The Parent Trap English Garden

I received a request from a reader, Jaime, who was interested in seeing more detail about the English Garden outside the London Townhouse in The Parent Trap (1998). Jaime asked for 'a' photo, well, there was so much to cover in this movie!! Enjoy - and Jaime - please send us a pic if you create this look on your own!!

It's Complicated (2009) First Look!

It's Complicated (2009)
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Production Design by: Jon Hutman
Set Decoration by: Beth Rubino

Fans of set decor champs "Something's Gotta Give" and "The Holiday" have been salivating in anticipation of writer/director Nancy Meyers' newest film "It's Complicated" starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin in a love triangle set in sunny California.

Well, maybe it's just Joni and me, but I doubt it.

Okay - great cast, no question. But, for decor fans, the real dream team is Nancy Meyers, director, Jon Hutman, Production Designer and Beth Rubino, Set Decorator. Their work on SGTG resonates to this day. As a matter of fact, it aired on TBS last night and I had a couple hundred visitors looking for information about the set - the furniture, the art. The same thing happens when "The Holiday" airs.

Universal Pictures has just released the first movie trailer (at bottom). Here are some stills I grabbed from the trailer. The set decor looks to have the signature Nancy Meyers' elements: high end and comfortable furniture, mix of antiques and new, fresh flowers, natural elements, beautiful glassware, and a wardrobe that compliments the setting. The color palette is actually very similar to another Nancy Meyers' movie "The Parent Trap" with the orange/apricots, browns and creams. I didn't pick up any specific art works, but they are sure to be there as well.












So, what do you think? Looks good to me!

The Women (2008)

The Women (2008)

Produced and Directed by: Diane English

Production Designer: Jane Musky

Art Director: Mario Ventenilla

Set Decorator: Debbie Cutler

Did you see the movie The Women? It was a remake of the Clare Booth Luce play and 1939 movie of the same name. Unfortunately, what was smart and sassy about that original film - starring Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford - lost much of its bite in this remake starring Meg Ryan and Eva Mendes in the corresponding roles of Mary Haines (the good woman and jilted wife) and Crystal Allen (the husband stealing perfume counter girl). The conceit of all the productions is that there are no men around - not on the street, the restaurants, the stores. But all talk is nothing but men. In the original, the biting satire is based around the philandering husbands, their jilted wives and a whole lot of back stabbing humor. Not very PC by todays standards. Unfortunately, Diane English, in creating an updated version, is all about women supporting other women (except of course for the slutty shop girl) and girl power. All fine and dandy - but it certainly made for a fairly tame movie altogether lacking in sharp humor.

Sad too, because the cast was stellar. In addition to Meg and Eva, the movie also stars Annette Bening, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Debra Messing, Debbie Mazar, Candice Bergan, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman and Bette Midler. Jeez - that's some star power.

Ok, so the movie is fairly middling, but the movie sets are quite nice - limited (must have had a low budget), but quite nice.

Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) plays a society wife who's a cross between Martha Stewart and the traditional suburban charity lady. Her lovely Connecticut home plays host to many fundraisers - for which Mary does the cooking and the floral arrangements. I actually don't love the architecture of the front of the house - a little nuveau mishy-mashy for me, but the rear of the house has a nice old-New England feel to it.

Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) crying on the screen porch over the mess her life is in... Love the wicker furniture and careful-careless look of the mis-matched lamps.

The back patio - while I love the furniture - the layout seems rather odd. The chairs are spread out all over the place, more like this is a public space than a private back yard.

The kitchen is a classic white cabinet cabinet kitchen. What's nice about the set is that it looks like a kitchen that's used. Cloris Leachman plays the housekeeper. I spied the Williams Sonoma hand towels in green and white stripe (I have those!). The counter tops are a mix of dark stone (black or green?) and dark stained woods. I really dislike the brass fittings - so dated looking!

There are several white china pitchers shown as well as the classic Portmeirion Botanic Garden dishes in the cabinet. Nothing says traditional old money like those in a movie set! Ok, that's a bit snide. I'd have rather seen something a little more original, is all. One of the reasons why I wondered about the set budget being limited is that if you notice in the background through the door - the cross hall seems so empty. Doesn't it?

The professional double stove top is nearly lost among the clutter of the kitchen, open shelving and table. I love the free standing sideboard/cupboard on the right. However, I do think that they captured the feeling of a working kitchen - with condiments and spices all readily accessible.

Annette Bening and Debra Messing have a private chat in Meg's guest bathroom. What is up with the cheap little mirror over the sink? This is a huge bathroom - considerably too big for a guest bathroom with nothing but a toilet, sink and tiny little bureau, a chair. It would have been a funnier scene had they squeezed into a normal size powder room. Loving the wallpaper, however.

Here's Meg Ryan's character's living room - classic drapes, fireplace and English arm chair. Nothing too original though. I do like the coffee table - what you can see of it.

This is Mary Haines and her daughter in the master bedroom. This upholstered headboard was made by my upholsterer Walter Heller. (did I mention that the movie was filmed here in Massachusetts?). The headboard is full size, not queen, which seemed a bit small. I love the bedding, however!

Here is Meg's master bathroom. If you notice, the circular window matches the window on the right on the front of the house. I haven't been able to find out where the movie was filmed, but I do feel that this bathroom is the actual bathroom in that house. The millwork is totally gorgeous, the marble counter and smoked glass cabinets really make for a clean, luxe look.

Here are Mary, her mother, played by Candice Bergan and daughter, sunning themselves in the family's Maine beach house. This was actually filmed in the Massachusetts hamlet known as Annisquam on the North Shore. Gina of Willow Decor provided this information:

The beach is private - it is located on Norwood Heights, Gloucester, MA. It is called Lighthouse Beach in Annisquam, which is a small summer island/hamlet in Gloucester. If you stand on Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester and look across the bay you see the Lighthouse Beach.

Thanks Gina!

A La Perla-esqe boutique is a scene of the initial confrontation between Mary Haines and Crystal Allen - the "spritzer girl" who's stolen her husband. Annette Bening is fanning the flame of confrontation:

Claws out!

Here's the "spa" that Mary Haine's mother (Candice Bergen) has hidden out in for a "freshening" (aka full on face lift). How gorgeous is all that black and white marble!

And finally, before she's kicked to the curb (because you know that was coming), Crystal having a bathe in her new apartment. This is a production still image, which is why there are light tubes along the right side of the bath tub.

And her hard and cold living room - completely the opposite of the Connecticut house.

Here's a You Tube video by the artist Kessler whose art was featured in the Annette Bening character's office:



And for fun, here are some still images from the 1939 movie directed by George Cukor, set decoration by Edwin B. Willis and Jack D. Moore.

Grey Gardens - Two lives, one documentary, a musical and a movie

Grey Gardens (2009) on HBO
Production Design: Kalina Ivanov
Set Decorator: Norma Jean Sanders

So much has been said about the recent HBO production of Grey Gardens starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore that there is really very little I can add to the mix. However, not many have talked about the Tony award winning musical from 2006 of the same name. Starring the amazing Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson, this production lasted about 300 performances. It's a fine show and the scenic designer did an excellent job of capturing the original house from original glory to hell hole.

Scenic Design: Allen Moyer (Mr. Moyer received a Tony Award nomination for this production)

Early living room scene from the musical Gray Gardens. Note the accurate depiction of the woodwork in the front hall in the left backgound.


Scenes from the HBO Grey Gardens

The actual front foyer in 1985


Front porch of the real Grey Gardens
Scene from HBO movie

Scene from musical

Porch scene from the musical

Bedroom of the real Edith Beales

Bedroom from the HBO movie

Bedroom scene from the musical

And, some musical selections from the show:

Some fantastic resources (and with thanks to):

A Pictorial History of Grey Gardens at Cote de Texas
An interview with Kalina Ivanov at Casa Sugar
A personal connection at *Visual*Vamp*
A Capitivating Tale at La Dolce Vita
Grey Gardens News by Buster the Racoon

The Company Men (2009)

The Company Men is currently filming on the northshore of Massachusetts. Starring Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones, the movie centers around a corporate downsizing. Sounds a little depressing..

The Gloucester Times is reporting that one of the locations is the Marblehead waterfront home of Brian McCarthy, CEO of local landmark Kelly's Roast Beef. This is the home to Tommy Lee Jones' character, who is the boss of the company that downsizes Ben Afflecks character out of his hot shop corporate job and into working construction with his brother, played by Kevin Costner.


The house was staged for a Christmas scene yesterday - including snow in April! (no unprecedented here in New England!)

The Young Victoria (2009)

The Young Victoria (2009)
Directed by Jean Marc Vallee
Art Direction by Paul Inglis, Chris Lowe, Alexandra Walker
Set Decoration by Maggie Gray

Starring Emily Blunt and Paul Bettany

Plymouth Rock Studios show their colors!

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