If you are looking for a central feature for a room that will draw the eye and create a striking first impression, African wall hangings are an excellent choice. Not only will a wall hanging be much cheaper than a large painting, the vibrant bright colors often used will add something a little over and above the standard decorations. They are also ideal for covering up defects in the wall.
Typically African designs employ the use of brightly dyed fabrics, and are an excellent way of bringing colors into a room which you would normally not consider.
Whilst mostly associated with South East Asia, the use of Batik is also widespread in Africa. Batik is a method of creating a rich array of colors within a single fabric. This is achieved by using a resist method, using a substance with is impermeable to water such as wax, to resist the effects of the dye on parts of the fabric.
To make a traditional African batik a paste of cassava, alum, four and water is used instead of wax. This paste is applied to the fabric and allowed to dry between each successive dyeing.
The process usually starts off with a light colored or white fabric. The paste is then applied to create a design in the primary color, which will remain when the cloth is complete. The fabric is immersed in dye, and allowed to dry again. Further design elements are then added, which will retain the second color. Each new coating of wax serves to preserve the color; blocking out key design elements. The process is repeated, and when the final dye has been applied, the cloth is immersed in boiling water which dissolves the paste leaving the full colored design.
The method is excellent for making highly colorful cloth for the use in clothing; however the technique is also employed for the creation of African wall hangings.
The subject matter depicted is diverse; however there are popular themes which appear in art throughout the continent. Abstract designs, animal figures, ancient cave art representations, and depictions of the great hunt are all common themes from the whole continent. One of the most popular designs depicts scenes from daily life in an African village, with women going about the daily chores of grinding grain for flour or carrying water. Many hangings also pictorially tell a story which has been passed down from generation to generation.
The wide range of colors used can compliment any color scheme in the house and can transform your home with incredible ease. Compared with pictures and frames, they offer a much cheaper way of decorating. The addition of carved African wooden sculptures and face masks complete the redesign task, or can even be integrated with more contemporary pieces to good effect.
African wall hangings offer a highly decorative design element to any room and are one of the most cost effective ways of creating an impressive feature in a room. Many large fabric wall coverings can be purchased for under $100 and will form a striking central feature. Design elements from the fabric can be taken from the hanging, and used to continue the theme in the whole room to create a unique design theme which will transport you to the plains of the African Savannah.