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AphroChic: Celebrating the Legacy of the Black Family Home
A powerful, visually stunning celebration of Black homeownership, featuring inspiring homes and family histories of notable Black Americans—including chef Alexander Smalls and actor Danielle Brooks.
“The most important design book of our time.”—Stacey Lindsay, design editor, Camille Styles
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason invite you into the intimate spaces of actors and musicians, the creative studios of artists and curators, the “boss” homes of entrepreneurs and executives, “off-the-beaten-path” homes that defy the stereotypes of urban living, and places filled with pieces handed down from generations past. Tour the creative and culturally infused Washington, DC, rowhouse of author Jason Reynolds. Take in the bursts of color and layers of memory that fill the Harlem Renaissance–inspired interior of renowned chef Alexander Smalls. And get inspired by the design of actor Danielle Brooks and her husband Dennis Gelin’s Brooklyn townhome, where Haitian heritage and South Carolina roots meet.
Showcasing the amazing diversity of the Black experience through striking interiors, stories of family and community, and histories exploring the obstacles Black homeowners have faced for generations, this groundbreaking book honors the journey, recognizes the struggle, and celebrates the joy that is the Black family home.
“The most important design book of our time.”—Stacey Lindsay, design editor, Camille Styles
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason invite you into the intimate spaces of actors and musicians, the creative studios of artists and curators, the “boss” homes of entrepreneurs and executives, “off-the-beaten-path” homes that defy the stereotypes of urban living, and places filled with pieces handed down from generations past. Tour the creative and culturally infused Washington, DC, rowhouse of author Jason Reynolds. Take in the bursts of color and layers of memory that fill the Harlem Renaissance–inspired interior of renowned chef Alexander Smalls. And get inspired by the design of actor Danielle Brooks and her husband Dennis Gelin’s Brooklyn townhome, where Haitian heritage and South Carolina roots meet.
Showcasing the amazing diversity of the Black experience through striking interiors, stories of family and community, and histories exploring the obstacles Black homeowners have faced for generations, this groundbreaking book honors the journey, recognizes the struggle, and celebrates the joy that is the Black family home.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published November 15, 2022
12 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 28, 2023
What do you call the style of decor in your home? I would call mine All Things Black! After reading this book, I would say Aphrochic...as it is Black with collections of family, religious and comfort. The book has great ideas about decor and arrangement of furniture.
March 11, 2023
Brilliant. The shape this book takes is smart, inspiring, unique, and informative.
I grew up in a house my family owned because my paternal grandfather was very clever and got his hands on GI Bill money, or something similar, when most Black people in his generation were being denied the same. He sold the bungalow I grew up in, on the Jersey Shore, to my parents for something like $1. If this hadn’t occurred, I would have had the same experience as much of Black America —locked out of the stability and potential for wealth afforded to the white working and middle class people of my parents generation.
I have a ton of ambivalence about home ownership (although my brother and I both own) yet I feel very clear about what I want for Black America. I also really love interior design books, which I’ve inherited from my mother’s interest in design. It’s rare that I see a book like this, as satisfying to read as this one! The authors make a solid point: Black America is largely missing from this genre (as is Indigenous America, Asian American, Latinx America, and so on.) I hope this book is the first of many, many, many, many.
Also, as a big fan of his, it was a treat to discover author Jason Reynolds among those featured.
Definitely buying a copy of this book for my mom!
I grew up in a house my family owned because my paternal grandfather was very clever and got his hands on GI Bill money, or something similar, when most Black people in his generation were being denied the same. He sold the bungalow I grew up in, on the Jersey Shore, to my parents for something like $1. If this hadn’t occurred, I would have had the same experience as much of Black America —locked out of the stability and potential for wealth afforded to the white working and middle class people of my parents generation.
I have a ton of ambivalence about home ownership (although my brother and I both own) yet I feel very clear about what I want for Black America. I also really love interior design books, which I’ve inherited from my mother’s interest in design. It’s rare that I see a book like this, as satisfying to read as this one! The authors make a solid point: Black America is largely missing from this genre (as is Indigenous America, Asian American, Latinx America, and so on.) I hope this book is the first of many, many, many, many.
Also, as a big fan of his, it was a treat to discover author Jason Reynolds among those featured.
Definitely buying a copy of this book for my mom!
January 19, 2023
As of this posting, the median home price on the island of O‘ahu is over a million dollars, while minimum wage is $12, making homeownership a distant dream for most of us here. However, as authors Bryan Mason and Jeanine Hays point out in this beautiful and thought-provoking book, cost is just one obstacle to owning a home. In a country built on the backs of African American people, racism is the biggest impediment to Black homeownership, impacting access to everything from high-paying jobs to home loans. The fact that the people featured in this book have managed to purchase their own homes is worthy of celebration. They’ve also incorporated their styles and experiences into their homes, making them places of peace and reflection in an oftentimes hostile world.
January 21, 2023
This is my first time reading a book like this from cover to cover. It is a beautiful celebration of black home ownership and some of the history behind our efforts to achieve this goal. It speaks to our generational creativity and the use of treasures from flea markets, family heirlooms, and the African diaspora to create a beautiful, comfortable, safe space. I hope other black interior designers will add to this genre. Loved it! 💜
Favorite quote: “We’re more than an oppressed people. It’s important to see images of us in spaces where it’s happy and it’s positive.”
Favorite quote: “We’re more than an oppressed people. It’s important to see images of us in spaces where it’s happy and it’s positive.”
March 13, 2023
More Text than Photos
And that is the basis of its importance, contributing factual and researched accounts of American families, unseen in society and legally denied civil rights and financial equity well into the latter half of the 20th century. The black families’s values of saving, higher education and property ownership were the foundation, along with tenacity to overcome centuries’ old injustice to achieve economic success. We are a nation of immigrants who value our diverse heritages. In the safety of our own homes, elders who nurtured their younger generations are honored and memorialized through art, mementos, and meaningful heirlooms that keep their origin stories alive to inspire the future generations yet to be born. At times raw, always poignant, their work spread and led to emergence of talented black leaders in today’s design industry. Sadly, they are still underrepresented, but leaving their unique perspectives in noteworthy homes and businesses they have created, filled with memories, love and soul. This eye-opening book needs your full attention and open mind to absorb the beauty in the truths it reveals. It is that important and original. If the authors had added mor photos to the text, it would easily have been 5 stars from me!
And that is the basis of its importance, contributing factual and researched accounts of American families, unseen in society and legally denied civil rights and financial equity well into the latter half of the 20th century. The black families’s values of saving, higher education and property ownership were the foundation, along with tenacity to overcome centuries’ old injustice to achieve economic success. We are a nation of immigrants who value our diverse heritages. In the safety of our own homes, elders who nurtured their younger generations are honored and memorialized through art, mementos, and meaningful heirlooms that keep their origin stories alive to inspire the future generations yet to be born. At times raw, always poignant, their work spread and led to emergence of talented black leaders in today’s design industry. Sadly, they are still underrepresented, but leaving their unique perspectives in noteworthy homes and businesses they have created, filled with memories, love and soul. This eye-opening book needs your full attention and open mind to absorb the beauty in the truths it reveals. It is that important and original. If the authors had added mor photos to the text, it would easily have been 5 stars from me!
June 23, 2024
One of the best coffee table books I’ve ever read. This could have easily been just a book with nice photographs of black family homes but it also doubles as a history of what it means to find a home for black Americans. I actually felt affirmed after reading it and would highly recommend reading it as a reminder that the state of the black home ownership (or lack there of) is not simply happenstance but the results of intentional policy. Really well done.
August 8, 2023
Profiles of Black homes. Their owners designed rooms to reflect a desire for safety, honoring prior generations' struggles, and self-expression when the outside world doesn't always support their full self.
There were little vignettes of African American history about houses and how systematic biases in housing contributed to the wealth gap between races.
There were little vignettes of African American history about houses and how systematic biases in housing contributed to the wealth gap between races.
March 28, 2023
Outstanding and unique design/history book. Gorgeous photos and great book design as well as informative and interesting text. Recommended to all people who enjoy reading about and seeing beautifully decorated yet realistic homes.
March 27, 2025
So this is a design book that mixes real people's stories with historical references and it was such a good read. This was a book I checked out from the library, but it's definitely one I want to own.
December 28, 2022
A beautiful book showing the homes of black men & women sharing their family stories and legacies. The story behind everyone's look is very interesting, especially the handmade cotton tree.
February 17, 2023
Gorgeous photos and interiors, searing stories of triumph despite racism. I learned a lot from the essays throughout.
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March 12, 2023During February, Wayfair highlighted Black designers/decorators and I found this brand/these authors. Mainly I just look at the pictures for inspiration.
April 22, 2023
Gorgeous, gorgeous photos here! The homes capture the history of these families and legacies so well and their stories really touched me.
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June 19, 2023Wonderfully informative
Love this book more than decor it's also a great history book, everyone should read it. I highly recommend it
Love this book more than decor it's also a great history book, everyone should read it. I highly recommend it
October 27, 2024
another interior design showcase. nothing special, but the owners are hand picked to have black skin.
April 6, 2025
Skimmed
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews