What Are the Different Types of Native American Decor?

Native American decor incorporates natural, earthy elements such as wood, leather, stone, and feathers. Textiles, baskets, vases, and other native art offer a wealth of opportunities to accessorize a home with Native American decor. Arrowheads, dream catchers, Native American instruments, and tribal wall hangings can complement rustic furniture upholstered in leather.

A rug woven with a brightly covered Navajo pattern will look striking on either a light or dark hardwood floor. Navajo textiles feature geometric shapes woven on a loom by hand, and the genuine article is expensive. Reproductions are available at lower cost, and it is possible to furnish a home with Native American decor without spending a lot of money.

Flutes, drums, and rattles are the most popular Native American instruments and can make attractive displays in a home featuring Native American decor. Authentic instruments are made completely from natural materials, which harmonize with a rustic style home. A rattle made of a turtle shell glued or sewn shut around an antler handle and filled with seeds makes an attractive conversation piece when placed on a shelf or fireplace mantle. Drums, flutes, and rattles can be arranged into a striking display when arranged on a shelf with a piece of driftwood or hung on a wall.

A dream catcher is a round hoop woven with a web of sinew that makes an attractive wall hanging. The legend of the Native American dream catcher says that hanging it above the bed will prevent a sleeper from having nightmares, but a dream catcher isn’t limited to the bedroom. Dream catchers often are woven with decorations such as beads or crystals and have feathers hanging from them, making the dream catcher a piece of Native American decor suitable for any room. In addition, the webbing on a dream catcher can be used to hang a favorite ornament or several pairs of earrings.

Fabric with a Native American print can be used to make inexpensive Native American decor. Any Navajo print or material featuring a print of an animal honored by the Indians, such as a wolf, bear, or eagle, can be turned into curtains, napkins, and place mats to provide a touch of Native American decor to the kitchen. The theme can be continued by placing a woven basket in the center of the kitchen table and filling it with Indian corn or seasonal fruit and vegetables. When the growing season is past, the basket can be filled with other natural items such as nuts, pine cones, and colorful stones.