Using African Basket to Bring Kenyan Flavors into Your Interiors ⋆ EvaMtalii

This is a round up some of my favorite ways to bring Kenyan Flavors into your interiors. It includes using Kenyan sisal baskets for storage and decor, plant baskets, unique crafts, ethnic home decorations, wicker plates, bowls, spectacular home decorations with ethnic dishes and bowls.

If sustainable decor is on your mind, these basket bags available in various sizes, shapes, and colors, are are the thing for you.

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What's Covered in This Article

Baskets on walls

Hanging a bunch of baskets on the wall adds an extremely decorative textured finish and Kenyan warmth to any space.

To create a similar look in your house, get beautiful, tactile baskets of different shapes, sizes and colors. Then fix them to the wall by hammering a hidden screw, hook, or nail with a small head near the center of each so the edges of the baskets overlap. Start with one big basket to act as your focal piece and then work your way out from as you fix the other baskets.

Winnowing baskets

Hanging up a collection of winnowing baskets, aka uteo in Swahili, as wall decor is another way to rev up your home! Winnowing baskets are usually made from wild grasses and palm leaves. These slightly curved, round baskets are traditionally used for winnowing grain. Winnowing involves the separation of good grains from other unwanted materials such as chaff.

During winnowing the grains are shaken, then thrown up into the air so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff, while strategically positioning the vintage baskets winnowing tray to ensure that the heavier grains fall back down into the tray.

These vintage baskets’ unique geometric patterns make them an ideal hanging on a wall as a piece of art if you’re looking to add some Kenyan sauce to your interior decor.

Besides, unlike other forms of art, even if they accidentally fall on your jumpy fellow’s head while he’s practicing his superman skills, they won’t hurt themselves as much.

If you glance into your home, you will definitely find some uteos (the handwoven winnowing baskets) hanging around with grain remains. If you find one of those, simply brush off the dirt, then wipe the basket with a damp clothe and put out in the sun to aerate. Winnowing baskets are an effortless way to accessorize any wall by mixing larger baskets with smaller ones to add flavor to a plain wall or room.

wall with african baskets on it — Source

Fruit bowl baskets

You can also swap the plain winnowing trays for colorful sisal and sweet grass fruit bowl baskets as statement pieces to add color to a dull room.

Filled with bright, charismatic colors, and intricate geometric patterns, a cluster of multi-color baskets is a great way to add Kenyan flair to any dull room.

Here is a collection of some impressive walls that celebrate the timeless Kenyan spirit of boldness and extravagance while maintaining contemporary relevance.

Shop this look:

Source : Natalie Fuglestveit Interior Design

These sweet grass fruit bowl baskets are currently available on Etsy or Maasai Market in Nairobi, and it would be a great first step towards starting a collection of baskets. The woven rattan trays come in different sizes and are large enough for use as the focal piece for a wall hanging collection.

Shop this look

12″ sisal and sweet grass fruit bowl basket from Etsy

Baskets for storage

Water hyacinth baskets

Use these woven water hyacinth baskets for your storage needs. They will for sure add more texture to a neutral room.

To shop for these baskets from the comfort of your home, head over to Etsy and enter search terms such as inexpensive baskets, Kenya baskets, woven storage baskets, water hyacinth basket, etc.

If you’d rather touch and feel before buying, the baskets are available in Nairobi Kenya along Ngong Road, Langata Road, Gigiri areas, and even the various Maasai markets.

Water hyacinth baskets used as book storage in an office

Baskets as flower pot holders / Plant baskets

A simple hand woven sisal kiondo basket is cheap, lightweight and looks great when proudly displayed as a plant basket or planter for your flowers.

There are endless designs and materials to pick from, which makes it easy to match them to your individual style and respective room theme.

You can put a woven planter in your girl’s or boy’s nursery, on the entryway, at a corner next to your sofa, on the hallway, in the bathroom, and pretty much everywhere else, giving your interiors that Kenyan touch!