Singita - Mara River Tented Camp
Luxury game reserve specialist, Singita are introducing a new camp to their safari camp and lodges portfolio. The Singita Mara River Tented camp will be in Tanzania, located in the remote Lamai Triangle region, the northern most tip of the Serengeti National Park. In keeping with the laidback luxury style of their other properties in South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, see the Singita Pamushana Lodge featured here, preview pictures of the new camp reveal a refreshing, modern take on the safari chic aesthetic.

What I like most about this new camp is how it celebrates contemporary African design and craftsmanship, showcasing the work to beautiful effect. I instantly spotted the work of some designers I have previously featured on African Daydreams, including South African designer Haldane Martin's crocheted Zulu Mama chairs, a personal design favourite. Throughout the camp pattern and texture abound in a mostly soothing neutral palette that is contrasted here and there with splashes of bold red and blue, in a nod to Maasai patterns, all of which are incorporated into the decor through tasteful design accents such as basketry, natural polished wood for tables and stools, and woven fabrics.

Singita is focused on promoting sustainable living, and operates on a philosophy of offering 'fewer beds in larger areas', a practice that continues with the Mara River Tented Camp, which is a sixteen-bed camp set in 98,000 acres of untouched wilderness, home to a wide plain of game, elephant, crocodile and hippo in the Mara River, and big cats. A setting, which offers guests an intimate, secluded getaway. 

Designed to make the most of the natural surroundings whilst taking care to leave a lighter footprint, sustainability extends to the use of natural and recyclable materials, employed in the building the camp, these include raw leather, wood, stone and canvas. The camp is 100% of the grid, meaning that it is reliable on a central solar power system to convert sunlight into the electricity required.

...beautifully designed, it all looks so peaceful and homely

Heart 365 Emporium
A string of approximately 365 crystal beads and a silver clasp in the shape of heart jewellery inspired the name for Tanzanian jewellery designer Jacqueline Kibacha's handcrafted fashion jewellery and accessories label. Based in London, Heart 365 Emporium incorporates traditional Maasai beading with the drama of bold designs, colours, and layered textures.

Proud of her Tanzanian heritage; Heart 365 Emporium is a celebration of cultures and traditions that go beyond borders and pays homage to handmade jewellery, traditional craftsmanship and the art of adornment. During a trip to Tanzania, Jacqueline spent time with Maasai bead workers sharing stories, making jewellery and learning more about the history and significance of the traditional beading she remembered from her childhood. Creating wearable pieces of art has helped Jacqueline connect with the semi nomadic Maasai people of Tanzania; experiences that are combined with the influences of having grown up in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

The debut collection, 'Uhuru's Wings: Freedom to Fly', was inspired by Tanzania reaching the milestone of 50 years of independence - Uhuru is the Swahili word for freedom - and led Jacqueline to explore the meaning of freedom and what it means to people and societies, and how this concept could be translated into her work and into a thing of beauty. Paying homage to what calls Maasai Couture, Heart 365 Emporium reflects a culture of beading where Maasai women skilfully handcraft jewellery and other distinctive forms of adornment that have a specific meaning for the wearer, conveying messages through the use of certain colours and layers. An age-old craft, over time the pieces created began to feature different layers; at first made with locally found materials such as seeds; as brightly coloured European glass beads became increasingly available and popular meant the addition of another layer as they were later incorporated; and now Heart 365 Emporium adds its own complementary layer of crystals, semi precious stones and vintage pieces.

The statement pieces of the collection are Uhuru's Wings; crystal encrusted ceremonial style collars from which luxuriously dark silky feathers fan out.

Shanga
Hurricane Lamps can be both decorative and functional when used as part of contemporary interior decor accents, especially when it comes to outdoor use, where the subdued light emitted is ideal for evenings spent on the verandah on a warm summers night and with some styles allowing for the insertion of mosquito repellant oils comes the added bonus of helping to keep the bugs at bay. Hurricane lamps were adapted from oil lamps used by sailors and comprise a glass chimney with a perforated metal lid that lets air escape whilst protecting the internal flame from being blown out. Aside from oil, Hurricane lamps can also hold a candle and in modern versions, electric bulbs. Not known for emitting strong light today they are more decorative features used to enhance existing light sources or to cast soft glows in a room if placed in an area such as a dark alcove. Note: If using a hurricane lamp that works with oil it is very important to check that it is safe for use and that there are no cracks in the glass. Hurricane lamps exude olde world charm and often attract attention of collectors who can be seen trawling car boot sales and antique shops in search of perfect, authentic specimens. The one shown here which has a gold metal casing is from Tanzanian based company, Shanga, and is given a unique touch with the addition of recycled glass beads in a mosaic pattern.

'Shanga' is a KiSwahili word meaning 'bead' and is the name of a social enterprise company based in Arusha, Tanzania that was established in 2007 by Saskia Rechsteiner who aim was to help provide employment for skilled people with disabilities. Currently employing 42 people with disabilities, Shanga is a for-profit business, comprising a workshop and retail outlet, and a restaurant called the River House. All items produced by the artisans at Shanga, are hand made, using recycled materials and include jewellery, home decor and personal accessories. Profits from the businesses outlets are reinvested back into the business by providing work opportunities for more people with disabilities and helping to provide education for deaf and mentally disabled children. To enable customers easier access to purchase Shanga's products November 2011, saw the launch of the business's online store, Kaskazi.