Wegner Shell Chair
I have seen this chair pop up on many a pinterest board channelling 'African Style', and whilst I cannot say whether the upholstery of the chair was inspired by Africa, the use of cowhide is obviously what has made it a favourite selection for many gathering African style inspiration. Low-seating, defined by a form-pressed plywood shell, and padded upholstered seat and back rest, the chair is a modern classic; known as the Hans J Wegner Shell Chair, designed in 1963 and named after the designer. At the time, only a few limited runs were created before production ceased, later to be revived with a relaunch in 1997. The iconic design had since grown in popularity, resulting in many authentic replicas, making it available in a range of shell finishes, and upholstery colours and patterns to suit. This particular reproduction, available on the Advanced Interior Designs website, is made in America and features American Walnut veneer on plywood, with the upholstery available in black/white or brown/white cowhide. Australian online furniture store Matt Blatt offers the chair in a black coloured veneer with a bolder black/white cowhide upholstery finish.

...a very chic little chair, for contemporary African interiors

The Ohemaa LXI
Cruise the waters of Lake Volta by setting sail in the luxury confines of the Ohemaa LXI, Ghana's premier private yacht. Ohemaa means queen; a title appropriate for the stately yacht that mixes contemporary luxury with traditional Ghanaian culture; whilst the numerals, LXI represent the year in which the Volta River Project began- 1961. Having undergone renovation and refurbishment, the Ohemaa LXI is now offering its clientele a truly special experience from the moment you step on-board.

Tastefully decorated, the Ohemaa LXI promises a personailsed, relaxing retreat, accommodating up to twenty guests. Ranging from hourly or overnight bookings, each cruise is bespoke, tailored for individuals or groups, and caters for family holidays, romantic getaways, and business meetings should you be thinking of somewhere different to hold your next team-building conference! 

The hull is made of fibreglass and was built in 1988 in Germany, then transported to Ghana, where it was fitted with local materials, chosen to reflect the local culture, land and waters that would surround it. Guests on-board the Ohemaa LXI can take in the natural beauty and sights, that comes with life around the Lake. Lake Volta is a source of fishing and irrigation for local farmers, as well as having an important role for ferries and water transportation.  

Odds & Ends Kenya
What can be more decadent than spending the day lounging on a daybed or chaise lounge, especially in warm sunny weather? Daybeds/Chaise Longues are my favourite piece of furniture, and when I had my flat I opted for a daybed/chaise longue footstool combo, rather than the traditional three-piece sofa and arm chair set-up; and it proved to be the perfect piece of furniture to unwind after a hard days work. Unfortunately for me, my guests thought so too, and to this day regularly 'hijack' my daybed/chaise, not that I am complaining; if I had my way I would fill my home with daybeds! A recent random search for daybeds led me to Odds & Ends in Kenya, who have a range of majestic looking designs, just waiting to be piled high with comfy cushions, or if you are feeling especially indulgent, draped with fabric and placed in the garden to create a private oasis. 

Daybeads are so appealing because they invite you chilli-out, and do absolutely nothing, a luxury in our busy lives. The Odds & Ends range of daybeds are solid pieces of furniture, and feature skilfully carved detailing, and intricate patterns, that remind me of ancient Indian Maharajah times, not surprising given the contribution Indian culture has had on aspects of Swahili culture.

Odds & Ends is based in Nairobi, and has been serving the market for twenty-five years, offering its customers, in their own words, 'the most amazing and unique range of furniture in Kenya'. With pieces that range from contemporary designs to antiques, the business comes across as one of those places you could spend all day in finding things that you never knew you were looking for!

Khumbulani Collection
Hand-sculpted by The Khumbulani Collection in collaboration with artist Julie Leakey, ostrich egg shells are turned into decorative tea light holders, that when lit up with a candle give off a warm soft glow, and would be perfect as table centrepieces, or placed on ledges and in recesses to light up dark nooks. Beautiful in its simplicity the tactile shape and natural texture of the shell outer, is enhanced with the smooth shaped edge. The Ostrich egg laying season is a short one, and combined with the fact that ostrich numbers have declined in recent years, the shells are harder to find making them all the more precious. An ostrich egg is about twenty-four times bigger than a hen's egg, and the shell is extremely strong, said to be able to take the weight of an adult without breaking.

The Khumbulani Collection is an initiative of the Siyazisiza Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 1987, and is focused on developing sustainable enterprise in South Africa's rural areas. Originally called Khumbulani Craft, the business merged with The Siyazisiza Trust in 2012 becoming the craft division of the organisation, with the objective of creating independent, sustainable craft enterprises. Other products produced include decorative stone ornaments, beaded items, ceramics, wooden items and jewellery.

AphroChic – Juju Wallpaper Collection
US-based textile company, AphroChic recently launched a new wallpaper collection entitled ‘Juju’. Named for the feathered ceremonial headdress traditionally worn by the royal dancers of Cameroon’s Bamileke Tribe, Juju features a striking organic starburst pattern, reminiscent of the shape of the headdress, which is known as the Juju hat, hence the title of the collection. The design was created as part of a challenge marking the 10th Anniversary of Project Runway, a US TV show that aims to find the next big fashion design talent. The Juju hat inspiration has been worked to give the overall design a bold floral look, which helps link it to the fashion aspect of the brief. Digitally printed on an eco canvas material, the wallpaper is available in the following colourways; black and gold; pink and silver; blue and green.

...brings a touch of glamour to your walls

Our Talking Hands
A couple of weeks ago the view from the window was one of brilliant white following the snow that fell across much of the UK. A pretty picture perfect landscape at first, soon started to get a bit monotonous and I found myself subconsciously drawn to colour, pattern and texture in the form of cushions covers from Our Talking Hands. From brightly coloured Kente strips, to vibrant, clashing batik and wax cloth patterns it took me from one extreme to another, providing a colourful pick-me-up. I am more familiar with the Ashanti pattern style of Kente cloth than I am of the Ewe, which is the weaving style used here, and is characterised by colourful stripes. Kente is traditionally hand woven in narrow strips, and then stitched together as these have been, to form the cushion covers. The backs of some of the cushions feature another style of Kente weaving, that results in a tweed effect. The cushions would be great for brightening up patio and lounge furniture, they give a relaxing holiday vibe; and if you find the batik and wax cloth patterns in particular, too busy in one grouping, simply pick out a complementary colour from the palette and find some matching solid colour cushion covers to interspace and balance things out.

The cushions covers are handmade by the vocational students of the Volta School for the Deaf in Hohoe, Ghana, and the name chosen for the project- Our Talking Hands- refers not only to the handmade nature of the products, but also to the art and necessity of communicating through signage language. Our Talking Hands was founded by Promise Navina Mensah; and Scott Anderson, a Peace Corps volunteer on a long-term teaching placement at the Volta School for the Deaf. The cushion covers are just one part of a range of products made by the students, aided by a school mentor who is helping to develop the skills of the tailors and seamstresses at the school. Other products produced include quilts, wall hangings, scarves, aprons, purses, and backpacks. Proceeds from the sale of the products go towards the development of the Volta School for the Deaf.
 

Africa – David Attenborough/BBC ONE
I have been watching Africa, the new documentary series by veteran British presenter, Sir David Attenborough. Filmed over four years, so far five episodes have taken viewers through the Kalahari, Savannah, Congo, Cape and Sahara, with the sixth and final episode next week looking at the Future of Africa, in terms of what is being done to help preserve the Continent's precious biodiversity, including how local communities are helping in the war on poaching. If you have not caught it yet and have access to the BBC service I would definitely recommend it; it is amazing; and as an added bonus the programme has segment in the final ten minutes or so called 'Africa, Eye to Eye', which takes you behind the scenes of the making of the series, and what an eye opener. Beautifully shot featuring breathtaking landscapes taken from land, sea and air, for me some of the memorable highlights of the series include; a jaw dropping display that isees a pair of giraffes battling it out for scarce resources in the Kalahari, the filming of the shifting 'singing' sand dunes of the Sahara captured as a series of one-picture-a-day images taken over the period of a year is just incredible, a 'convention' of over a million flamingoes that can be viewed from space, a display of bouncing, yet graceful ballet-like Springbok and a cunning chimp stealing honey from a tree. Such is the impact of the programme with UK viewers, that holiday searches into visiting Africa have gone up by 310% compared to usual the statistics for this time of year, this is according to travel site Sunshine.co.uk, with actual bookings rising by 37%.   

Chouette Mama
The soothing, nourishing, regenerating and healing properties of West Africa's indigenous plant life forms the basis of a range of 100% natural skincare products formulated by Senegalese based business, Chouette Mama. The business was founded in 2007 by Phil and Geraldine Pernin, a French couple with an interest in botany, that led them to relocate to Popenguine, a small village on the Senegalese coast with idea of setting up a laboratory creating natural skincare based around plants that have been used locally for generations. Virgin sesame oil, shea butter, essential oils and plant extracts such as baobab, hibiscus, moringa, okra and kola nut are formulated to create a range of body lotions, vegetable based soaps, shampoos, massage oils, shea butter balms and exfoliating scrubs. Chouette Mama products are sold throughout Senegal and West Africa and have been gaining international interest.

Chouette Mama products are produced in partnership with members of the Popenguine community including; recruiting and training local women, sourcing from local suppliers and producers of raw materials; and collaborating with local artisans who help create the product packaging and display elements such as wooden boxes, soap dishes and bags made from African fabrics. 

...Africa's natural beauty.

Tucker Robbins - Africa bed
Recognisable by the slightly raised pillow at one end, and supported by chunky tapered feet, elegant simplicity defines the iconic hardwood beds of the Senufo, of Côte d’Ivoire. Traditionally used for resting throughout the day, the beds are carved from a single plank giving them a solid and sturdy appearance. Inspired by the design New York based Tucker Robbins have produced a more contemporary version of the bed, which features a recess to insert a mattress and comes in a single size that is ideal as a daybed, and a double. Taking care to retain the simplicity of the bed’s shape, the Tucker Robbins Africa Bed, gives off such a feeling of rest and relaxation that I cannot help but think how suited they would be in a spa. Made from Ebonized Mountain Pine, the Africa bed is available with an optional headboard.

Tucker Robbins is a US-based furniture and interior accessory design company that draws inspiration from global cultures. An intrepid traveller, Tucker Robbins founded the company over twenty-five years ago, as he sought ways to combine good design with ancient traditions and crafts. Weaving, carving and organic materials are just some of the techniques incorporated into Tucker Robbins products. The company is invested in sustainable practice, buying and recycling raw materials, such as hardwoods sourced from around the globe that in some cases have been used before, and others that are more than a hundred years old.

Azza Fahmy
7000 years of Egyptian culture and tradition embodies the luxury jewellery collections of Egyptian jeweller, Azza Fahmy, whose elegant, statement designs you cannot help but visualise adorning the necks and wrists of Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Like the legendary ancient culture that influences it, Azza Fahmy jewellery is elegant and regal, featuring handcrafted intricate detailing in gold and silver precious metals, and vibrant, shimmering gemstones, that help lend a contemporary edge.

Azza Fahmy began her jewellery career forty years ago when a book on 'classical jewellery during Europe's Middle Ages' compelled her to learn more about jewellery making. Turning away from a career in interior design and further formal studies, Azza chose instead to learn her craft amidst the passageways of Khan El Khalili in Cairo, becoming an apprentice to one of Egypt's most highly skilled master craftsman. This was during the seventies, and in pursuing an apprenticeship; Azza was challenging some of the cultural and socially acceptable expectations of the time. After two years of hands-on training, Azza went on to study more of the theoretical side of jewellery making in London, courtesy of a British Council fellowship, returning to Cairo in the early eighties where she set up her eponymous workshop, Azza Fahmy, assisted by two workers. 

Azza is inspired by traditional Egyptian jewellery, and during the early years of her workshop began to explore the culture and history of Islamic design, combining her findings with a love of architecture seen in sleek sculptural forms, resulting in a distinctive signature style that has awarded Azza an international reputation as the leading jewellery designer in North Africa and the Middle Eastern region. Poetry is another of Azza's passions, and led to the sought-after Azza Fahmy signature 'Culture Collection', which sees meaningful and inspirational verses traditional poems, rendered in elegant calligraphy and inscribed into bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and key chains.  

The connection between culture and the designs produced at Azza Fahmy is very much at the heart of the business, and has seen Azza become a cultural ambassador for country, earning Azza the title; 'First lady of cultural jewellery'. This role has seen Azza travel extensively, sharing her insight and creations in more than two hundred international exhibitions. To day Azza Fahmy, employs over 170 people in roles that include handcrafting, designing and marketing.

...jewellery fit for a queen