Zuni Basket

Native American broadly describes any Indigenous people in North America and encompasses hundreds of tribes and groups, all with distinct cultures. Native American–style furniture and decor likewise varies widely, from pieces created by Indigenous people to those appropriated by non-native designers.

Indigenous furniture’s rich heritage includes the bentwood boxes of the Northwest Coast carved from cedar for storing household or ceremonial objects. Generations of Native American people have made baskets for holding household items, with those in the Northeast using sweetgrass and those in the Southeast using pine needles and wicker. Artisans in the Plateau region wove watertight pieces like cradles from plant materials. Although these objects were intricately made, they were usually utilitarian rather than decorative.

The colonization of North America and the removal of Indigenous people from their lands led to the suppression of these practices. Many styles that used Native American motifs — such as Southwestern style, which was heavily influenced by the geometric patterns of Navajo textiles — have historically not involved Indigenous creators and, instead, have taken their traditions without their tribal context.

When decorating a home with Native American–style furniture, it is important to do so respectfully, by understanding the origins of motifs and objects and examining who profits from their sale. There are now Indigenous-led companies, such as Cherokee designer Cray Bauxmont-Flynn’s Amatoya and Totem House Design, promoting Indigenous work in furniture and home decor. Supporting Indigenous artists and artisans is essential to confronting the still pervasive issue of cultural appropriation in design.

Find a collection of Native American living room furniture, folk art, rugs and carpets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.

Vintage, new and antique decorative bowls have been an important part of the home for centuries, although their uses have changed over the years. While functional examples of bowls date back thousands of years, ornamental design on bowls as well as baskets likewise has a rich heritage, from the carved bowls of the Maya to the plaited river-cane baskets of Indigenous people in the Southeast United States.

Decorative objects continue to bring character and art into a space. An outdoor gathering can become a sophisticated garden party with the addition of a few natural-fiber baskets to hold blankets or fruit on a table, as demonstrated in the interior design work by firms such as Alexander Design.

Elsewhere, Richard Haining’s reclaimed wood vases and bowls can express eco-consciousness. Sculptural handmade cast concrete bowls like those made by the Oakland, California–based UMÉ Studio introduce compelling textures to your dining room table.

Minimalist ceramic decorative bowls of varying colors can evoke a feeling of human connectedness through their association with handmade craftsmanship, such as in the rooms envisioned by South African interior designer Kelly Hoppen. And you can elevate any space with ceramic bowls that match the color scheme.

Browse the 1stDibs collection of decorative bowls and explore the endless options available.