Color Texture Pattern: Modern Kuba Prints

bright and beautiful: kuba napkins in persimmon by serena & lily

The first time I learned about Kuba cloth was in the Marche Puces in Paris. My mom and I had a lovely conversation with a vendor who had once lived in Ohio. He tried hard to sell us some wares, among them a rough-hewn fabric in contrasting shades of brown. When the vendor called it "kuba" I was confused, but my mom - who was an endless font - assured him she understood. Since that vacation, I've always considered actual Kuba cloth a little too rough (the raffia palm) for my taste. Wool is fine, but I tend toward softer hand-feels. 

It's a simple pattern from classic tribal cloths, which modern designers have really taken to updating with color, texture and scale. Certainly the pattern is an uncomplicated one that's easy to play with.

And it works really well...

west elm calls it "sheer chevron" but it looks like kuba in person

I put wrapped this around a chair cushion. The scale is large and the shade is soothing. My fear was that the gray wouldn't fit in, but it's doing just fine.

another hit: serena & lily kuba fabric in orchid

kubas fit right in, both cool and bright, large and small

I think the color name is what draws me to this particular shade. Sure, the other shades of blue and yellow are also striking. But there's something about "sweet potato..."

smooth and cool: west elm's silk pillow in sweet potato

A little something for everyone in the kuba family. And you can always go traditional...