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.

Animals feature heavily in African art forms and are often represented in ceremonial masks. Quite commonly the features of animals are extended and distorted, and are mixed with human features.  Masks such as these are often used in rituals which take place before a hunt and serve to bring man and beast together, and to appease to spirits and to bring luck and ensure a successful hunt. Some of the distortions are used to highlight a particular ability or trait of an animal, which is used in storytelling and educational parables to teach the younger generation.

The wearing an animal masks is believed to convey some of the animal’s most desirable characteristics; the ferocity of the lion, the speed of an antelope or the protection of the buffalo.

Animal masks can be highly decorative and are one of the most common African art forms to be used to adorn the walls in the western world.

African wildlife art often takes the form of wall hangings or is used in elaborate textiles. Some quite detailed artwork can be found in rugs and wall hangings, which are often are used to depict scenes from history or recount great changes which have taken place over time. Animals are often used as symbols for higher concepts, or simply to convey quite simple messages such as “kill big animal with spear.”

Some of the most striking examples of African art, which can be used to good effect in the home, are beautifully carved ornate animal sculptures. Often carved from a single piece of wood, these sculptures cover the full range of animals found on the African continent. Sculptures are usually made from wood as it is and easy to sculpt and an easy resource to find, although soapstone carvings are also reasonably common.

For those not wishing to fully redesign a room to an African theme, African wildlife art can be used to compliment other décor in the house.  When looking for pieces, try to select items which have been made in Africa rather than homemade copies. Many suppliers can demonstrate the provenance of a piece and it will help to preserve fine African artistic traditions. This will also help to ensure that the skills are passed down through the generations and live on to please and entertain future generations.

The buying of fair trade items ensures that the maximum revenue is directed back to the communities from which it came. The welfare and health of African families often depend on the sales of such works of art, and it is vital to take a stand to ensure that the money is directed to the right people.

With such a range of forms of wildlife art, you need not just decide from the range of big game paintings. Whilst these certainly offer an African style, a range of African animal forms will create a much richer and aesthetically pleasing room decoration for your home.

One of the most striking and instantly recognizable African art forms is the mask.  African masks date back to Paleolithic times and have long been used in religious and spiritual ceremonies, and to tell stories and mythologies. Masks are often considered as a link between the real world and that of the spirit world. They are believed to bring the two worlds closer and to help the mask wearer to communicate with ancestors, seek blessing from, or appease the spirits.

It is thought that the act of wearing the mask is accompanied by possession by the spirits; from this communication great knowledge can be gained and prophecies made.  Many masks depict animals, or consist of animal and human features merged together, signifying man and beast as one. Many such masks are worn in ceremonies before a big hunt, to bring man closer to the natural world and to maximize the chances of a successful days hunting

Much of African art work takes a three dimensional form, which is more favored by African artists to two dimensional representations.  Some of the most recognizable African sculptures are those of featuring tall figures with elongated limbs. Many carvings are made in wood, soapstone or ebony.  Most of the carvings of figures are used in shrines or for protection from evil spirits. The carvings are believed to take on the spirit of the ancestor or animal which they represent, and many are located at the entrance to the house to ward off evil spirits.

Fertility statues are carved and used in ceremonies and rituals long believed to help bring forth male offspring, or just a child in general. Often placed at the entrance to the bed chamber, it is believed that any woman who touches them will soon fall pregnant.

Much of the art found in Africa has only recently been considered as art by the western world.  Pieces are often taken and displayed in museums in a piecemeal fashion, which does nothing to display the unique circumstances in which they were made, or places them out of context. They are viewed only for the level of detail which they contain, and for aesthetic appeal. It is rare for just one piece, such as a mask, to convey its true meaning without the accompanying clothes, headdresses, masks and music which are all used together in ceremonies.

When viewing African art work or when purchasing a piece, try to find out more about the history of the artifact, the reason for its creation, and its significance in the society from which it came. You can then help to preserve the culture from where it came on tell people of its true meaning.

Whilst there are huge stockpiles of ivory in Africa, and beautiful artifacts and decorative items are already in circulation, the use of ivory in the home does open up some ethical questions.

It is a common claim that is made that the elephants from which ivory comes are destructive and that efforts need to be made to control their populations. Zimbabwe and Botswana often claim that the trade in ivory is a necessary evil, not only as a major source of income to the country but also to limit the destruction and damage caused.

Naturally, an elephant can do a lot of damage – however in reality the damage to the environment caused by elephant populations is small, and the trade in Ivory does not bring great wealth. Well, not to the people who matter.  Studies demonstrate that it is the ivory trading middlemen who receive the money and that only a tiny percentage reaches the people who most desperately need it.

The proliferation of ivory poaching in the 1980’s spurred the United Nations and other organizations to take steps to reduce the illegal slaughtering of elephants. The demand for traditional African safari decor fuelled the culling trade. Kenya lost over 85% of its elephant populations in the 15 years preceding 1987. It is estimated that close to 300,000 elephants were slaughtered for ivory in just 6 years in the 1980s.

In 1999 the 10-year worldwide ban of ivory sales by CITES was lifted, to clear the stocks of ivory in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Whilst the proceeds from sales were to be put towards the conservation of elephant populations, there was worldwide concern that the lifting of the ban would lead to a new rush of illegal elephant hunting.

The fact is that there are thousands of tones of stockpiled Ivory which remain unused, and that the trade in this material does not affect elephant populations. The problem however is that the trade of stockpiled ivory is difficult to police. The decision to release these stockpiles reopens channels for illegal ivory trade. The material is highly valuable, and where there is value and poverty there is an opportunity to make money. By opening a legal channel, it creates the opportunity for illegal ivory trade to continue, with the laundering of illegal supplies with the stockpiled material.

In 2007, EBay added the sale of Ivory items to its list of banned item following pressure from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and whilst a small step, it did serve to highlight the fact that ivory trading is still very much a real concern, and not just a problem solved in the late 80’s.

African safari decor will certainly add an exotic and unique flavor to any room, and the range of fine artifacts made out of other African materials should give you plenty of scope for redecoration with an African flavor.  However by purchasing or using ivory, you could be well be endorsing the trade in endangered species.

There are 53 countries in Africa, but the chances are, if you mix and match styles, no one is ever likely to know. Sure, at a dinner party you may well be the butt of jokes from mixing a fertility doll from Ghana with a Malian war mask, but it is rather unlikely. Do make sure that you find out the stories behind each item you use, as you will inevitably be asked about its origins when people visit.

When it comes to decoration, you do not have to stick to one particular style or genre, but a mix of African decor and prints in the room will give a full African flavor and will provide something a little more exotic than the standard Home Depot fare.

If you have a couple of pieces of African art already, you can use these as the basis for planning the rest of the decorations in the room, to compliment the pieces you already have. Most will be looking to start off a room from scratch. First of all decide on the extent to which your room should reflect this diverse continent. Are you planning on recreating a safari or are you looking for a few decorative items to bring the room together.

A good starting point is with the color scheme. The room should shout “Africa!” to anyone who walks into the room, and naturally wall and floor colors are going to make a huge difference. The walls should match the colors you find in the natural world. Earthy tones of green and brown, burnt orange and mustard yellow all work well. Rather than use a roller, use a rag or sponge technique to break up the color or create different hues on the same wall.  Have a look at pictures of the African savannah or watch an African nature documentary to get inspiration and to get a real feel for the effect you are trying to recreate.

For the floors, tiles of terracotta are an excellent choice. They give a rich earthy tone and are both hard wearing and practical. Once the wall and floors are sorted you can have a little fun with the decorative elements. To keep it simple, just add an animal print throw and a couple of African picture prints.

It is always good to create a focal point in a room. To keep to an African theme, one of the best ways of achieving this is with a fabric African wall hanging. These traditional wall decorations often are brightly colored, and will immediately bring the room to vibrant life. A tribal textile hanging can be the main feature for the room, and will immediately draw the attention when entering the room.

The addition of an African war mask, a couple of carved wooden animals in rich Egyptian ebony, and that Ghanaian fertility doll and your African decor theme will be complete.