Pallet for Home: film set design

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Film Interiors Unwrapped: Tara Road

Before The Holiday -- in which Kate Winslet owns my all-time favorite movie house -- there was Tara Road. Marilyn (Andie MacDowell) is struggling with her son's sudden death when she decides to escape her Connecticut home and swap places with Ria (Olivia Williams), a Dublin wife and mother whose husband has just left her for his pregnant girlfriend. In Connecticut (Cape Town makes a beautiful but unlikely stand-in), Ria revels in the peace of Marilyn's sprawling house and pool. The sparse modern furnishings and few bright decorator accents are a break from the messiness of her life at home. While in Ireland, Marilyn is confronted by Ria's family drama at every turn and realizes that her marriage is worth trying to save despite its new reality. Ria's house on Tara Road is a character in itself that comes under threat and helps to reveal the full extent of her husband's treachery.

The Connecticut house and pool -- very little adornment.

The Connecticut living room -- the furniture is all right angles

with the art and accessories adding precise blasts of color.

The Connecticut kitchen continues the house's color scheme of blue, orange and yellow. Pool tile adds shimmer to the walls and the lack of upper cabinets leaves room for art. A decorator's hand seems to have guided the entire house and very little of Marilyn's personality can be seen in the space. It gives Ria room to rediscover herself and her passion for cooking.

The house on Tara Road is shot from below to highlight its importance in the characters' lives. Though it has an imposing presence, the first scene shows Ria being greeted by her kids at the door and we understand that this is a happy home for them.

I've always loved a house with a proper entryway. Here the original tile and doors are offset by modern lamps. Red is the dominant color in this house.

The living room on Tara Road -- red walls bring the focus to a gorgeous black marble fireplace. The large mirror over it makes the room seem even bigger, yet the furniture makes the space feel cozy.

The kitchen on Tara Road -- three walls of counter space and a big kitchen table. This is the heart of the house, where Ria has clearly cooked many a meal for her family. Decorative plates add detail to the walls.

Here are a few items on the market that echo the warm family vibe of the house on Tara Road.

Black Marble Fireplace Mantel from Jamb.

Gold-Leaf Mirror from Jean-Marc Fray.

Handmade Lampshade from House of Chintz.

Vintage Greek Plate from 216 Stitches.

Bench from Primitive Passions.

Farmhouse Dining Table from Hastening Antiques.

Film Images: Noel Pearson Productions.

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Filed Under: film interiors, film set design, tara road

Film Interiors Unwrapped: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

When Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium first came out, I assumed it was just for kids and didn't make any effort to see it. One day I caught part of it on cable and ended up putting the DVD on my queue because it so captured my interest. The film is a visual feast. The toy store at the center of the narrative is exactly what its name implies--bursting with wonders both new and vintage. Mr. Magorium's apartment above the shop is equally charming--full of quirky curiosities and jewel-tone colors on the walls and furnishings, not to mention a pet zebra. Molly, played by Natalie Portman, also lives in a space rich in color and the pleasant clutter of one-of-a-kind furniture. Besides being a gorgeous film to watch, the story itself is lovely and life-affirming. Mr. Magorium utters one of my favorite movie quotes to a struggling Molly: Life is an occasion. Rise to it.

No living room is complete without a life-size toy soldier.

Beyond the zebra, tangerine curtains and quirky silhouettes in oval frames.

Love the high-backed armchair with a cityscape design on the fabric
and the miniature Tiffany lamps lining the table.

Industrial molds and newspaper-wrapped chairs are stacked precariously.

The kitchen has one blue wall, one purple one and emerald green plates displayed on a shelf.
The look is pulled together by two jewel-toned glass chandeliers.

My eye goes to the turquoise walls, the lamp with a coral shade and the parasol.

Architectural posts with stained-glass windows between them make unique room dividers.

Etsy is full of creative options that channel the magic of Mr. Magorium's world. A bold coat of paint makes the perfect companion to some of these pieces.

Horse silhouette from Flea Market Trixie.

Armchairs from Name Design Studio.

Newspaper Dress Form from Corset Laced Mannequin.

Mid-century Mod Lamp from Arty Czechs.

Japanese parasol from Poppeacock Vintage.

Stained glass window from Silence DoGood's.

Movie Images: Walden Media.

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Filed Under: film set design, jewel tones

Film Interiors Unwrapped: Addicted to Love

I recently read an article in New York magazine about design team Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of the firm Roman and Williams and was intrigued enough by their old school materials meets modern living aesthetic to re-watch the film Addicted to Love in order to see some of their early work as set designers. The movie turned out to be better than I remembered and the sets did not disappoint. Though its release date was in 1997, the images could be ripped out of today's magazines.

Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick play jilted lovers Maggie and Sam, who camp out together in an abandoned building to watch their exes Linda and Anton through a camera obscura aimed at Anton's expansive loft. Their envious gaze falls both on the amorous new couple and on the space they share. When the apartment is vacated for a weekend, Sam and Maggie move in and comb each room for clues about who their partners have become in their absence. Though the loft takes center stage, the country house that Sam leaves to pursue Linda has plenty of charm of its own and even the shell of an apartment that Maggie and Sam share has a bit of steampunk appeal that Maggie's inventive wardrobe complements perfectly.

Sam's country home full of fresh flowers in anticipation of a dinner with Linda.

Linda's father arrives instead with a "Dear John" letter.

The carved mantel is the showpiece of this room.

Decorative plates hang on the wall near an elegant settee.

Anton's workspace employs old metal locker bins for organization.

The neighboring kitchen features a carpenter's bench as an island.

A farmhouse table with mismatched chairs leads to a kitchen full of industrial elements--an old chalkboard, schoolhouse pendant lamps, a drafting chair and factory stool.

A vintage metal hospital cabinet is filled with fresh towels and strikes both a masculine and feminine note in the all-white bathroom.

The following are a few items on the market that channel the essence of Sam's house in Delaware and Anton's New York city loft.

Regency walnut fireplace mantel from Pegaso Gallery Design.

Plate Shelf from Silverfox Originals.

4 piece sofa set by Kai Kristiansen at Arenskjold Antiques Art.

Work bench from Lillian August Designs.

Vintage desk chair from Topsy Design.

Vintage metal locker basket from Haven Vintage.

Vintage medical cabinet from Amsuarezfl.

Film images are property of Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Filed Under: addicted to love, film set design, industrial, loft, movie set decor

Interiors: Books Arranged by Color

Family and friends know that I have an obsessive compulsive streak, so the fact that I'm attracted to great walls of color-coordinated books is no surprise. Though I've dabbled in arranging my books by color, I've never had a library set-up with all of my books on display in one spot. I still remember driving to south Philly with my friend Liz one evening a few years ago and slowing down so we could get a better look at a red wallpapered library that called to us like a beacon from the third story of an elegant rowhome. A well stocked library will always get a second look from me.

One of the many highlights in Christian Slater's apartment in the movie Bed of Roses is his tidy wall of red and black books and the ladder that he uses to reach them and his rooftop garden (above). Though it takes some effort to achieve, a library that is arranged in blocks of color becomes an artful focal point. And anything that draws people to peruse a library and then curl up with a good book is more than worth the effort.

Images: New Line Cinema. House & Home magazine, September 2010 issue. Thrifty Chic: Interior Style on a Shoestring by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell, photography by Simon Brown, published by CICO Books 2009. Living etc magazine, May 2010 and June 2010 issues.

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Filed Under: bed of roses, books arranged by color, film set design, libraries

Film Interiors Unwrapped: Wimbledon

The perfect prescription for a dull Sunday afternoon, Wimbledon is the story of rising tennis star Lizzie (Kirsten Dunst) and aging player Peter (Paul Bettany) who fall in love amid the competitive atmosphere of the games. Though much of the film takes place on the court and in hotel rooms, the small glimpses that we're given into Peter's life (his apartment under renovation and his family's house) leave me wanting to see more. His childhood home in Brighton (above) is the quintessential English country house that combines formal style with a hint of messiness to keep it from being cold.

The kitchen is clearly the heart of this house, with its large hutch

full of blue and white plates. Mom Augusta arranges

the day's flower pickings from the garden.

A gorgeous stone fireplace in the dining room--

the mantel covered in silver pieces and pottery.

The treehouse--dad Edward's temporary living quarters.

Peter keeps an apartment in his hometown which seems to have undergone a lot of renovation and then stalled (perhaps because of a losing streak in his career). His living room and kitchen are the only finished rooms, with the rest half lived in and half in boxes.

The first shot of Peter's apartment shows that he has some great pieces to make for a cool space--French bistro chairs, stained glass lanterns, a whitewashed dresser.

Salvaged etched glass doors and a wooden coat stand

continue the French touches.

A file cabinet separates the bedroom from the living room.

From the bedroom side, we see that the living room is one space

that is no longer in transit. A cute corner cabinet and accessories--

such as the pair of vases--make the room complete.

Here are a few items on the market now (though some of them are more wish-list picks than anything else) that share the essence of their inspiration pieces in Peter's apartment and in his childhood home.