This post is part of the A to Z Challenge.
In my earlier camping years I never gave much thought to the colours of tents or accessories; most of the things were purchased from different sources and were bought because they were needed, and colour didn't come into it at all. That all changed in 2008, in my pre-solo camping days, with the purchase of a 1989 2-berth caravan - although perfectly serviceable the interior looked very dated, with dark mustard-coloured velour curtains and pelmets, brown and beige seating and a grotty brown carpet. It wasn't really a caravan you would want to spend much time in so a complete refurb was needed. The purchase of a roll-end of cotton material in a lovely shade of yellow produced matching curtains, blinds, cushion covers, duvet cover and pillowcases, and re-covered the pelmets and seat back rests, and a light orange carpet completed the transformation. It was, therefore, a natural progression to add colour matching accessories; mugs, bowls and plates in yellow, yellow towels, a yellow tablecloth and even a small vase of artificial yellow flowers - all found their way into the caravan and added to what had become a very sunny and pleasant place to be.
The first drive-away awning was purchased because I liked the style of it and again colour didn't come into it; it just so happened that it was two-tone grey trimmed with red, which matched the interior of the van to which it would be attached. At first I didn't give much thought to colour matching but a charity shop purchase of a pair of red curtains to use as blinds in the van, and a red storage box to keep all the camping bits and pieces in, started the trend. I already had a red moon chair which was very rarely used so that was dragged out of hibernation, and one of my first purchases as a solo camper was a red duvet set which is only ever used when sleeping in the van; with red mugs and plates, cutlery with red handles, red checked tablecloth, red lamp and red throw to cover the portable loo, and even a red bag to pack my personal bits and pieces in, the van-and-awning set up is now completely co-ordinated.
The tent camping side of things has become very much the same; with the purchase three years ago of a tent which only came in blue I've collected together blue bedding, blue and cream patterned tent carpet, blue chair, blue storage box and other blue accessories which will only be used with the tent; even the washing up liquid is blue! My most recent purchase was a new and larger tent, which of course is blue - any other colour just wouldn't do. Now I'm not saying I'm particularly obsessive about this colour co-ordination thing but I've come a long way since my early camping days and mis-matched colours now just look so wrong. I just hope that I never buy a tent or awning in a completely different colour - green for instance - as the collection of a fourth set of matching accessories will probably confirm what some people already think - that I'm ever-so-slightly mad!