How to use natural fibers in home decor
What's the story
Repurposing local African fibers provides a sustainable and budget-friendly solution to home decor. Natural materials like sisal, jute, and raffia are plentiful in many African regions and provide unique textures and colors. By creatively using these fibers, people can enhance their living spaces without spending a fortune. Here are a few ways to incorporate these fibers into home decor, highlighting their versatility and affordability.
Tip 1
Creating textured wall hangings
Sisal, a local African fiber, can be woven into intricate wall hangings to add texture to your rooms. These pieces can be the focal point of your decor or complement it. Their natural hues go with different color schemes, making them versatile. Not only do you get these hangings made yourself, you can also personalize them and save money over buying pre-made art.
Tip 2
Designing eco-friendly rugs
Jute makes the ideal fiber for durable and stylish eco-friendly rugs. These can be made in different sizes, suitable for every part of your home- from entryways to living rooms. The earthy tones of jute bring warmth and character to your floors, while being easy on the planet. And making your own rug with local jute would not only save money, but also promote sustainability.
Tip 3
Crafting unique baskets
Raffia is just ideal to make functional and decorative baskets. These baskets can be placed around the house for storage or as planters. The flexibility of raffia allows one to play around with the designs and create something that suits their style. By making baskets at home from locally sourced raffia, people can have unique pieces without shelling much on store-bought ones.
Tip 4
Incorporating fiber accents in furniture
African fibers like sisal and jute can also be integrated into furniture design by wrapping them around chair legs or table edges for added texture. This simple technique turns ordinary furniture into eye-catching pieces with minimal effort (and expense) involved in the process itself as compared to buying new items altogether from stores instead!