On Safari

One of the hottest looks in decor and fashion is safari. It's been around since the early 1900s but is more popular than ever:

• Safari style has always been an elegant addition to the home with animal print fabrics, furniture and accessories. It first became popular when Theodore Roosevelt went on safari with his son. His popularity as a former president romanticized the idea of going on safari.

Figure A

This is also a way to make dinner an adventure with everything from dishes to napkins to flatware (figure A). Giving a table a safari look does not mean only using animal prints--the style is a blend of materials. Stick with the neutral pallet of the African plains or spice it up with gold and black plus wood, stone and texture.

You don't have to have a safari-looking room to have this style tabletop. The materials, fabrics and pallet indigenous to the African culture blend beautifully with any interior.

Figure B

Wood and natural materials are an important part of the safari look. Fill a basket with apples or favorite china pieces with vegetables for centerpieces and incorporate small wood tables to add to the informal charm.

Mix raffia, course linens, colored glass, handmade pottery, exotic flowers and fruits, bamboo flatware plus rattan trays for a safari tabletop (figure B).

	Figure C
	Figure D

Try something different and exotic by moving the whole party into the living room or den. Drape a coffee table with a print fabric and place low benches and chairs around it (figure C).

Safari style is easy to create by adding a few simple things to a table. Place oranges in a woven bowl in the middle of two animal print runners.Top bamboo place mats with white plates and tie raffia around glassware to finish the look (figure D).

Resources
accessories - Hollyhock
Hollyhock
817 Hilldale Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
USA
Phone: 310-777-0100
Fax: 310-777-0110
URL: www.hollyhockinc.com
Guests
Joe Nye
Hollyhock
817 Hilldale Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 310-777-0100
Fax: 310-777-0110
URL: www.hollyhockinc.com

Ann Arader
Interior Designer, Arader Design
Newton, PA
Phone: 610-325-2471
E-mail: araderdesign@aol.com
Also in this Episode

Smart Design : Episode SDN-105
•	Shades of White
•	On Safari
•	Knobs and Handles
•	Flokati Rugs