Without you…
Back to It’s Compicated for a minute…
The Ephemeral Rebellion
Awning Glory
Basquiat: The Radiant Child
Sorry! The trailer didn’t publish the first time for some reason…
Nancy Meyers, I will love anything you do.
HOW did it take me this long to post the house from It’s Complicated. I don’t know. I actually sat in the movie thinking, “I can’t wait to go home and google the stills from the set!”* and then somehow I totally let it slip. Inexcusable.
So, to make up for the delay, I’ll do a massive post and even include pics from Meyers’ previous movies…
More after the jump
*(#whenyouknowyou’reanerd)
For the unitiated, Meyers is the writer and director of Something’s Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, and The Holiday in addition to It’s Complicated… essentially she is the doyenne of the thinking girl’s romantic comedy featuring older actors and great houses. …or maybe she’s just created her on niche. Either way, she’s great.
All of the houses for those films were also designed by the same production designer, Jon Hutman, and the last two have also had the same set decorator – Beth Rubino. Below, a brief detour into her past films.
Above, the Father of the Bride house. I actually decided at age 5 when I saw Father of the Bride for the first time (the first of many, many times), that I wanted to live in Pasadena because I found out that’s where this house was. I had no idea where Pasadena was.
Above and below, the kitchen seen round the blog world, from Something’s Gotta Give. This kitchen was actually copied by countless people (they were published) who broke down exactly what makes it good (like dark floor, white cabinets, dark counter and hardware),and then reproduced minutia down to things like the exposed hinges on the cabinets and the stove with red knobs.
Ok, back to It’s Complicated…
(Mom– it’s the vindication you’ve always hoped for! She has her appliances out on the counter and no one’s stopping her. And the kitchen still looks awesome. Sorry for always trying to hide your appliances, if Nancy Meyers does it, I guess I can accept it!)
Meyers, who is an interior-design lover herself, actually has her personal decorator, James Radin, work with the production designer on her projects to achieve exactly the look she’s after. In fact, the beloved Hamptons house from Something’s Gotta Give was based on her own home.
However, having read more on the subject on blogs obsessed with Meyers’ films’ sets (you think I’m obsessed? I barely scratch the surface), his exact role is debatable, as he is only credited with a “thanks” in the film, but he includes many set photos in his personal portfolio.
According to the Traditional Home article, since so much of the movie was shot in the house, Meyers wanted Streep to look good in it and had the color palette (of lots of creams, neutrals, and oranges) done to complement her coloring. Clever! Who was it that said you should decorate your house so that you always look good in it?
Though the house is Spanish colonial, much of the interiors follow the Belgian trend (that Restoration Hardware has up-and-run with) going on right now– bleached wood, neutral slipcovers, slate-topped tables, etc. I’m not complaining.
It is interesting to note that though the house does always look good, it looks much better in the stills from the actual movie than the staged shots of the set… goes to show what the right lighting can do!!
Love the painted wood floor!
Images from the trailer, via Cote de Texas, and Traditional Home, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
“I’ll breakfast in bed and then get straight up into the tweeds.”
Doesn’t this bedroom look like the perfect spot to stay snugged in for some coffee and a scone while you read the newspaper?? Everything about it says “linger a while”…
Rumpled and casual but elegant bedding, sun streaming in the window, that sconce you can pull around to aid the morning light, and you’ve got that charming old phone there just in case anyone needs to reach you.
Also l-o-v-e: the gallery wall behind the bed, the wood ceiling, the striped indigo pillows and striped sheet peeking out amongst an otherwise white (but textured) bed scheme.
(Title quote from Gosford Park)
Crazy Heart
I can’t get over how much I loved Crazy Heart. It’s understated, subtle, touching, and poignant. I actually rewatched the trailer AFTER I saw the movie, just to sort of, relive it for a minute.
And now I’m in love with the soundtrack. The song in the background, The Weary Kind, by Ryan Bingham, is SO GOOD– even if you don’t care about watching the trailer, just listen to this song.
ltd
Two For the Road
I recently watched Two For the Road and couldn’t get enough of the styling and visuals– the colors, the outfits, the scenery, the cars, it’s all pretty much perfect. It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to live IN it. Interestingly, Design*Sponge featured the movie on their “Living In” column, which shows you how to give your home the same style of the movie, as though you were… living in it. I absolutely love the feature. Below, the blog equivalent of a “retweet,” with images from their post, as well as more stills I grabbed off the netflix.
I love a good old document. And I love that there used to be passports for couples!
An awesome British racing green car and belted trench never hurt anyone’s look. Also notice plaid suitcase with leather trim.
Love the sneakers, they’re like my fave Bensimons! The preppy classic button-up + sweater doesn’t look so staid with cute sneaks + sexy hair.
A very pretty picnic.
Red, white, and blue = a classic combo. Those American flag makers knew what they were doing. Although, they probably just copied the French and British. Also, why can’t cars still be painted with these one-tone pure lacquer colors? Rather than like, pearlescent glittery colors?
I even like the canvas bag in the foreground with the leather straps.
