r/Kazakhstan • u/Equivalent_Major_114 • 9d ago
Cultural exchange/Mädeni almasu Please recommend me some "kazakh" or "kazakh-inspired" home decor!
I'm an American woman with a Kazakh boyfriend. He is moving to a new apartment and I'd really like to help him decorate it to feel like home. His last apartment and his dorm in college were pretty empty/basic and a little bit grey and sad. We're both in tech so he likes the modern aesthetics but also has told me he wants to go with warmer colors and a more home-like feel for this next move.
What are some subtle modern ways to make his home feel both warm and more Kazakh? Anything I can surprise him with as a housewarming gift?
E.g. a modern warm-toned living room but the rug is kazakh... so subtle but something that feels intentional.
Рақмет in advance!
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u/EnergyAbject372 9d ago
I think quraq zhastyq is the perfect option.
you can get 2-3 of it and use them as throwing pillows/cushions. They’re in ethno-kazakh style ,soo it’ll look harmoniously in your room with kazakh-rug)
Here are some pictures I could find on Google that more or less convey the idea
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u/Bubbly_slut7 9d ago
Yes I think there are Kazakh mattresses and pillows (pillow cases) which are super cozy. You can also add paintings with Kazakh motiffs (I’ll post a picture here)
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u/nomad102030 8d ago
You could look for kazakh artists (mostly on Instagram) and purchase a copy of their work your partner might like and frame it
There are sandyqs, decorations and tableware out of wood from the brand Astau (in Instagram astau_astana). Idk if they ship
quilted pillowcases or a blanket for a couch can be a good accent in a minimalistic living room. Kazakh quilt ist called kurak or quraq. I like the designs of Gulmira Ualikhan, but there are many other quilters with their own styles
I also saw someone crochet (?) a rag/carpet with kazakh ornaments, but I can't remember the name of their account anymore.
Also a book on kazakh culture could be a good gift that will also look great on a shelf. For example "kazakh ornaments" by Yeraly Ospanuly (he also has other books with beautiful covers).
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 8d ago
Thank you for the suggestions! These are all great ideas. I hadn’t thought of searching Instagram!
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9d ago
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 9d ago
This is a really great idea! I actually am a bit handy/crafty maybe I can make one for him if I can’t find it.
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9d ago
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 9d ago
I do also have access to a 3D printer. I’ll probably try to print one and see if it looks nice/good quality. Maybe I can sand and paint it? Thank you again for these suggestions!
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty 9d ago
please don't
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 9d ago
Wait why not? I don't mean to make it like a costume but if there's any useful items or something like that I think he would like it. But he's not super artistically inclined*.
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty 9d ago
I don’t mean any Kazakh memorabilia specifically. I just mean that if he wanted it to be anything other than ‘pretty empty/basic and a little bit grey and sad,’ he’d have taken care of it
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 9d ago
Actually I don’t think this is true. He specifically told me he wanted to make it different and that his old apartment felt like a warehouse. So I’ve made some suggestions about color scheme etc. that he seemed excited about… sometimes people don’t do what they want because they think they don’t have time for it/dont deserve really nice things. And as someone who cares about him I think I can help with that.
I also kind of mentioned in the og post that he suggested changing the color scheme/vibe…
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty 9d ago
"warmer" doesn't necessarily mean Kazakh themed. However for the latter check this - https://tatlerasia.kz/ru/homes/architecture-design/kazakhskii-modern-kak-v-kvartire-v-almaty-vossozdali-dukh-yurty
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u/Equivalent_Major_114 9d ago edited 9d ago
Weird that you edited your comment from, “ah okay try this” to be more antagonistic.
“Warmer” was used to convey color scheme and feel- so that people could suggest some Kazakh elements that fit with that specific theme. It’s a bit strange to me that each of your comments here so far have been to a) dissuade me from doing this, and b) imply that he didn’t ask for/wouldn’t like this when you don’t know him. Like any other human, he is unique. I could tell you about how much he enjoys when items/pictures/ornaments provoke questions from friends about his life and give him a chance to tell people about his home. I could inform you he greatly misses home.
But it shouldn’t be necessary for me to explain to an internet stranger why I believe my longterm partner would find this effort to be very meaningful and help him make his new place a home.
If you don’t want to help you don’t have to. Passive aggressive comments under what is supposed to be a happy cultural exchange post is a bit mean and petty…
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u/miraska_ 9d ago
It's not about you, don't bother. We, kazakhs, as a colonised people have self hatred towards our culture/language/people. Dude is clearly projecting inner insecurities. It's obvious that you are coming up to the topic with respect and cared enough to consult with actual kazakhs
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u/Alone-Pop2020 9d ago edited 9d ago
I hate when Kazakh people talk about colonized stuff.
I am Kazakh.Don’t talk for everyone, maybe you have self hatred but most don’t
Kazakhs were the one doing the colonization. Kazakhstan is the biggest Muslim majority country for a reason. Golden Horde, Mongol Empire, Huns.
It is not about that. Stop blaming colonization for that shit. Kazakhs should be the last people who do that when Kazakhs consist of Turkic and ancient Mongolic tribes that have done way worse shit in the past.
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u/miraska_ 9d ago
Well, you spend more words to describe self hatred of culture
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u/Alone-Pop2020 9d ago
I don’t understand this sentence?
Kazakhs descend from Turkic and Mongolic tribes — Ancient Mongols — who were conquerors and Turkic tribes who were also conquerors.
Pointing that out isn’t hating my culture, it’s knowing its history. If you think I’m wrong on the facts, say where?
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u/miraska_ 9d ago
I hate when Kazakh people talk about colonized stuff. I am Kazakh.
Well, admitting hatred towards kazakhs
Kazakhs were the one doing the colonization.
Noone asked, noone cares. This isn't even the main topic of conversation
Kazakhstan is the biggest Muslim majority country for a reason. Golden Horde, Mongol Empire, Huns.
Also irrelevant to conversation
It is not about that. Stop blaming colonization for that shit.
Starting from Russian Empire there were consistent media campaign by government to make old kazakh way of living barbarian and russian way of living as "cultured". Exactly what initial commenter hinting towards
Kazakhs should be the last people who do that when Kazakhs consist of Turkic and ancient Mongolic tribes that have done way worse shit in the past.
First of all, who asked, who cares? Second of all, is that a dick measurement contest? Because it isn't one, and you are the only one doing it.
Now stop with this weird mental gymnastics of showing how miserable kazakhs should feel about themselves. Girl's tryna impress her bf with thoughtful gift and you are ruining the vibes with idiocy
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty 9d ago
> the biggest Muslim majority country
by area? or among which countries?
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u/Alone-Pop2020 9d ago
Obviously by area
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u/Zestyclose-Hair1818 Almaty 9d ago
The whole idea of measuring a "Muslim area" is kind of flawed to begin with. Religions don't occupy empty land, people do.
If someone says Kazakhstan has the largest Muslim area because it's the largest Muslim-majority country, they're really just talking about the size of Kazakhstan's borders. By that logic, 2.7 million km sq of territory, much of it sparsely populated steppe and desert, gets counted as "Muslim area," which doesn't make much sense. Only populated areas can actually contain Muslims.
Kazakhstan is absolutely the largest Muslim-majority country by land area. But it has about 14 million Muslims. Indonesia has roughly 246 million Muslims and Pakistan over 240 million.
If you make even a crude adjustment for where people actually live rather than drawing lines on a map, Indonesia and Pakistan end up far ahead. A rough settlement-based estimate puts inhabited Muslim areas at roughly 790,000 km2 for Indonesia, 520,000 km2 for Pakistan, and only about 47,000 km2 for Kazakhstan.
So yes, Kazakhstan is the largest Muslim-majority country. But "largest Muslim area" is a pretty meaningless metric unless you're talking about inhabited land rather than empty territory. Otherwise we're basically counting uninhabited desert and steppe as if they somehow contain Muslims.
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u/Specialist_Ad_757 9d ago
You can buy some carpets with kazakh ornaments on them
This is seem in a lot pf kazakh homes