The Swahili bed was in a recent article on MAKE Magazine (a publication that inspired AfriGadget’s creation). In it they discuss why this style of bed is so useful on the hot and humid East African coast.
“In Kenya, the most common and most useful piece of furniture is the rot- and bedbug-resistant Swahili bed.”
“In most houses, you can only find one type of furniture: the Swahili bed. It’s used as a couch, bed, table, and everything else. It’s comfortable and perfect for the hot, humid climate.”
The beds are made from locally grown mvuli or mbamba kofi trees, then straps are created out of palmetto leaves which are soaked in salt water and woven into rope.
Years ago I used to export furniture like this from East Africa, so it’s something that I happen to know quite a bit about. Which provides yet another lesson for those of us who live, or work, in Africa. That is, items that seem mundane to us, as we live our lives in Africa, can be quite exceptional if we only stop to really look.
(via Timbuktu Chronicles)
I suspected the link with Make. I have a copy of that mag on my desk right now and would buy more if it wasn’t so expensive!!!
Nice work.
I’ve seen weaved beds like these throughout Mozambique although seldom of the quality shown in your photo.
cool… i would want a bigger one than the one that is pictured
the design details are fascinating… why is that one part woven through the wood rather than around it?
Shoebox Homes is a charity in South Africa that develops innovative furniture solutions. They are looking for new designs now! Check it out at http://www.shoeboxhomes.co.za
Great use of native wood and other materials to create beautiful furniture. Thank you for posting!