Lilly Bekele-Piper’s pan-African home in Nairobi | African Interiors

When we met Lilly Bekele-Piper’s at her Nairobi home, it felt like walking into a living archive of African creativity, culture, and pride. Lilly is the founder of ‪@selamandhello‬ a podcast that shares stories of joy and social justice from the African continent. Born in Ethiopia and moving to the US following political unrest back home, Lilly moved back to Ethiopia as an adult before settling in Nairobi with her husband and children. We fell in love with her 1980s-built home from the start. It’s a layered, soulful space that tells her story. One grounded in heritage, movement, and a deep reverence for African history. A bookshelf of African authors anchors the living room, alongside a striking photograph of an Ethiopian farmer in the Amhara region, so vivid it feels like you’re there with him. Malian wood carvings complement Coptic Ethiopian crosses and Kenyan glassware. In the kitchen, rare Senegalese glass paintings by Mor Gueye catch the light. Posters of figures like Mandela and Lumumba are dotted around the home, reminders of legacy and liberation. Everywhere you turn, there’s a story, quiet but powerful, reflecting a life shaped by movement, memory, and an unshakable love for the continent. LILLY'S SHOP Catalogue: https://wa.me/c/254117972691 Instagram:   / selamandamina   FOLLOW US African Interiors on YouTube:    / @african_interiors   African Interiors on Instagram:   / african_interiors   FOLLOW LILLY BEKELE-PIPER Selam and Hello podcast:    / @selamandhello   https://www.selamandhello.com/ CREDITS Producer: ‪@african_interiors‬ Host: Lilly Bekele-Piper ‪@selamandhello‬ Director: Simon Wanderi ‪@s.m_wanderii‬ Director of Photography: Austin Morara ‪@UrbanTakesProductions‬ Editor: ‪@Fame.Fusion.Production‬ Colourist: Esther Magege 0:00 Intro - About Lilly 1:42 Living room 5:09 Returning to Ethiopia, Lilly's career, Amina store 9:16 Kitchen 15:02 Ethiopian design influence 17:08 Black excellence room 18:29 Selam & Hello podcast 21:58 Dining room 30:13 Home office #africaninteriors #sustainabledesign #diyinteriors #africanhome #afrocentricdecor #modernafricanhome