“I had a farm in Africa…”
If you haven’t seen this classic film, it’s currently streaming on Netflix so watch it. Seriously: watch it now!
Set in British East Africa (which was later to become Kenya) in pre-WW1, with all the changes that occurred at the tail end of the Edwardian era, you live the life of Karen Dinesen, an upper class Danish woman who moves to Africa to marry the Baron Von Blixen and to search for a new life, a life worth living.
At one point, Denys Finch-Hatton (played dreamily by Robert Redford) points out that sitting in Karen’s living room feels like sitting in Denmark: she has brought all of her crystal and her Limoges china and for her, those things are what make it home.
But beyond the crystal and china, there are dry, wild landscapes contrasted with the lush coffee bushes from her farm and a stone farmhouse that was almost a character in and of itself.
A Little Of The Safari Look Without The Safari
I don’t think too many of us would claim that big hunting is something that we aspire to, but the look and feel of the farmhouse in the movie is.
How about mosquito netting or gauzy curtains hanging over the bed, creating a flowing, romantic feel to the room? Or safari themed prints for pillow upholstery? Whatever your choices, the key is to keep things natural. We’re not suggesting stuffed heads on the walls but keep in mind that a colonial home in that period would have had a lot of ‘natural’ decoration, rather than manufactured pieces.
Wood and stone should make up the primary materials, with dark furniture pieces offset by lighter walls and window dressing. Teak, rattan and wicker all work, in natural tones, without a lot of embellishment.
Bring Nature Indoors
Open and airy spaces are key to bringing nature indoors. If you don’t have any, consider installing a ceiling fan. It will add that airiness and was typical in Colonial homes, out of sheer necessity. Palm fronds or even potted trees add the green feel of the coffee bushes without needing to harvest!
Keeping natural flooring – whether that’s hardwood floors or stone tiles – with throw rugs is easy to maintain while still lending to the outdoors coming in. Jute throw rugs give that rustic, natural appearance while still being fully functional.
Vases of flowers can be intermixed with different grasses and other greenery. Keeping your color scheme to greens, browns, black, gray and off white is as close to being outdoors as it reasonably possible without actually moving into the back yard. Pops of color on cushions, lampshades and wall hangings will bring the look into balance.
Imagine You Are There, Looking In
Would you have a single painting on the wall or would you have multiple wood framed photographs, images and perhaps other items like documents and maps? The latter is so much more relevant to the Colonial design.
Wood carvings and decorations and glass hurricane lanterns will add both the safari and the romantic to your design. Including leather pieces is another great way to add ‘nature’ without being over the top.
Esquire Faux Leather Coffee Table
And if it’s all feeling a little too masculine when you’re done, florals and chintz were very popular in the period and would have been used to soften the look of rooms without making them uncomfortable.
If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I am saying with all of these ideas. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Transport yourself to a different time and place for a few hours and live it always with your new design.