Decorative Arts in Nigerian Domestic Interiors: A Study of Middle-Class Homes in Ibadan

The choices made in decorating domestic interiors reveal complex negotiations between cultural identity, aspirational aesthetics, economic status, and the influence of global design media. This study examines the decorative arts practices of middle-class households in Ibadan, Oyo State, one of Nigeria's largest and most culturally diverse cities in the South West geopolitical zone. A descriptive survey design is employed, with data collected from 150 homeowners through structured questionnaires, photographic documentation of consented living spaces, and follow-up interviews. The study analyses the types of artworks, craft objects, textiles, and decorative items present in domestic interiors, the sources from which they were acquired, the aesthetic preferences of household members, and the cultural or symbolic meanings attributed to specific objects. The theoretical framework draws on material culture studies, the sociology of taste, and the domestic aesthetics literature. The study examines whether Ibadan middle-class homes display a distinctive Yoruba aesthetic sensibility, a pan-Nigerian visual culture, or a convergence toward globally circulated design trends facilitated by social media platforms and home decor retailers. Recent scholarship on African domestic interiors has identified this as a significantly underresearched area relative to its social and cultural importance. The study contributes empirical data on decorative choices as expressions of identity and aspiration. Findings are relevant to interior designers, art market researchers, and cultural policy advocates in the South West zone. Keywords: decorative arts, domestic interiors, Ibadan, middle class, aesthetics