New: National Geographic Home Collection

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National Geographic Home showed off it's new line of furniture and furnishings at the High Point International Home Furnishings Market last Saturday — and we have the scoop here! The collection reflects what we love about National Geographic: travel, adventure and culture...

The new lines for Home Collection, Tanzania and British Palms, also tap into two of the hot, enduring trends right now, of organic materials, raw finishes and exotic influences (hence the ubiquitous zebra rug!) I think while we all stay at home to save money, we would at least like to feel like we're on safari.

All of the net proceeds from the sale of Home Collection pieces go to National Geographic Society's World Cultures Fund, which supports archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, artists and others who study and work to preserve world cultures.

• 1 Tanzania arched poster bed by Lane Furniture
• 2 Tanzania sterling sideboard by Lane Furniture
• 3 Zebra wallpaper by Brewster Wall Coverings
• 4 Baobab tree decor by Palacek
• 5 British Palms nightstand by Lane Furniture
• 6 Morogo sisal rug by Merida Meridian
• 7 British Palms wicker table by Lane Furniture
• 8 Cheetah wallpaper by Brewster Wall Coverings

Comments (9)

It appears to be another in a long succession of British Colonial/Campaign furniture derivitives...

...I would think that more innovative pieces with some ethnic symbolism would be more interesting and appropriate for the National Geographic name in the 21st Century rather than more copies of 18th/19th century Euro-centric designs.

posted by bepsf on April 28th 2009 at 12:13pm
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I don't know... maybe it's just me... but does anyone else get a strong imperialist/colonial vibe? It makes me a bit uncomfortable with this collection.

posted by Gvinton on April 28th 2009 at 12:16pm
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That tree!!!! I'm in love. Everything else, not so much.

posted by PRU on April 28th 2009 at 12:27pm
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Bombay Company, circa 1986?

Really, it's not that this is anything other than tasteful in a traditional British Colonial sort of way--it's that there's nothing that makes it new or unexpected.

This is not a look I see often on AT. I wonder if it's that it really is hard to mix with other genres.

posted by sally305 on April 28th 2009 at 1:47pm
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I thought National Geographic might be more concerned with conservation of resources. Do we need more trees cut down for more furniture in an oversaturated market...and as others have noted, the furniture is nothing new or special. I'm surprised Nat Geo would waste their financial resources on this venture as well.

posted by gnindc on April 28th 2009 at 1:57pm
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Nothing wrong with British Colonial style in my book; tried. true, and tasteful. I love it. This line has a definite Caribbean Islands vibe which makes me like it even more. Of course, I wouldn't see a suite, but could certainly use individual piece in my eclectic decor.

Don't worry gnindc, none of NatGeo's resources were "wasted." They don't design or manufacture furniture. On the contrary, Lane paid them a pretty nice fee to license their name.

posted by quiltmaster on April 28th 2009 at 6:59pm
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This is a very beautiful collection. However, the problem with designed collections is that they take all the fun out of shopping around and putting your own look together. It is wonderful to look at, but anyone can buy the same look and the personality of the individual owner is lost.

posted by baileyb on April 28th 2009 at 9:16pm
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I have to agree with PRU -- that tree! Gorgeous! I couldn't find it on the Palacek website, though. I wonder if I could just use it as inspiration and hack it via a screen and some wallpaper.

posted by MaeEast on April 29th 2009 at 12:54am
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MaeEast, I don't see why you couldn't be inspired by the tree. Some stretched canvases, faux gold leaf, acrylic paint... very doable! (The original looks like maybe the tree is incised. I wonder if it's carved wood or something.) I'm fond of trees, too...

posted by SherryBinNH on April 29th 2009 at 1:13pm
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