Your home tells a story. Whether you live in a modern Nairobi apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the cityscape, a coastal villa in Diani where the ocean breeze filters through, or a cozy bungalow in Kisumu—your walls deserve more than mass-produced prints. They deserve art that breathes life, carries meaning, and connects you to the vibrant heritage of East Africa.
African paintings in Kenya are becoming the centerpiece of thoughtful home décor, and for good reason. These aren't just decorative pieces; they're handmade works crafted by Tanzanian artists who pour heritage, skill, and stories into every brushstroke. When you choose authentic African art, you're not just filling empty wall space—you're creating a home that feels distinctly yours, culturally rooted, and alive with color and narrative.
There's something profoundly different about walking into a room adorned with genuine African art. Perhaps it's the bold use of color—sunset oranges, savannah golds, deep indigos that echo the Indian Ocean. Or maybe it's the subjects themselves: elephants mid-stride across the Serengeti, Maasai figures in traditional attire, abstract patterns inspired by woven baskets and kente cloth.
Unlike generic wall art shipped from overseas factories, African paintings carry the DNA of this region. They depict the wildlife we grow up seeing on safari, the cultural traditions practiced across East Africa, and the landscapes that shape our identity. When a Kenyan homeowner hangs a painting of Mount Kilimanjaro at sunrise or a bustling Dar es Salaam market scene, it's not just décor—it's a daily reminder of who we are and where we come from.
Each painting from our collection is handmade to order by artists working in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania—just across the border, sharing the same East African heritage, climate, and aesthetic sensibilities that resonate with Kenyan tastes. These aren't interpretations of Africa created by distant observers; they're authentic expressions created by the hands that live this culture daily.
When Amani, one of our artists, begins a new canvas, he doesn't rush. He mixes his oil paints carefully, considering how the light will hit certain colors, how the textures will interact. His paintings of wildlife aren't photographic copies—they're interpretations infused with movement, personality, and the artist's own connection to these animals. A giraffe isn't just standing; it's stretching toward acacia leaves with grace and intention.
This level of craftsmanship is what separates handmade African art from factory prints. Every painting is an original, created specifically for you using premium oil and acrylic paints on durable canvas. The brushstrokes are visible, the color layering is intentional, and the final piece carries the subtle imperfections that prove human hands created it.
Kenyan interior design is experiencing an exciting evolution. We're moving away from the heavy, ornate furniture of previous decades and embracing something more refined—spaces that feel open, breathable, and intentionally curated.
Walk into any newly renovated home in Karen or Westlands, and you'll notice a pattern: neutral base palettes (whites, creams, warm grays) paired with natural textures (sisal rugs, wooden furniture, woven baskets) and then—this is the key—bold African art as the focal point.
This is Afro-modernism at its finest: clean lines and minimalist principles meeting vibrant cultural expression. The simplicity of modern design creates the perfect stage for African paintings to shine. A single large canvas depicting a colorful abstract pattern or a dramatic wildlife scene becomes the room's anchor, the piece that makes guests pause and look closer.
There's a growing appreciation for materials that feel connected to nature: terracotta pots, jute cushions, reclaimed wood coffee tables. This trend pairs beautifully with African art, especially pieces that echo natural themes—landscapes, botanical studies, or wildlife paintings.
Consider a living room with sandy beige walls, a natural fiber rug, and wooden furniture. Now add a painting of elephants at a watering hole, rendered in warm earth tones with touches of burnt sienna and deep green. The painting doesn't clash with the minimalist aesthetic; it completes it, adding warmth and narrative without overwhelming the space.
Kenyans are increasingly designating one wall per room as a "statement wall"—a space where personality bursts through. Rather than filling it with multiple small frames, the trend is toward one large, commanding piece or a carefully curated gallery wall with a cohesive theme.
African paintings excel in this role. A large abstract piece with bold geometric patterns can energize an entryway, while a serene landscape painting can create a calming focal point in a bedroom.
Selecting art for your home isn't just about finding something beautiful—it's about finding something that works in your specific space and reflects your personal taste. Here's how to approach it thoughtfully.
Start by looking at your existing room colors. What tones dominate?
For neutral spaces (white, beige, gray): You have creative freedom. Bold, colorful paintings will pop dramatically against neutral backgrounds. Consider pieces with vibrant reds, yellows, and blues—colors that inject energy without requiring you to redecorate.
For warm-toned rooms (earth tones, browns, terracotta): Look for paintings that incorporate similar warm hues—sunset scenes, wildlife paintings with savannah landscapes, or cultural pieces featuring warm skin tones and natural dyes.
For cool-toned spaces (blues, grays, soft greens): Abstract pieces with deep blues, teals, and purples work beautifully. Coastal scenes or paintings incorporating water elements can enhance the cool, calming atmosphere.
Different spaces call for different emotional tones:
Living rooms are social spaces—they benefit from conversation-starting pieces. Wildlife paintings, bustling market scenes, or bold abstract works all work well here. These pieces should be dynamic enough to hold attention but not so intense they overwhelm relaxation.
Bedrooms need calming energy. Landscape paintings, gentle abstract pieces in soothing colors, or serene wildlife scenes (think a lone giraffe at dusk rather than a dramatic predator chase) help create restful atmospheres.
Home offices thrive with art that inspires focus and creativity. Cultural pieces depicting traditional crafts, abstract geometric patterns, or minimalist wildlife compositions can provide visual interest without distraction.
Dining areas are perfect for celebratory, warm art. Market scenes, harvest themes, or abstract pieces in warm tones enhance the communal, nourishing feel of these spaces.
A common mistake is choosing art that's too small for the wall space. Here's a general guideline:
For spaces above sofas or beds:Â The artwork should be roughly 2/3 to 3/4 the width of the furniture below it. For a standard three-seater sofa (about 180cm wide), you're looking at a painting around 100-120cm wide, or a grouping of smaller pieces that collectively span that width.
For empty walls: Step back and use the "thirds rule"—the painting should occupy roughly one-third of the wall's height and width. This creates visual balance without overwhelming the space.
For narrow spaces (hallways, between windows): Vertical compositions work best. A tall painting draws the eye upward, making the space feel more expansive.
Our paintings come in various sizes, from intimate 50cm x 40cm pieces perfect for creating gallery walls to statement 140cm x 110cm canvases that command attention. You can view our full collection to explore size options and find pieces that match your space perfectly.
Contemporary Kenyan homes are increasingly embracing unframed canvas art—where the painting wraps around the edges of the stretcher frame. This gallery-style presentation looks clean and modern, working particularly well with abstract and contemporary pieces.
For more traditional or formal spaces, simple wooden frames in natural finishes or black can add polish without competing with the artwork itself. Avoid ornate frames that might overpower the vibrant, expressive nature of African art.
What makes art truly special isn't just how it looks—it's the story behind it and the impact your purchase creates.
When you choose paintings from our Dar es Salaam studio, you're supporting artists like Mohamed, who learned to paint from his father, who learned from his father before him. You're helping preserve artistic traditions that date back generations while also encouraging innovation—Mohamed doesn't just replicate old styles; he interprets them for contemporary spaces.
Our studio was established in 1968, initially serving tourists who wanted a tangible piece of East African culture to take home. Over decades, we've evolved into something more significant: a bridge between Tanzanian artistic heritage and global audiences who appreciate authenticity, craftsmanship, and the stories art can tell.
This is where choosing authentic African art becomes more meaningful than simply buying décor. Every painting sold directly supports the artist who created it and their family. In a region where traditional employment opportunities can be limited, artistic work provides stable income, dignity, and the chance to keep cultural traditions alive.
Our commitment extends beyond individual artists. We work to empower marginalized members of our community, focusing on those facing employment challenges. By purchasing skills training and providing fair compensation, we create a sustainable ecosystem where talent thrives locally rather than being lost to urban migration or economic necessity.
When you hang one of these paintings in your Nairobi home, you're participating in this larger story—one of empowerment, cultural preservation, and direct partnership with East African creators.
In an era of disposable décor, there's something deeply satisfying about owning a piece that's built to last. Our artists use premium materials—quality canvas, professional-grade oil and acrylic paints, and sustainable practices from locally sourced materials to eco-friendly packaging.
This isn't fast fashion for your walls. These are timeless additions to your home, pieces you'll treasure for years and potentially pass down as heirloom items that carry both aesthetic and sentimental value.
Let's get specific with some scenarios:
You're working with an open-plan living area, probably white walls, polished concrete or light wood floors, minimal furniture in neutral tones. The challenge? Adding warmth without cluttering the clean aesthetic.
Solution: One large statement piece above your sofa—perhaps an abstract painting in bold primary colors or a stylized wildlife scene. The key is scale: go bigger than feels comfortable at first. In minimalist spaces, one commanding piece creates more impact than several small ones.
Alternative approach: Create a gallery wall with three medium-sized pieces in complementary themes—maybe all landscapes, or all abstract, or all wildlife but in different styles. Keep consistent spacing (about 5-7cm between frames) for a cohesive look.
Coastal homes have unique light—bright, often with ocean views and a breezy, relaxed atmosphere. You want art that complements rather than competes with the natural beauty outside.
Solution:Â Cooler-toned pieces or coastal themes work beautifully. Abstract paintings in blues and teals, beach scenes, or wildlife paintings featuring aquatic themes (flamingos, fish, water buffalo) connect indoor and outdoor spaces.
Keep frames simple or go frameless—ornate details feel too heavy in coastal settings. Let the art be breezy and light, echoing the environment.
Perhaps you have a more established home with existing furniture, darker wood tones, and a warmth that's accumulated over years. You don't want to completely transform your space—just enhance it.
Solution:Â Work with what you have. Choose paintings that pick up existing colors in your textiles or wood tones. A painting featuring warm earth tones, traditional cultural scenes, or wildlife in natural settings will feel like it belongs rather than fighting with your existing aesthetic.
Consider placing art in unexpected spots—a medium-sized painting in the dining room, a series of smaller pieces ascending your staircase wall, or a striking piece in your entryway to set the tone immediately.
With more Kenyans working from home, the home office has become an important space worthy of thoughtful design.
Solution:Â Choose art that inspires without distracting. Abstract geometric patterns provide visual interest during video calls (they look great on camera!) without being too busy. Cultural paintings can serve as daily reminders of heritage and values. Keep colors on the calmer side if you need to focus, or go bold if you want energizing surroundings.
Here's the challenge: Kenya's growing appreciation for African art has unfortunately attracted importers selling mass-produced prints labeled as "African art." These pieces lack authenticity, often depicting stereotypical or inaccurate imagery created by artists who've never set foot on the continent.
Handmade quality:Â Authentic paintings have visible brushstrokes, slight variations in color mixing, and the subtle imperfections that prove human creation. Prints, no matter how high-quality, have uniformly flat surfaces.
Artist information: Genuine sellers can tell you about the artist—their name, background, and creative process. We're proud to showcase our artists' work and share their stories because they're the heart of what we do.
Cultural accuracy:Â The themes, color choices, and stylistic approaches should reflect actual East African artistic traditions, not Western interpretations of what "African art" should look like.
Fair pricing: Authentic handmade art costs more than prints because you're paying for skill, time, and craftsmanship. Be skeptical of prices that seem too good to be true—they usually are.
We've been creating authentic African paintings since 1968, long before online shopping existed. Our Dar es Salaam studio has built relationships with skilled artists across Tanzania, many of whom have spent decades perfecting their craft.
When you browse our online collection, you're seeing original, handmade pieces created specifically for you. We don't keep inventory of generic prints; each painting is made to order, ensuring uniqueness and quality.
Our process is simple and transparent:
At the end of the day, decorating your home isn't purely about matching colors or following trends—though those things matter. It's about creating a space that feels like yours, that tells your story, and connects you to something larger than four walls and furniture.
African paintings do this in ways other décor simply can't. They connect you to heritage, to the artists whose hands shaped them, to the landscapes and cultures of East Africa. When guests visit your home and pause in front of a vibrant market scene or a powerful abstract composition, you're not just showing them your taste in art—you're sharing a piece of this continent's creativity and soul.
For Kenyan homeowners, this connection is particularly meaningful. We live in a country with deep cultural roots, surrounded by natural beauty that inspires artists across the region. Bringing that inspiration indoors—in the form of authentic, handmade art—creates homes that feel grounded, purposeful, and alive.
Whether you're furnishing your first apartment in Nairobi, refreshing a family home in Kisumu, or adding character to a coastal retreat in Lamu, African paintings offer something special: art that looks beautiful, yes, but also art that means something.
Explore our collection of authentic African paintings handmade by Tanzanian artists. From bold abstracts to serene landscapes, from vibrant wildlife scenes to culturally rich compositions—find pieces that speak to your story and elevate your Kenyan home.
Browse our full collection or reach out to discuss custom pieces tailored to your specific space and vision. Because your walls deserve more than decoration—they deserve art with soul.
|
Centimeters (CM) |
Inches (IN) |
|
50CM x 40CM |
19 11/16 in XÂ 15 3/4 in |
|
50CM x 50CM |
19 11/16 in XÂ 19 11/16 in |
|
60CM x 60CM |
23 5/8 in XÂ 23 5/8 in |
|
70CM x 50CM |
27 9/16 in XÂ 19 11/16 in |
|
80CM x 60CM |
31 1/2 in XÂ 23 5/8 in |
|
100CM x 80CM |
39 3/8 in XÂ 31 1/2 in |
|
140CM x 110CM |
55 1/8 in X 43 5/16 in |
