palette with Vibrant Jewel Tones
Color is quintessential to Afrohemian style.
Build your palette around vibrant jewel and earth tones straight from the continent.
Think ruby reds, emerald greens, sapphire blues, golden yellows and rich purples.
These pigments derived from African soil, minerals, and flowers encapsulate the homeland.
Their saturated hues give rooms a magical, cultured energy.
There are countless ways to implement color for an electrifying interior.
Paint walls in deep red or mustard orange.
Use a daring tropical print with hot pink and turquoise accents.
Lay down a rug with golden diamonds over a plum background.
The vibrant options are endless.
When designing your color scheme, choose one or two standout hues to dominate.
For example, sunshine yellow walls or a ruby sofa.
Then sprinkle in coordinating shades as accents.
Add throw pillows in fuschia, scarlet blankets, emerald decor items.
This technique helps colors feel harmonious rather than haphazard.
Also aim for color balance.
If your walls and floors are neutral, use bold colors on furniture and decor.
For patterned floor coverings, stick with solid colored furnishings.
And don’t overlook the impact of colorful artwork.
A gallery wall mingling paintings in every shade will make a playful splash.
Here are some specific Afrohemian color combinations to inspire you:
– Golden walls with eggplant and teal accents
– Plum sofa with bright tangerine and pink pillows
– Sapphire kitchen cabinets with orange bar stools
– Emerald velvet chair with yellow and white paisley throw
– Red, black and green geometric rug under white furniture
– Violet drapes with turquoise, fuchsia and lime paisley prints
Color isn’t just aesthetic in the Afrohemian palette – it also bears cultural symbolism.
Red represents power, green means vitality and hope, purple embodies spirituality.
Integrate hues that speak to you.
Make your home pop with the vibrant pigments of textiles, pottery, art and furnishings from across Africa.
The richness and heritage encapsulated in these colors will bring energy into your interior.
Illuminate with Handcrafted Lighting
Lighting presents ample opportunity to incorporate handmade artistry and natural materials in the Afrohemian home.
Seek out custom lighting crafted from wood, horn, raffia, wrought iron, terra cotta and other natural elements.
The imperfection and craftsmanship of these pieces adds organic flair.
For example, suspend a woven pendant with cow horn accents over your dining table.
The texture and tone of the horn complements wood furnishings beautifully.
Or illuminate your bedroom with a hand carved headboard lamp featuring Adinkra symbols.
Place elongated floor lamps made of twisting branches in your living room corners.
Table lamps also allow creativity.
Choose ones with ceramic or wooden bases and bright patterned shades.
Or opt for simplistic lamps made of a single material like stone or clay.
Distressed metal lanterns add a vintage touch.
Don’t overlook sconces either.
Flank a hallway mirror or vanity with woven sconces for mellow, ambient lighting.
Or mount wooden sconces carved with African motifs by your entryway.
Their warm glow and artisanal look complements the aesthetic.
For the kitchen, hang handwoven pendants low over the breakfast bar or island.
Their organic texture contrasts modern finishes.
Or install recessed lighting and place a terra cotta pot lamp stuffed with rope on the counter for a pop of color.
In the outdoors, light up your porch or patio with wrought iron lanterns.
Their curving silhouettes resemble traditional street lamps.
Or stake mini baskets lights along garden pathways for a magical look.
Handcrafted lighting brings artistry, nature and cultural spirit into any room.
Let these pieces illuminate your home with style.
Incorporate Vintage Furnishings and Accessories
Afrohemian style embraces the old and new.
Balancing modern furnishings with well-loved antiques and vintage finds makes a space feel collected and laidback.
When sourcing secondhand pieces, look for ones with charming imperfections that add character.
Scour flea markets and estate sales for treasures like weathered trunks, faded Turkish rugs, embroidered pillows or wooden stools needing new life.
Repurpose vintage textiles and quilts as throw blankets or wall accents.
Display old maps, nature prints and botanical drawings in antique frames.
For furniture, seek out unique wooden pieces from past centuries.
An antique apothecary chest adds quirky storage in a bathroom.
Put a distressed wood bench at the end of a bed.
Let the gaps and natural stains show the furniture’s history.
Add individual vintage touches wherever they fit.
For example, use an old brass vase for displaying flowers, or stack vintage books on an accent table.
Hang an eccentric antique painting or prop an old canoe paddle in a corner.
Weave in unexpected pieces for interest and personality.
When combining old and new, maintain cohesiveness through color palette and materials.
If your furniture is contemporary, bring in antique rugs, lighting and accessories.
Use vintage textiles and art to adorn sleek walls.
The fusion gives a cultured yet curated feel.
By valuing imperfections and heritage, vintage finds allow our personal histories to reside comfortably alongside modernity.
Let them tell stories around your home.
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Create an Indoor Garden Oasis
What better way to cultivate an indoor oasis than surrounding yourself with abundant greenery?
Lush potted palms, trailing vines, blooming plants and fresh herbs bring life inside.
Not only do they purify the air, they give spaces a peaceful ambiance.
Make a jungle corner in your living room with tall statement palms like areca or parlor palms.
Add large-leafed plants like monstera or giant elephant ears for dramatic shapes.
Trailing pothos, heartleaf philodendron and spider plants cascade gracefully.
Place them on bookshelves, hangs them in macrame, or let them grow freely on floor pots.
Add pops of color and visual delight with blooming plants like orchids, bromeliads, peace lilies and bird-of-paradise.
Their bold shapes and vivid hues energize spaces.
Grow herbs and vegetables like mint, basil and tomatoes for freshness.
Use rows of potted trees to divide rooms.
Create a vertical garden with mounted planters on a large wall.
Surround seating nooks with abundant greenery for an outdoor feel.
Position tables and shelves near bright windows ideal for plant growth.
The lively colors and revitalizing nature of houseplants uplift any interior.
They purify the air while providing a pleasant pop of green your eyes and soul.
Surround yourself with abundant gardens and transform your home into an indoor oasis.
Display Meaningful African Artifacts
Infuse your home with nostalgic heritage by displaying African antiques passed down through generations.
These meaningful artifacts often convey poignant family stories.
For example, you may hang intricately beaded masks gifted by grandparents after their travels abroad.
Or display handwoven baskets and wooden stools your parents carried from the homeland.
Carved walking sticks, traditional costumes, ceremonial spears, and old photographs also hold sentimental value.
Find creative ways to mount or frame them.
For instance, you can arrange traditional spears or instruments in a geometric wall display.
Or spotlight heirloom jewelry in shadowboxes or on busts.
Showcase prized artifacts in cabinets and shelving.
Use accent lighting to create mini museums highlighting your most cherished possessions.
Not only do these displays spark storytelling, they pay homage to your ancestry and origins.
Meaningful antiques and heirlooms breathe new life into a home with their nostalgia.
Let them proudly convey your family’s journey.
Add Quirky DIY Touches
Part of Afrohemian decor’s charm lies in its quirkiness.
Embrace your creative spirit and add playful DIY touches that make a house uniquely yours.
Turn a vintage ladder into an eye-catching towel rack.
Transform wine crates or old drawers into stylish wall shelves.
Paint a dresser whimsical colors and use it as bathroom storage.
Add tactile interest with rope lighting, macrame wall hangings, pom pom curtains, or beadwork mirrors.
Use patterned contact paper to revamp dated surfaces like dressers or countertops.
Display your collections in eccentric ways.
For example, mount vintage tennis rackets or retro skis for artsy wall accents.
Or arrange favorite ceramics on a wire ceiling rack rather than a shelf.
Make photo gallery walls more dynamic by using ribbons, wreaths, and fabric backdrops.
Paint a giant map or jungle mural in a kids’ room.
Stencil inspirational quotes on accent walls.
Add your mark through small personal touches too.
Paint the legs of a table bright colors for a pop of fun.
Sew charming throw pillows using African prints and vintage fabrics.
Upcycle baskets and bottles into planters.
Imagination is key for crafting a home that reflects you.
Add offbeat DIY touches to infuse spaces with more heart and levity.
Afrohemian decor awakens your home with the lively spirit of African culture blended with bohemian creative expression.
Through the strategic use of art, textiles, materials, artifacts and color, you can craft interiors that speak to your heritage and originality.
Spotlight eye-catching wall art and sculptures that celebrate your roots.
Upholster furnishings in vibrant mudcloths, kente cloth and kitenge fabrics.
Add natural materials like wood, rattan and clay for organic texture.
Incorporate global patterns and motifs for an eclectic fusion of cultures.
Build your color palette around saturated jewel tones straight from the soil.
Illuminate rooms with handcrafted lighting.
Weave in vintage furnishings and accessories for character.
Create indoor garden oases overflowing with plants.
Showcase meaningful antiques, artifacts and heirlooms from past generations.
And add quirky DIY touches to personalized your space.
The Afrohemian aesthetic awakens your home by infusing it with culture, craftsmanship and artistic spirit.
Afrohemian decor is the ultimate means for crafting a space that authentically reflects the hues, handicrafts, and heartbeats of Africa and its people.
Let it bring new life and light into your home.
