11.24.2009

Juju Hats & Kuba Cloth

My vision, in decorating my apartment, is to accent it with treasures from around the world. For it to have a definite 'traveled' feel with ethnic pieces here and there. Hopefully ones I bring back from travels abroad- but since those have been few and far between lately, I'm just as happy to keep my eyes open for ethnic pieces that I like in decor mags/blogs and to then track them down online. One item that has been on my list for ever is an authentic juju hat that I first saw on the blog Aphro Chic ages ago.



They kinda look like a big flower but in actuality they are feathers. The hats are from Cameroon and according to many sites they are traditional hats worn buy prominent members of society as well as Juju dancers. They come in so many different colours and hung on the wall like art - they add interest, texture, and colour. Plus, they are so beautiful to look at. You may have noticed them in design mags since they are not too uncommon, but they're not yet as common as say...decorating with the Ikat print.









Lovely, eh? The other ethnic item on my list I just discovered last week.


click here for house tour

Do you see what I see? That awesome pillow on the sofa? Ya, I know. You can barely see it but I LOVE it. This home was featured on Design*Sponge and the homeowner noted that the fabric was an African cloth called Kuba cloth.  A quick ebay search brings up tons of cloth for sale - it's not cheap but I still adore and want it. You could maybe even frame a piece...a nice long rectangular piece...yeah that would be sweet. A google search leads you to online retailers selling pillows.






Ah, the list of things I covet for my apartment is never-ending. But before I can get either of these I MUST. BUY. PROPER. CURTAINS. or SOMETHING for my windows.

What about you? What's something you have your eyes on for your space?

10 comments:

Mandy said...

Those hats are lovely and such a beautiful piece of art (and history) on the walls!

T said...

Great find!

I'm looking for something cool to house my bookmarks (lame, I know). I'm also slowly trying to add green accents to my house to replace the reds and golds I currently have.

whygodwhy said...

I want a credenza. I need something to store my cds, sewing supplies, stationary. I want a tall bookcase. The one I have is short and my reference is no longer fitting into it(I no longer save fiction unless it's Tom Robbins).

I checked with my expert. Those Kuba pillows are a little high. The next time you visit NJ come to Harlem but a piece and make your own. There are 2 kinds. One made from raffia that has a pile and the other like the pillows pictured made from burlap. My expert, Lisa of Cultured Expressions has a tutorial of how to make the bulap one on her website www.culturedexpressions.com.

Peace.

Jason Hudson Dot Com said...

Love those pillows.

LindsB said...

Umm, those juju hats are awesome- I want one in every color they come in! LOVE those!

Anna said...

I love the juju hat - not seen those anywhere before.

On my wants list....my goodness it is endless. I try not dwell to much on it as budget just won't allow. I want a bentwood chair in red or green (seen it in Conran shop)for my study/playroom, and an architects plan chest as a coffee table (keep getting outbid on ebay).

A new bathroom is really the priority though and what I should be saving for.

Kay* said...

@T - i like the monkey ;)

@Brandy B - Have you tried your local craigslist? credenza's seem to pop up frequently (at least on mine) that are really pretty great. I'm currently using a malm dresser from ikea - TONS of storage. & thank you for that link and tip to try harlem for Kuba cloth! the next time i'm in the area i will definitely drop by!

@Anna - i love a nice bentwood chair. hopefully you'll have luck on ebay soon...i know how frustrating it is to get outbid on something you really want!

Anonymous said...

Juju hats are great for adding a little kick to a space. Iam so with you on those. I've only seen them in orange, red or pink, but would love a purple one.

greybreaks said...

i have several juju hats available on my site. right now we have red, white, and orange.

just sold out of the purple.

Sam Olmstead said...

Juju hats are great! Wherever you placed them, it always brings more color inside the room

fort worth apartments

Post a Comment

Thanks for your comment! I do my best to respond to questions/suggestions - so if you leave one don't forget to check back for my response :)