Out of Africa

The Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, a British manor house
which neighbors a game preserve.

Inside Africa North & East
Photos by Didi Von Schaewen, Text by Frederic Couderc & Laurence Dougier

Didi Von Schaewen spent 4 years traveling across the continent of Africa. Inside Africa North and East, is the culmination of that adventure: two volumes of stunning interiors and panoramic vistas featuring homes, gardens, landscapes and wildlife.

These books are large (10"x13"), with most images shown full page or as 2-page spreads, and have remained on my coffee table longer than any others. The covers are gorgeous, and the inside pages are equally compelling. TT is fascinated with tiles of all kinds, and there are plenty of examples of fabulous tiled floors, walls and ceilings. Interiors range from a blend of African tribal symbols and designs to Middle Eastern and Arabic influences to British Colonial.

"Many of the African interiors shown in this book may vanish forever in the next few years. I have tried to do my best to show the boundless beauty and diversity of African houses and interiors in the broader hope that a better understanding of the continent's heritage will give its cultures the strength to regenerate." Didi Von Schaewen
Prices start at $179.95 for the set.

Click on images for a larger view.

From top: At the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania, the "baroque ethnic" decor in this lobby area features English sofas, a Venetian chandelier, and banana leaf ceilings.

A bedroom at Hotel Al Moudira, Luxor features frescoes painted by a Lebanese artist. The suzani is from Jordan.

Dodo's tower, a 100' tall oriental pagoda in the middle of an African forest on Lake Naivasha, Nairobi.

Inside Dodo's tower, a view of the study with the staircase that runs up the whole tower.

This bathroom at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania, features zinc basins, and mirrors edged with gold leaf.

A bathroom of Dar en Nadour, with turquoise wood panels and tiled walls and floors.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"Taste is in realizing the essence of a place."
Nancy Lancaster, English Country House Style
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