London-based designer, entrepreneur, and cognitive-behavioral therapist, Natalie Manima, understands the importance of a vibrant, positive environment. “A house is more than just a mere shelter,” she quotes John Saladino on her website, “it should lift us emotionally and spiritually”.
The mastermind behind the home goods line Bespoke Binny, Manima embraces the notion that “home is where the heart is”, stressing that a home is a reflection of you is essential to your wellbeing. “I’ve always been into home stuff,” she admitted in an interview with the Etsy blog. “I love watching renovation shows on TV. So I started making things for my own home”.
After getting positive feedback from her friends, she decided to start selling her creations, launching her Etsy shop in 2013, and going to craft markets and trade shows. According to Manima, she decided on a home decor line after seeing African prints used in clothing, but not in home goods.
Her intuition proved right. These days her brand is thriving and includes a variety of home goods, such as lampshades, pillows, throws, aprons, and oven mitts—all made to add a splash of color to your home. Being of Ghanaian descent, Manima’s products are inspired by Africa, using African prints.
“I think that not enough people know about the beauty of African prints,” says Manima. “I’m going to get on my soapbox now—I think they get seen as something seasonal, for summer, or something tribal, in terms of fashion. They’re not seen as something to wear for everyday. But these prints are for everyday!”
In addition to African prints, she also uses wax prints – fabrics that have patterns that are printed on over the wax. “They are like batik, and they have errors on the fabric that are considered beautiful—the imperfections are part of their beauty,” she notes.
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