Karen Blixen - Isak Dinesen home

Question 63: Interior of Karen Blixen's house in Kenya?

Q. Where will I be able to find pictures or photographs of the INTERIORS of the farm house in Kenya? There seems to be plenty of information on the museum in Denmark but not so for Africa. Since many of us won't be able to make the long journey to Africa it would be nice to at least see some views of the inside of her home.

A. The following photos were taken in 1986 by Linda Donelson. Today photography is not permitted in the museum. We have found no books or postcards with photos of the house's interior.

The house is furnished today with some of its original furniture, including the beautifully refurbished dining room set, and a copy of the screen with oriental figures Karen Blixen used as inspiration for her stories for Denys Finch Hatton. Meryl Streep's safari boots and jodhpurs are laid out in the bedroom.

The museum is well cared for by trustees. It is constantly improved with reproductions of its original furnishings, welcoming details such as a guestbook for you to sign, and informative tours by native Kenyans. The house is a delight to the imagination. You will listen for Denys Finch Hatton's car coming up the drive.

Copyright © 2003 by Linda Donelson. All rights reserved. The photos may not be copied, reproduced or used elsewhere on the internet.

You can see photos of the exterior of the house at this link: Exterior. A variety of exterior photos can be found among our Travel Links.

More interior photos.

Out of Africa's true story