SHELTER Sets: The New Normal

Note: NBC has cancelled this program but I still had a draft post for its set design, so here it is! In fact, here's a piece on the auction house, One Kings Lane that sold the remains.

I didn't get to watch it much because it was on the same time as some other show that probably got cancelled too but I still think Andrew Rannells is amazing. The main set, a Spanish Colonial Revival home for his character Bryan and his husband David is a gorgeous and believable abode for a the Monterey-based TV producer and a gynecologist. The house was based on the design and style of a 1920s home owned by Diane Keaton, perhaps because the show's creator Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) owns another of her past homes.

Master Bedroom

Bryan and Tony shopping for props

Furnished and styled by set decorator Bryan Venegas and production designer Tony Fanning the New Normal home set is eclectic and full of leather, dark wood furniture and floors all accented by colorful tile and pottery. The rare and expensive Monterey furniture was replicated by an artisan woodworker.


Kitchen

Detail of kitchen island tile

Interesting tidbit gleaned from an L.A. Times article; the tile in the kitchen is fake. Trying to replicate the tile featured in Diane Keaton's kitchen would have been too expensive. Instead, they photographed the inspiration tiles and printed the images on medium-density fiberboard (MDF). They were then routed, grouted and sealed just like real tile. In another example of creative thriftiness, expensive pottery was crafted in foam and then painted to look like cement.

Home office

Dining room and home office

I don't know why more TV and film productions don't do things like that. If it looks the same on camera, why not? It helps the budget (in this case by thousands) and  the actors don't need the real thing. Win-win.

A detail from Georgia and Shania's cottage

However, the set I prefer on the show is not theirs but that of their baby surrogate and friend Goldie and her daughter Shania. It's compact one-room size with kitschy details, bright colors and its frugality is more my style. Too bad I couldn't find more photos of it.

Living room and bedroom

View from kitchen

Living room and kitchen

Images: One Kings Lane, NBC, Twentieth Century Fox

SHELTER Sets: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer

Relativity Media (2011) Jordana Beatty, Heather Graham Set Design: Cynthia Charette, Don Diers I have never seen this movie, but the images on the Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA) website captured my attention. The look of this film is the work of production designer Cynthia Charette and set decorator Don Diers. The designers took their inspiration from the Judy Moody books written by Megan McDonald and its black and white illustrations, drawn by Peter H. Reynolds. Image: Suzanne Tenner Adorable house, even more adorable to me if the door was orange and the shutters leaf green. Image: Ken Haber I could move right into this living room without changing much. I could even stand the wallpaper, but I would need a richer, spicier rug. That sofa is a dream; the color, the comfy shape, and well, come on - it's velvet! I like that the furnishings used were from a myriad of sources; Pottery Barn, Home Goods, LampsPlus Crate & Barrel, Target, CraigsList and even local thrift stores. Image: Ken Haber This pass-thru shows the eclecticism of the decor, with the whimsical and graphic grandfather clock and the folksy, hand-painted secretary desk on the other side of the entrance. Image: Ken Haber The kitchen is a room where I might make a few more changes. Love the floor, not the rug, Change out the table and chairs for a round wooden table and black Windsor chairs. I would also exchange the chandelier for a old-time surface mounted light fixture, remove the quaint wallpaper, and paint the walls a nice cake batter yellow. Image: Ken Haber Here is their imaginative take on a thrift/antique store. Check out that orphaned old teacup car and the seven foot tall legs! I want to go to there! Images: by Suzanne Tenner, Judy Moody Productions and Ken Haber. Set Decorators Society of America website

SHELTER Sets: Somewhere Pink To Land

With season 6 updates!

The last ever season of Mad Men has aired. While looking at all the retrospective articles, episode recaps, and fashion commentary, I also looked at the interiors of the Mad Men sets. With Joan Holloway-Harris' departure from McCann Erickson, a lot more of her scenes were staged in her little pink apartment. Even though most of the articles mentioned above spoke about how the characters had or had not changed in the last 10 years, one thing that did not change was her home. When I first put together this post, Joan was still a newlywed. Now, despite all her life changes in the past ten years and the fact that now her little boy and mother share the space, it miraculously looks the same. Check out some new pics and updated commentary (in blue) below.

Well, come on in! Welcome to the apartment home of Greg and Joan Harris (nee Holloway), wonderfully sourced and styled by the talented set decorator Amy Wells, production designer Dan Bishop* and their design teams at Mad Men.

It is definitely girly, all done up in coral pink and seafoam green. Or in other words, shades of red and green. You do remember that the former Joan Holloway got married during the Christmas season, right?

Add in some cream, turquoise, gold accents, robin's egg blue in the kitchen, lavender or lilac in the bedroom, and you have Joan's complete interior color scheme for her amazing pink apartment.

So, let's start with that sumptuous floor pillow Joanie is lounging on above. This would be easy to replicate with some damask fabric and the same kind of trim which can still be found at any fabric store, some 30 decades later. How about a mix and match of the two below from Wrights trims?


Wrights trims

In this view, we can see the green graphic patterned drapes alongside shorter cream or eggshell colored sheers; a gilded oval mirror, candle sconces, and her cream painted dining set with cane back chairs. Notice that her walls are in a deep coral (or salmon) and that the trim is that color that landlords still stick you with today, Antique White/Apartment Beige (or as it's called in the U.K, Magnolia). At least she has the wall-to-wall seafoam green carpet to augment her color scheme.

• The painted piece near the dining table stands in for a bar and seems to have a faux shagreen finish on the sides and gold detailing. Anyone know what this piece is called or what the furniture style is?

• Gilded gold round coffee table with inset glass resting on three chunky legs.

General Electric refrigerator for S. 3 and newer one for S.4

• Season 3 had the most adorable refrigerator ever! It took quite a while to source this one! Luckily, it was distinctive because of the vertical handle, separate freezer compartment on the bottom, slightly raised middle section on top and the deep channeled detailing down the center. It looks like it could be either a General Electric Deluxe PB6-40 or just a B6-40. Now whether or not they kept the same designs for years, may mean that this model is as old as the 1940-50s. Perhaps MM noticed that too because Season 4 shows a different, less-cute refrigerator.
  
  

  

  Season 6

• Season 6 shows an even newer refrigerator, in bright blue! What was Joan doing to those things? That seems to be a lot of wear and tear in just ten years.

• Remember those nubby sofas? What was that fabric and why was it so hard to clean?
• Here we see a coral armchair in a different style than the cream damask club chair seen in the earlier picture.
• I love that pale wood TV cabinet on hairpin wire legs and the lovely turquoise bowl/ashtray on top.
• Also do you notice the painted street scene? A very similar one is seen in her new office this season, I wonder if she brought it from home or bought herself a new one?

Season 6

• In season 6, Joan still has the same sofa. It is over ten years old and still covered in the same fabric. I find it hard to believe that with the huge increase in her salary this was never replaced. Every other character on the show has changed homes, some numerous times. However, Joan not only did not move but she had never changed anything in her apartment except a kitchen appliance or two? Puh-lease.
• Those turquoise drapes do not seem to have faded and the carpet has changed from a pale seafoam blue to cream, despite there being a child under ten living there.

Season 6

• Gilded faux bamboo bar cart with turquoise and gold tipped glasses. Of course, this made it to season 6!

• An unique folding buffet tray for appetizers. I used to have a wooden sewing basket that was constructed just like this. Here's one by Karoff that I found online at A La Modern. I'm tempted to believe it's the same one that Mad Men bought. Others can still be found on eBay and Etsy.

Karoff buffet tray

• A better look at the abstract patterned barkcloth curtains at the back of the room next to the plant.
• A closer view of those nubby, uncomfortable sofas? We had two otherwise lovely Danish armchairs recovered in that fabric (almost the same color too) when I was a teen. They originally were in tufted black leather...le sigh.
• Notice Joan's gold-tipped tea service and canape server. You can tell that she studied entertaining from her copy of Emily Post.
• I wish we could see those hanging light fixtures better though.

Red pearl Crucianelli accordion.

• I found many similar looking Italian-made Scandalli models before I could find a picture of a Crucianelli model like Joan's. Isn't it truly gorgeous?

Update: Picture of Joanie's bedroom, just ignore the exhausted diva in her jammies.

Lookee! Here's Joanie's color scheme from a 1952 print ad for DUCO paints from DuPont.

Images: Courtesy of Tom and Lorenzo (Thank you SO much guys!), A La Modern, AMC, Retro Renovation

*Links to two online versions of Etiquette: in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home, 1922.
** He's a VCU alum too!

SHELTER: A Fabled Needle at Rest

I have been wanting to introduce you to the lovely Jen from The Fabled Needle. She is an artist who sells her lovely illustrations (like the one at left!) and knitting patterns through her Etsy shop, The Fabled Needle. 

I kept putting off publishing this piece because I was trying to write some clever little introduction piece about her home but instead I will just go ahead and let you read her own impressive words describing the sweet abode she has created for herself and her (brand new!) husband.

What is the age and style of your house? It is a 1935 Spanish Revival duplex. We are on the top level.

Do you decorate with that information in mind or against it? Hmm, not specifically, no. This style of home is one of my favorites so I suppose it does influence my choices on an unconscious level.

How would you describe the decor style of your home? Low-maintenance eclectic. It's mostly a hodgepodge of things I like that hopefully work together.

How would you describe your personal style? Low-maintenance eclectic. I don't know if I can pinpoint my personal style although my artistic sensibilities are an important part of who I am. Perhaps I'm just lazy!

Do you think your décor style matches your personal style? Yes. There's a mix of fussy things with really simple modern ones.

How well does your home match you and your personality? Would someone you know think your space represents who you are? Do you think it does? I feel at home in this place more than any other place I've lived in. I love old details, even if they are not in good condition. I'm not about upgrading and if the original yellow and green tile in the kitchen is a little worn and pockmarked, so what! It shows that the kitchen was used by someone who loved cooking. I don't know if that answers your question though. I would say, yes, this place really suits me!

Do the colors in your clothes closet show up in your home?I think my clothes are mostly neutral with the occasional bright spots of color - so yes!

How comfortable are you in your living space? Totally, especially after about 2 years. This place has really good energy, as hippy-ish as that sounds. It also has tons of natural light, which makes me really happy.

What specific difficulties did you have when decorating your space? This place is huge! We still don't have rugs in some places I'd like. Also, we're definitely on a budget in terms of decorating the house and when I prioritize, fabric and art supplies and the like usually win out.

What was your biggest influence in choosing your current décor? Practicality, price, longevity. I don't think one should buy expensive things that they'll be sick of in 6 months.

What has been the most expensive change you have made to your space? We bought a sofa when we moved back to L.A. I loved it, more than a woman should love a sofa. It's the prettiest off-white, ultra-suede (so you can clean it!) and so comfortable.

What has been the least expensive, yet most influential change you have made to your space? Putting curtains up. There are so many windows, I felt exposed before we covered them. I got mostly inexpensive curtains and rods from Target so it wasn't too painful.

Have you done any of the décor yourself? All the light fixtures came with the place. I did paint my office a beautiful silvery grey that I love.

What DIY projects have you done? I had to rig a curtain rod for the huge front window. The wall is curved and the window is really wide so we had trouble finding something we just install with no customizing (and I wasn't about to hire someone to do it).

What changes have you made that make you feel the most proud? The same answer as above. I used my MacGyver skills to figure out how to install an exceptionally long curtain rod on a curved wall for cheap. A scalloped wood bookshelf bracket was involved.

What do you plan to do next in your space? I want to crochet a blanket. Something with a neutral base and lots of color. Something happy and handmade.

What kind of homes do you most admire or lust after? Little bungalows, cottages, old ones, pre-1950. Homes that were cherished.

Have you seen any movie or TV homes that you would want to live in? I love the house in Practical Magic* - that was probably the best part of the movie! I adore Frodo's Hobbit hole too, in Lord of the Rings.

*Incredible link to pictures and info about the set decor!

Images: Jennifer's own photos and AmasVeritas' fabulous Practical Magic site.

Talking Flowers and Bramble Vines

My first look at Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (courtesy of USA Today)

I wrote about the fashion before, now I want them to bring on more behind-the-scenes photos of the set design. Wow.

Images: Disney Pictures