Get more bang from your Bamileke...
July 16, 2019

It may be a stool, but there's a hundred and one (well, more than two) uses for this wonderful piece of African furniture

Darkie Designs - Bamileke table 1

It's a stool. Meaning you can sit on it. But most of us use our Bamileke stools as side tables. Even so, that doesn't mean you can't use the Bamileke the way it was originally intended, with a nice cushion on top, sitting around a low, rustic table or the old bush TV... But we think the Bamileke looks best used next to a bed. Or couch. Or both. Honestly, we can't decide so will leave that one up to you. 

Put your coffee on it, next to a good book (you know, those things with pages that preceded the smartphone) and an old framed photo of someone trying to be Robert Redford in khaki (or should that be khaaaaki) if you really want to go for the "out of Africa" charm thang. Or let it be the repository for all that larney craft gin in strangely named coloured bottles - you know the sort of thing: Honey Badger's Nut Sack... Rusty Riverine Rabbit... Painted Wolf Spittle... They look AMA-zing arranged nicely on a Bamileke.
 
Next to the bed they'll be perfect for nighttime tissues, old nail clippers, discarded supermarket receipts, reading glasses, cellphone chargers, used cinema tickets, headache pills, half-filled glasses of water... Or if you're a neat freak, a bedside lamp and nothing else.

Alongside the couch the Bamileke becomes a resting place for remote controls, wine glasses, bottles of wine, gadgets of all shapes and sizes... Or you can put objets upon it to beautifully display them.
 
Finally, they make great footrests for couch potatoes. Cushion optional. If you're not sure, join the club. Ask us and we'll confuse you some more.

Share on Socials

By Kyra Harper August 15, 2023
Back in March of 2020, Bianca and Jana were dusting off their Fez’s and grabbing the pashminas out of storage in preparation to Rock the Casbah! However, as we all know and vividly remember - with March, came the eventual Covid shutdown, and instead of frolicking down the Moroccan streets, we all shut ourselves inside and watched the days tick by… 3 Years later, and now we can finally say - with conviction - that they’re going to Morocco at the start of September! This blog, filled with excitement and curiosity about all the weird and wonderful curios they might find, and endless sourcing they’ll do, stays as a reminder that sometimes plans change, things go awry and there’s not much you can do about it other than persevere - and that we did! So, here’s Bianca and Jana’s innermost thoughts about the trip, 3 years before it came to fruition, enjoy :) We've got our passports out and Jana has already picked out what she's going to wear each day… Come March [September] we'll be heading north with Air France to the Kingdom of Morocco, bright eyed and bushy tailed as we make our base in the ancient city of Marrakesh (also known as Marrakech to the French, but we're not French, so we'll go with the English version until all that fuss about Brexit is sorted out) - This turned into a year long negotiations trade, and now us outsiders would pay nearly double what we used to if we visit the UK - thankfully our flight is direct!! We'll be looking for inspiration and will be investigating what's there that we could possibly bring back to The Hoed. We can't wait to experience the atmosphere and afro-arabic influences of this amazing place as we visit the celebrated souks and off-the-beaten track artists and craftsmen that make Marrakesh so special. We're desperate to see the beautifully hand-crafted furniture, textiles, fabrics, rugs, carpets, objets d'art, accessories, lighting… anything that catches our eye and could possibly be brought back south. Berber mats and rugs are definitely on our list, as are the kind of furnishings you might find in a gorgeous Bedouin tent. If you think about it, the Bedouin refined the art of "glamping" into an artform - fabulous carpets on the ground, soft, billowing fabrics hung here and there, plump cushions spread on the ground, intricate leatherwork and carved wood, patinated metal… Total Glamping vibes! We just love all of it and will be tracking as much of it down as we can. We'll also have an eye or three out for wonderful ceramics and glassware and wonderful lamps that give off soft, filtered light.  For us it's about workmanship, so we'll hopefully be finding the people who make furniture and ceramics using techniques that have been passed down over countless generations meaning that everything we look at will have its own, and its own special story. Our mission is to share those stories with you and, if it's feasible, bring some of that special workmanship home to the Rainbow Nation. We're most definitely inspired and are sure this is going to be a truly special trip! Counting the sleeps till then! Less than a month to go now - we will be keeping the updates going on our social channels as well as another few blog posts to explain in detail our wild adventures - Stay tuned!
Tasteful Safari Theme
By Kyra Harper August 15, 2023
A safari theme never really runs out of viewing time and is particularly popular for interiors at the moment. The warm, earthy tones give a sense of comfort and the accessories offer the anticipation of travel and adventure.
Buy Mosquito Nets Online | Top Quality in South Africa
By Kyra Harper August 9, 2023
Stay protected from mosquitoes with top quality mosquito nets. Buy online in South Africa for the best deals. Shop now and sleep peacefully.
Share by: