Safari Inspired Décor

Interior design is booming and what a better time than now to refresh your home. For those who fondly remember a magical trip to Africa or others keen to incorporate calming earthy tones, safari décor is a fun way to make your home into a modern day marvel by swimming against the currant and avoiding all grey everything. The benefits of safari décor is that many staple pieces can be timeless treasures from leather furniture to patterned prints, we talk you through the features you can add to your home to bring a bit of Africa into your everyday life.

Canvas Director’s Chair

It’s not a real safari without throwing your khaki over one of these directors chairs, as you sit down around the boma overlooking the sunset with an Amarula in hand. A director’s chair is not only comfortable but also very functional as they fold up and can be stored away. Why not go the extra mile and get a leather version to really go for the luxurious look. We can’t recommend them highly enough as they really add a feature to the room and make a good addition to your safari décor.

Wooden Furniture

African lodges have some of the most incredible thatched roofs with amazing wooden beams, which is just not something everyone can recreate at home - as much as we wish we could! The next best thing is to draw in those earthy wooden tones another way, through oak tables, driftwood stools and hand-carved chairs. A good quality wooden dining table can really have a dramatic effect and provides a great centre point in the room. Other ways of incorporating that beautiful brown palette is through accessorizing with shallow wooden bowls, rectangular trays and statement ornaments.

Four Poster Beds

A classic as old as time, the four poster bed has taken on a safari lodge twist with some added practicality. Not only do the mosquito nets keep you bug free during your slumber, but they also look super cute and welcoming upon arrival after a late night game drive. Relax and unwind by waking up to elephants stomping through or perhaps see a leopard on his nighty patrol. Nothing quite says Africa like a classic four poster bed. Recreate the look at home but using thin linen drapes or printed curtains to mirror your bed. To keep those earth tones fluid, why not add a leather trunk or wooden day bed style chair at the bottom of the bed.

Textured Furniture

A good interior designer will always advise you to add different textures wherever possible to give a room more depth and character. This could be in the construction like a stone fireplace and wooden floor or it can be in the ascetics, like a rustic lamp or a grass woven side table. Don’t be afraid to change things up and accessorize with those rough and tumble elements as the likelihood of getting a splinter far outweighs the timelessness of the piece. To really embrace the hardcore African theme, see if you can pick up some old antlers or perhaps a buffalo skull from a lions kill. They maybe questionable at customs but there are many lookalike resin versions you can also buy online.

Prints and Photography

Wildlife photography has a unique way of taking your breathe away as you walk into a room. A good safari inspired print can also make a bold statement and add interest to any room. Mix the two together and you get a magnificent marriage of safari chic that feels authentically African and almost tribal. Snap some black and white pictures of the big cats or birdlife to blow up or create a gallery wall full of your travel memories. Local paintings and prints collected throughout your travels also make a unique feature wall. African art can fit into all budgets from the street ‘flea‘ markets to the bespoke waterfront galleries of Cape Town, the choices are endless. Forget to pick something up on your adventure? Take a look on eBay or your local homewares store as African art has been a pretty stable trend in recent years, so there is always a gem to be found.

Rattan, Seagrass and Wicker

One of the most iconic safari pieces you will find at just about every single safari lodge you visit, will be the iconic woven neck vase made from either wicker or seagrass. Africa has of course created their own version, that are intricately decorated with various patterns and designs often influenced by local tribes or Maasai warriors. Safari inspired décor can also be found by adding rattan chairs, wicker baskets and seagrass trays, which make a room feel very cosy. If you want to think big, try a seagrass coffee table or sunken chair. Together these three grass based materials let off a wonderfully addictive natural smell that really engage with your senses when you walk into the room.