Talking Colours with Multiple Names

At Angama Mara we all sat around the same table when it came to creating 'THE LOOK', although it must be made very clear that Steve Fitzgerald is the Official Decorator (along with being Officially-In-Charge-of-just-about-Everything).

Right from the start it was decided that the main colour scheme would be Maasai Red and French Khaki, with copper & brass accents.

No problem there - we were all on the same page.

Until we had to place the orders …

Now apart from a few tried and tested suppliers on home ground, the Angama team was adamant to support the local manufactures and suppliers in and around Nairobi and a few further abroad, too.

I must admit, I didn't for one moment think that we would have to explain the hue or the intensity of Maasai Red and French Khaki to safari-minded suppliers. Surely RED by any other name will be RED and everybody knows KHAKI comes in 3 shades: brown, green and French.

Well, I was mistaken.

Our first order was from France - the classic Fermob Luxembourg rocking chairs in Chilli. On confirmation of the order the same red was suddenly called Pimo. But it looked a little too ox-bloody online. And there was another red called Poppy (was our red maybe Poppy? Never!) Stubbornly we insisted on Chilli and we will only really know if it is the Angama Mara Maasai Red when we unpack.

We started referring to my favourite Plascon Paint colour - Ivory Parchment - instead of French Khaki as things went terribly wrong here. French Khaki was interpreted as camel, cream, off-white, tan, taupe, biscuit, buff, ecru, fawn, mushroom, neutral and oatmeal.

I don't think we won that battle either.

Anyway ... we might land up with the entire red palette from Indian Red to Salmon, Crimson to Firebrick, Chilli to Poppy or be lucky and simply get the Angama Mara Maasai Red.

No promises on the Ivory Parchment - but we will keep you posted.

Unlike the Angama Mara team's obsession with the perfect red, Dutch designer Hella Jongerius purposely chose a spectrum of reds for her Polder-Sofa

Watch this space!