African Style: down to the details [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Sharne Algotsson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Brimming over with vibrant photography and inspiring projects, African Style sheds light on traditional textiles, colors, and materials used in a variety of African cultures and ways of adapting them to modern living. From the basic importance of paint to the fine details of accessories, author Sharne Algotsson (Spirit of African Design) and photographer George Ross have brought together a fabulous blend of creative inspiration, geographical and historical information, and easy projects that will have readers itching to add new style to their homes.

Algottson's suggestion of creating a color board when creating a new look for a room is invaluable. With a simple 11 x 17 sheet of art board, you can combine color chips and fabric scraps to achieve just the right look before making the more permanent commitment of painting the walls and buying new window coverings. Detailed explanations of color--indigo, orange, deep brown, red--will have you ready to take some risks and use those flamboyant shades in your home, while at the same time educate you on the cultural meanings behind some colors. Accompanying all these unique ideas and fascinating information are some truly stunning photographs captured with a playful eye. Ross uses a variety of unusual angles and lighting in his work that capture these glorious interiors in a fresh manner that will encourage you to beautify everything from the walls of your bedroom to the legs of your creaky old footstool. Patterns from Zulu baskets, Ewe cloth, Ashanti Adinkra symbols, and Asoke textiles are used with flair in every corner. Specific suggestions are included for recovering seat cushions, painting small pieces of furniture, and upholstering a headboard--all surprisingly simple projects that require little more than a paintbrush, a staple gun, and an artistic vision. --Jill Lightner

From Library Journal
Interior designer and stylist Algotsson guides the reader "through the process of creating personal interpretations of African style" for the home. With color photographs of contemporary interiors, she details color, furniture, and textiles that exemplify this look including before and after pictures of how to apply African touches to decor. She concludes with an overview of how African style can be applied to country or retro looks, to name a few. A list of U.S. resources for traditional African or African-inspired items is included. Highly recommended for professional and public libraries since this design style has been sparsely covered.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1st edition (October 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609605321
• ISBN-13: 978-0609605325
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #695,074 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars African adaptability, May 22, 2001

By A Customer

I purchased African Style hoping it would help me decorate my Master Bathroom in an African theme. Although there is not a decorated bathroom in this book, that didn't matter. I was able to adapt all of the elements I admired into this room. Therefore , I find the book to be highly adaptable for any room in anyone's home.

The listed resources and contacts remind the reader that there is a real, tangible person on the other end who is willing to help!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and practical, March 19, 2001

By A Customer

Sharne Algotsson has managed the feat of writing a book that is both a coffee table book, thanks to the beautiful color palettes and G. Ross' magnificent photography, as well a a useful how-to book. This book will be attractive to anyone who would like to beautify their interior, even if they are not specifically searching for "Africanness": the color combinations are so elegant and warm, any home will benefit!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh, lively ideas for creating beautiful living spaces, March 16, 2002

By	artemis "artemis" - See all my reviews

I love this book and have already re-done my bedroom and study "African style". I bought this with "Spirit of African Design" and together they have given me new ideas on how to use color, fabric and paint to create beautiful living spaces. I had gotten so bored with the standard decorating ideas, and this has opened a whole new world to me. I cannot wait to do more!