Maybe it’s the promise of summer and longer days ahead, but lately we’re in search of cheerful, colorful wares to add some brightness to our weeknight meals and unexpected spirit to our spaces. Even better if those objects are ethically made, designed to last, and crafted by artisans the world over to bring a bit of travel indoors, too.
We’re excited to see that Goodee, the Black-owned online marketplace for eco-minded, fair-trade, design-forward goods, has new offerings for the kitchen and tabletop—just in time for just-because front-porch dinners and outdoor fetes. We particularly like the collection from newly launched brand Siafu Home, a collaboration between Nairobi-based designer Gladys Macharia and Vermont-based Niccola Milnes with an emphasis on preserving Kenyan craftsmanship practices, emphasizing the role of women in community building, and, like all Goodee creators, empowering local makers and embracing slow design.
We’re eyeing Siafu’s beaded water carafes for the bedside or table, colorful cloth napkins, and delicately etched glassware—as well as Tensira’s newly launched aprons, made by artisans in the Republic of Guinea, and the latest additions from Ghana-based basket company Baba Tree for keeping cool on hot summer afternoons.
Take a look:
Above: The Maji Glasses ($100 for a set of two) by Siafu Home are made from recycled glass bottles by Kenyan artisans and hand-engraved with subtle botanicals. (They make lovely flower vases, too.)Above: Siafu Home’s Congolese Napkins come in two colorways: Night, shown here, and Day. They’re screen printed by hand onto 100 percent Kenyan cotton with charming scalloped borders; $100 for a set of six.
Above: Two favorites from Ghana-based Baba Tree: The Bolga Fan, shown in the LOVE version (left, $55) and in Yellow, Aqua, and Orange (right, $35). They’re woven in Ghana from sustainable straw and can be used as wall hangings or as a means of keeping cool. Above: The Long Apron – Ines de la Fresange ($125) is a collaboration between Tensira and the French designer. It’s responsibly crafted in the Republic of Guinea of 100 percent cotton and is breathable and lightweight for warm-weather work in the kitchen (or garden).Above: We like Siafu Home’s hand-beaded water carafes, made from recycled glass, for serving cold drinks. This is the Beaded Water Carafe in Blue ($149); it’s also available in Red and Green.Above: Pretty Ebony Salad Spoons by Siafu Home ($50) are eco-minded and low-waste, too: They’re carved from sustainably sourced ebony wood, and the bone handles are made from scraps left over from the local meat industry, then engraved using a traditional wax technique.Above: Equal parts eco-friendly and delicate, the Rose Tumble Glasses ($75 for a set of two) are made from recycled glass and hand-etched in Kenya, so no two are exactly the same.Above: Siafu Home’s Punda Milia Server ($50) is carved from olive wood with a scrap bone handle, wax-engraved for added grip. (“Punda Milia” means “zebra” in Swahili, a nod to the stripey design.) Above: And another of Tensira’s new offerings: The Half Apron in Blue and Black ($99) is made by artisans in the Republic of Guinea, perfect for keeping tools within easy reach. It’s also available in a grey and off-white colorway.
When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.
Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites
Or Subscribe for Maximum Value!
For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.
Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites
For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.
Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Sorry! As a registered member you get 10 free posts from our archive (posts more than a year old) every 30 days. You have reached your limit for this 30-day period. If you would like to access unlimited posts from the archive (ad free, too), become a subscriber today, and keep reading as many articles as you want.
Full Access Individual Subscription
Benefits include:
Unlimited access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home sites
Ad-free browsing environment
Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
Receive the full-text daily newsletters
All features that Members have access to
Annual subscribers pay just 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
Sorry! You have reached your limit of three (3) free posts from our archive every 30 days. You can increase this to 10 posts by joining as a free Member, or read unlimited posts with no ads by becoming a paid Subscriber.
Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites
For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.
Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
Become a Member at no charge
When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.
Congratulations on becoming a Subscriber to Remodelista, Gardenista and The Organized Home! You now have access to many great features across the sites:
Unlimited access to all three sites
Ad-free browsing environment
Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
Receive any of the newsletters, including the the full-text daily Remodelista and Gardenista newsletters
Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
Congratulations on joining as a free Member of Remodelista, Gardenista and The Organized Home! You now have access to many great features across the sites:
Access to all posts published in the past year
Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites
If at any time you want to become a Subscriber and enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to all our content, just go to the My Account link and choose Subscribe.
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Start the Conversation