I just bought an amazing elephant painting for my family room. I'm planning on painting the room a rust color (I think). I'm not very imaginative, so I'd appreciate some ideas on making some inexpensive, but sophisticated-looking accents for my room that will play off the African feel of the painting. Nothing over the top (it's not my style). Thanks a bunch!
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I've never been to Africa, but what comes to mind is getting or making a large vase. Maybe something painted black or bronze. Put some large dried weeds in it, long grasses, or a tree branch with lots of twigs to make it look interesting.
Get some scatter rugs in sisal, maybe one for your entryway and another for in front of your couch.
Also, make some pillows with animal prints. Forgive the pun, but this isn't too "wild" LOL! They will make you smile.
Go thrifting for "rustic" wood pieces, and "stain" them...put the stain right over the exsisting finish...because it will soak in unevenly, the result will look patchy, aged and ethnic. HAVE FUN!
Thanks for those ideas. I realized I should have mentioned that I have a fireplace in the room, also. The print is too big to go over my mantle. So any ideas for the mantle?
I think you can have a lot of fun with this theme. With the rust color you might paint your room, black and white or off-white accents look great. Consider zebra, leopard or giraffe animal print fabrics, light and dark colored basketry, masks or carvings in light and dark woods or maybe even some "aged" maps or posters of Africa for other walls.
For over the mantle...a large black, rustic wall-mounted candelabra woud be beautiful...you can find great ones for really great prices at Ross, Marshalls, Bells and/or Big Lots.
You can buy furry material in tiger or cheetah designs buy a length off a roll (no need to hem) & use as throws on sofas and armchairs.
I am in the midst of doing my bedroom with an African/Safari theme. I want to a paint a mural on an area I have in my room. The area is a long, widthwise and about 2 foot tall. Does anyone know where I could find some cool pictures or murals I can look at for an idea. I have searched on the internet, but not coming up with much. I would appreciate any help. Rebecca
I'm doing my bedroom in safari theme as well, I got some black mosquito netting and made a canorpy around the bed, draped artificial vines all around the room, wallpapered with green, have leopard print bedding and various leopard knick-kncks and picture frames, and I ordered some African wall masks (giraffe,elephant and leopard) Put in "safari" or "leopard" in google and you'll find tons of options. I am so excited to see my finished bedroom aka my safari love nest!!! A safari hat and a whip might be kind of whimsical, too. Best of luck!!!
I just ran across your discussion board-I own an internet store with really some cool african/safari decor items like masks and lamps and amazing giraffe and elephant figurines-you might want to check it out- http://www.sweetkarolinesgifts.com . Enter code PSS14 and you will get another 10% off our already great prices-we also have a great shipping deal going on right now. I am adding a picture of one of my favorite pieces. I love this style and my mom has her room completely decked out in leopard prints, etc. Good luck with your decorating!
I have done my living room in an African type theme. Unlike most of the great ideas posted here though, I do not really care to much for the animal print. I went about my decoration by finding some really neat wooden masks and tiki men. I have used mostly browns and greens. You can find great things that will fit your theme at your local dollar store. Hope this helps a little. Good luck!!
My sister in law has her living room done in this scheme also. To get pictures for her walls she took calendars with pictures of leopards and tigers then she tore off the picture she liked and then framed it. It you are truly on a tight budget go buy picture frames at a thrift store or wait till garage sale season and buy some frame painting them all the same color to add unity. Or what about trying to find some animal print fabric and stretching that over a couple of wooden square forms (old picture frames w/o the glass) and hanging them on the wall. Or if you could find some thin fabric with an animal print or any fabric you like for that matter and then going to Wal-Mart or the Dollar Stores and find some vining or leaf clusters that look exotic and putting those in front of the fabric to frame and hang.
I loooooove safari decor, I'm doing my livingroom in a camel and olive color.... decked out in safari pictures, palm trees and bamboo sticks.
tigers are not found in africa
I have done my room in an African theme. My sheets are a rustic orange color, and i have a solid black duvet cover over my comforter. I looked at my local goodwill and thrift stores and found a really cool orange and black lamp for probably a 2 bucks. I also found numerous zebra and elephant pictures there. I have a wicker vase that I filled with bamboo and dried weeds to accent the wall. TJ Max and Marshalls has some really cool accent figurines.
I did my upstairs bathroon with this theme. Go to your local home depot or lowes and find some oops paint for $5.oo that in in the golden brown colors it took only one gallon to my bathroom. Oops paint is paint that people didn't like after it was mixed this will save you lots of money sometimes you can take several colors and mix your own. If you can sew you can get two flat sheets and sew them together like a pillow case and put your old comforter inside for a new bed cover.
Rebecca, About the mural you can find some pictures of animals in kids coloring books and borrow an over head projector. first after you find your pictures copy them onto transfer paper (Clear 81/2 x 11 you can get at the office store).
Light it up and adjust the projector from the wall and draw your pictures on the wall. You can even copy the trees etc. Draw everything you want and then paint. Have fun, Meshell.
There are some pretty good articles for African inspired decorating themes located at www.african-images.com/
Hi there, I sell fantastic bead work from Africa, which will definitely add real appeal to any room. Please checkout my decorative home wares at http://www.gifthut.com.au . I am attaching a photo of one of our beautiful hand beaded elephants. But our Giraffes are really great to.
Happy decorating!
How about those cool funky bambo blinds? You can find them at Ikea for like 10 bucks, maybe less. They look awesome.
Use a black netting for canopy. You can hang palm leaf garland across the ceiling like I did in my safari room.
There are some great ideas here. I am considering doing an African theme basement w/tv room and bar. I have a couple concerns. Rust or other typically suitable colors would be too dark in a basement and I want to decorate in such a way that if I remove all of the pieces the room looks neutral. Meaning that I don't want to do anything permanent that a new owner would be forced to stay African or tear out. Even though I'm not moving anytime soon. Bar ideas?
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