African Tonga baskets served a variety of roles even before they became a wall décor.
These humble yet gorgeous baskets were originally used as a temporary container for grains, for winnowing maize, for carrying grains from the fields, and as gifts for chiefs and other noble leaders of a tribe.
That versatility extends to the home as well. Here are some ways you can use Tonga baskets in your home: from a coffee table centerpiece to a kitchen storage unit!
As a coffee or dining table centerpiece: There are so many ways in which you can decorate a Tonga basket as a table centerpiece. You can do so based on your preference or the time of the year. You can create Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter basket centerpieces by filling them up with things that are unique to the holiday. Or, you can make an all-year-round centerpiece. For example, you can place a candle on the center of the basket, then surround the candle with a couple of decorative balls of different sizes.
As a fruit basket: Great as a décor and practical enough for your fruit storage needs! Fact: storing fruits in baskets make the fruits last longer because of better air circulation. Not only that, you’ll most likely eat your fruits on a daily basis since you see them out in the open.
As a bathroom towel storage basket: You can easily create a visually-pleasing bathroom by rolling your bathroom towels and placing them inside a Tonga basket. Since these baskets can be quite huge, you can also add in a couple more bathroom products to save some precious bathroom space. Products like shampoos, bath body brush, loofahs, candles, hair dryer, and soaps.
As a storage bin for your kid’s toys: For those times when you want the house to look organized, but don’t have the time—nor the patience—to pick every single piece of toy and arrange them neatly in the toy rack, these Tonga baskets can help. Just toss the toys inside. This’ll make it easier for your kid to put his or her toys away, too.
As a makeshift book or magazine rack: Simply place a Tonga basket beside your reading lounge chair and fill it with your favorite books or magazines so that you can get them all at hand whenever you need them.
As an indoor plant display: Place a single potted houseplant (e.g. nerve plant, silver vase plant, or monstera plant) inside the basket. Surround the pot with some river rocks and a couple of dried up twigs or branches
As a kitchen storage unit: Easily access your cooking essentials by placing them inside a Tonga basket. You can put your salt and pepper shakers in there, a jar with a set of cooking or baking utensils, and a few spice bottles. If there’s enough space, you can add one or two potted herbs, too.
What we’ve listed above are just some of the many ways that Tonga baskets can be used. Got an idea? Do tell us an alternative way of using these beautiful baskets for your African wall decor!