Ever since “Changing Rooms” and other home decorating programmes arrived on our TV sets in the 1980s, home owners have often followed styles and decorating trends inspired by these series. From vibrantly colourful walls to distressed wood, minimalist white surroundings and laminate flooring, home fashions change almost as frequently as clothing styles.
One of the trends which is in vogue at the moment seems to be the artisan look. Whether it is a bespoke pine kitchen designed and made in this country or a rough, rustic looking chest with heavy iron hinges made by a craftsperson in Central America, we are keen to include such items in our homes which are hand-made and not mass produced. If you are on the look out for smaller items, you can find fabulous prints and materials from India and Sri Lanka which make wonderful table cloths. Look out for Batik prints from Indonesia which can either be framed and hung on a wall or made into cushion covers. Or perhaps an African pottery fruit bowl will look just perfect sitting in the middle of your dining room table.
If you are worried about artisans and workers being exploited for their wares in developing countries, then make sure you shop at outlets which only sell Fair Trade crafts.