It’s our 10th issue!

We missed you last week due to a family emergency - all is well now so we are back + promise this one is worth the wait!

This week we are so excited to feature special guest writer Naledi Ushe sharing her important perspective on embracing the African diaspora in Design + Architecture.

Since I’ve embarked on this interior design journey, I’ve had trouble wondering where I fit in. Within two semesters at FIT, I’ve had three required classes define design through history that solely focused on movements in Italy, Greece, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France; studio courses that only mentioned Japan and Egypt as references outside of European movements. It’s almost as though African, South American, Middle Eastern and Asian countries haven’t had their own design movements in the same historical time.

I’ve been reduced to describing my style as “maximalist” with no origin in sight as a result of us not discussing other originators. Only, as a South African-American, I know my use of color, texture, proportion, light, and other implementations of interior design elements and principles comes from my South African mother, being with my family during school summers, watching Nollywood movies and falling in love with the interiors on Black American sitcoms.

The American Society of Interior Designers’ 2024 report estimates that less than 6% of interior designers are Black/African-American. While I hope to be one of the people expanding those numbers in the near future, I also want to share ways practicing professionals can expand their knowledge about Afro-centric design to cater to a diverse clientele.

Inclusion is just as important as diversity and equity.

Where can you start?

Expand your design vocabulary

Shane V. Charles appeared on my TikTok feed at the right time. The interior designer of Mild Sauce Studio started sharing design styles on social media using specific African and Caribbean countries and cultures to define spaces from Haitian Revival to Ethiopian Tekton Modern to South African Kasi.

Her new book “Interior Identity” works to put a name to design movements in the African Diaspora and explain their distinctions rather than simply using “Afrocentric,” “maximalist” or “bohemian” to describe a style inspired by those regions.

Read Black voices

A few books that have found their way onto my shelf (and wishlist!).

• “The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection by Anne H. Berry, Kareem Collie, Penina Acayo Laker, Lesley-Ann Noel, Jennifer Rittner and Kelly Walters

• “AphroChic: Celebrating the Legacy of the Black Family Home” by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason

• “The Black Interior” by Elizabeth Alexander

• “Design for Identity: How to Design Authentically for a Diverse World” by Jessica Bantom

• “GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture” by Pascale Sablan

• “Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook” by Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall

• “Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers” by June Reese

• “An Anthology of Blackness” by Terresa Moses and Omari Souza

Watch Black sitcoms

Black sitcoms do a great job of articulating interior settings across Black American homes. “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Living Single,” “Girlfriends,” “A Different World,” “Family Matters” and “Martin” are a good place to start.

Widen your source pool

You don’t only have to shop from Black designers when doing interiors related to people within the African diaspora. Justina Blakeney’s Jungalow decor, AfroChic’s interior collection, Kanju’s products sourced from African artisans, Eva Sonaike’s wide range of products, Jomo Tariku’s original chair designs (featured in “Black Panther”) and Altin Studio’s minimalist furniture creations are great sources for luxury items that work in any setting.

Don’t be afraid

Avoidance is not a solution if you’re afraid of cultural appropriation. True appreciation is bringing these design styles and vocabulary into your practice in the same way you would use Scandinavian influence, even if you are not Scandinavian. The solution is often as simple as credit and further would be consulting and purchasing from people across the diaspora to accurately accommodate your clients.

Egypt built the pyramids, but the African continent has some pretty cool design beyond that.