Ethnic Decor Makes a World of Difference

One of the hottest design trends demonstrates just how small our planet has become. According to the March/April issue of Metropolitan Home magazine, ethnic furnishings are hotter than ever.

“We’re seeing incredible furniture, accessories and art from all of the world’s diverse cultures,” says editor-in-chief Donna Warner, “and the most interesting homes right now are rich with ethnicity.

“The secret is to mix pieces in with your furniture and strike a balance that adds tone and sophistication. And the good news is that it’s very inexpensive to do. Something as simple as a pillow, a couple of yards of exotic fabric, a few hand-carved boxes, or even a lamp can add this exciting new dimension.”

Ethnic pieces also provide a way to bring strong color into your rooms without taking on a whole new color scheme. There are fabrics in every price range in hot new shades of turquoise, pink, greens and blues. Or set the patterned pieces you find against a strong, complementary color, like a white-and-violet Indian batik chair against a warm tangerine wall.

Best of all, cities across the country now have stores with distinctive Asian and African furnishings, often at remarkably affordable prices.

Even ethnic clothing can work wonders in your decorating scheme. An old Thai sarong makes a dramatic pillow cover. Traditional Indian saris can become curtains. And vintage cloth from another culture can be used to make anything from a bed skirt to a pillowcase.

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“Adding furnishings and fabrics from other cultures provides a sense of worldliness, hints at some of the mystery of travel and makes the subtle suggestion that the people who live here are interested in life beyond their own borders,” says Warner.

“There’s a kind of nostalgia in this look, because of its timelessness. It also reminds us of the way we decorated college dorms in the ‘60s or ‘70s. But this is a much more sophisticated take, a trend that is showing up in some of the most stylish rooms in America.”