Photos: The Home Of An African Man Becomes A Museum In England

The home of an African man of Kenya decent that housed an inspiring story and works of an uncommon man has been recently converted into a  museum.

Khadambi Asalache, a writer, poet, and a civil servant handcrafted the interiors of his home with intricate wooden carvings bearing Islamic, African and English influences.

Born in Kenya, the son of a chief, Asalache studied architecture in Nairobi, and art in Rome, Geneva and Vienna. He produced poetry and novels, and – after a spell with BBC Africa – took a job at the Treasury in London. In 1981, he moved into a dilapidated house at 575 Wandsworth Road.

Asalache, who could not deal with a damp patch on the wall of his house, he opted to cover it instead, producing the first of his wooden carvings. Twenty years later, he was still at work.

The house, which is now the newest museum in England is overseen by conservation charity, the National Trust.

“I think the house really stands for the power of human endeavour, and for what can be created with time and dedication and love,” the Trust’s Laura Hussey told the BBC’s Newsday programme.

Interesting, Asalache basically salvaged rubbish dumps to come up with the fascinating interior.

The house also housed souvenirs from Asalache’s foreign travels.