If you're anything like us, you love the outdoors, living at one with the natural world, and admiring the amazing animals and plant species in the wild. Maybe you prefer tropical, warm, and green locations, or perhaps you are more inclined to take a trip into the desert to witness firsthand the majesty of the animals of the African plains, explore the indigenous cultures of South America, or enter into the esoteric realm of India and the far east.
Jungle decor and design can follow a strict theme or it can be a meld of inspiration from cultures around the world. There are so many ways to approach the idea of jungle-style decor, whether you prefer to create a natural bohemian look, a tribal design, a rustic jungle decor, a lush tropical paradise, or a wild and animal-inspired safari style.
But, if you're like us, you also probably are not too fond of the idea of cultural appropriation. Many times, conventional stores will sell objects that look worldly and handmade, but they in reality are cheap imitations of the real thing. This is detrimental to the real communities of artisans in developing countries continuing to work in the traditional way, who find demand lessened for their products as cheaper mass-produced substitutes make their way onto the market.
At Jungle Pillows, you can rest assured that all of our products are authentic works of art from artisans found in different corners all around the world. All of our products are curated and carefully selected based on our standards for the highest level of environmental sustainability and ethical accountability. Our products help bring value back to the communities who make them, and many of our brands also give back by assisting in the growth of regions in Africa, India, and South America. The artisans behind our brands help keep traditional crafts and ancient techniques alive and thriving into the future.
By shopping at Jungle Pillows, you can also be a force for good by supporting ethical artisans producing handmade, fair trade, and sustainable products.
No matter what your particular jungle style is, by following these 5 simple tips, you can bring the inspiration of the jungle into any room in your house.
Xerographica air plants: Live plants curated by Grenhaus
1. Add some real plants to your decor
The first step toward bringing a natural, jungle vibe into your home is to, well, bring something natural inside! Seems easy enough, but so many of us overlook the aspect of actually using nature itself to decorate. Real indoor plants have so many benefits, for one, that they improve indoor air quality by purifying the air from toxins such as benzene and toluene. Depending on your space and your style, you can use hanging plants, succulents, or potted plants on the floor. This will add brightness and vibrant green colors to your space, and create a peaceful, clean, and healthy atmosphere. For an elevated ethical touch, use macrame, wood, or metal plant hangers to hang plants around your rooms, and use floral planter baskets made from natural grass or raffia to hold your floor plants.
We are very excited to announce that you can now purchase live house plants on Jungle Pillows! Curated by Grenhaus, we now have a collection of perfect plants for the indoors available in our store.
Yellow Flora Bins Set of 3 by Swahili African Modern for holding floor plants
Sari Macrame Plant Holder by Matr Boomie for hanging potted plants
2. Decorate the walls
The goal in creating great wall decor is to add color, texture, and patterns to your rooms without creating clutter. This is why sprucing up the walls around us is an important aspect not to overlook. If you have a plain wall behind a mono-tone sofa, for example, it can make a stunning difference to cover the wall with a tapestry or a small wood-framed print featuring jungle-inspired scenes including leaves, trees, and animals. Use dark greens and golds to give a touch of exotic elegance to your room, and add yellow and tan for more of a relaxed boho feel. Use red, orange, brown, blue, and black for bringing home some tribal flair. You can also add in some wooden art (such as the sun mask seen below), metal wall art decor, macrame hangings, ceramic trivets, or woven wall baskets.
Wooden Sun Masks by Swahili African Modern are inspired by elements of traditional Bwa ceremonial masks and art.
3. Add comfort with pillows and throw blankets
Once you have some indoor plants and decorated walls, it is time to add some comfort to your sofa or relaxation area. Comfortable, colorful pillows made from soft, natural materials can compliment the other designs going on in your room, especially if your couch is all one color. These accent pieces not only serve to add depth to your concept visually, but they also invite guests to spend more time in the room. Throw blankets and pillows should be both eye-catching as well as functional and comfortable. They should add an element of warmth that make you just want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea! Colorful, handmade, and sustainable throw blankets add to the overall cohesiveness of your decor theme, and can be used to help you or your guests stay comfortable if there is a chill in the room without having to turn up the heat. Our ethical and handmade throw blankets are made using cotton, sustainably harvested wool, or Peruvian Alpaca.
Slate + Salt Chunky Rose Stripe Alpaca Throw made with ethically harvested Alpaca fiber - no Alpaca are harmed!
Bloom & Give Neela Throw Blanket made with hand-spun cotton in a traditional wooden loom in India
4. Use natural materials such as sustainable woods
Using sustainable woods in furniture, shelving, racks, frames, floor mats, or accent pieces can also add to the jungle-themed natural paradise that you are creating inside the home. Wood helps to create a down-to-earth energy, and with a range of light to dark brown hues, it is neutral enough to blend right in with the statement patterns used for wall designs, pillows, bedding, and throws. The types of sustainable wood used to make the products in our store are acacia, bamboo, teak, rosewood, and olive wood. Many of the brands in our store use re-purposed wood as well, such as the re-purposed teak wood used in the photo below by Hip-O Modern Living.
Teak wood floor runner handmade in Indonesia with repurposed wood by Hip-O Modern Living
5. Animal accent pieces
Whether you prefer to have a life-sized animal statue or a few small animal ornaments, adding some animal imagery is a great way to increase the "jungle" feel of your space. With accent pieces we find that less is often more. Choose art objects that are made in traditional methods, such as hand-carved soapstone, wood, or recycled metal, that tell a story about a place or the artisans who made it. Give each piece a proper space where it naturally integrates into your overall decor, but still is eye-catching enough to spark a conversation.
Drinking Elephant Bowl by Acacia Creations