10 Best Inspiring TV Show Decor

Like our friend Jonathan, we've recently become obsessed with the AMC series Mad Men, both for the excellent writing and admittedly because everything in the show looks so darn amazing. There's not many shows where we want to steal away the set decor to call our own...most shows have an everyday generic quality to them. But a few shows stand out with a special je ne sais quoi that helps impart the series with a recognizable ambiance. Below are our top ten favourite shows of all time for decor. And be sure to throw in your favourites that we might have missed (or not have seen).

>>>Our Top Ten Best Inspiring TV Show Decor

Comments (27)

What a cute post! i have to agree about the design of brothers and sisters!! especially kevin and scotty's apt!

It's great that I Love Lucy is in this list. The set for their Hollywood Hotel room is one of the best designed mid century rooms. I've always loved the Paul Mccobb Sofa and armchairs used although in the picture used for this article the sofas aren't quite right.

I am a big fan of the interiors on Dirt. A bit symbolically over the top, but quite fabulous nonetheless.

I always loved Will's apartment on Will & Grace.

And I was always inspired by Jeannie's bottle in I Dream of Jeannie!

i cant figure out how to work the slideshow?

The above pic of the I Love Lucy "apartment" is in all actuality a pic of the hotel they stayed at when they went to Hollywood (Season 4). Nonetheless, still very cool as always. :) Glad it was included

Signed,
Die hard Lucy fan :P

oops, i'm a little late, walked away from my desk before i was done with my comment, thanks Mr. Dangerous for jumping ahead! :)

Favorite of all time: The Avengers. Both Emma's and Steed's apartments

The name of the show is "Sex *and* the City".

My number one tv inspiration for my home is the Monkees. Gosh, that house was just the greatest.

I liked Frasier's pad too.

But The Brady Bunch... really? I always thought it was hideous. Anybody actually remember living in the 70s? I suspect most people who get into that vibe were born in 1988.

I have to avert my eyes every time I see an orange kitchen on AT, sorry.

Nip Tuck

&

House

I am surprised no one mentioned these two..maybe no one likes cable.

Oh, THE PRISONER, definitely. If you don't know it, an old Patrick McGoohan show; a secret agent tries to retire from spying and gets put in the unidentified "Village" for de-briefing. Not only is the external Village itself adorable (filmed in North Wales, and I've visited in real life; crazy Italianate place all bite-sized and colorful), the clothes and hair a retro dream, but the "homes" all mod-'60's mixed with futuristic ideas.

Oops, having just posted, I suddenly realize a tie for me is the Emma Peel era of THE AVENGERS too. But those shows are linked in my mind.

I am so with you, Valerie!

When I was 10 or so, I wanted to move into Blair Brown's apartment on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd. Books, moldings, kitchen counter, hard wood floors....a classic NYC apt.

I also thought Six Feet Under did a great job with interiors. Brenda's house--a sorta eastern organic modern blend in particular. Its interesting that many of the houses mentioned are set in LA...

And of course Brady Bunch and I Love Lucy...the Brady Bunch house did not look like my sorta country mass market middle class long island suburb house...it was sleak and unified and unlike anything in my neighborhood!

Oh, and lets not forget Dr. Melfi's office on Sopranos! Is that a ROUND room???

Actually, being of the Masterpiece Theater set, I think that Hercule Poirot's moderne London digs are the bees knees. Of course I love the decor of Morse's flat, and Jean's house in "As time goes by". Let us not forget the fabulous 10 Downing Street of "Mrs. Pritchard".

Let me second those comments on the Avengers and the Prisoner.

Drats, I totally forgot to include The Prisoner, which is one of my favourite programs of all time. By chance, my boxed set was on loan and I missed it while perusing the collection for ideas).

"Be seeing you."

Where is Bewitched?
The Munsters?
The Addams Family?
Leave It To Beaver?

Where is Bewitched?
The Munsters?
The Addams Family?
Leave It To Beaver?

Usually on reruns on cable channels [badda bing!]

There were plenty of shows left off...top lists are just subjective preferences, thus the invitation to add your own favourite. I also personally loved all those 50's-60's era family shows plenty, but tried to keep a mix from different decades. I also admit I left off The Jeffersons and Three's Company as examples of kitsch decor after some sound advice. I do regret not including The Prisoner though...that show was as stylish as they've ever made.

Umm there has been no mention anywhere in here about a set which defied the rules of space and had some of the most inspiring decor.......... Golden Girls! :)

oddly enough, the color choices for my new apartment (the landlord is having it painted before we moved in... we got to choose) were partially inspired by the blues and greens on the walls in The West Wing.

This is what the top ten should be...
1. Addam's Family
2. Pee-Wee's Playhouse
3. Real World Chicago
4. Jeanne's Bottle
5. Friends
6. Real World Seattle
7. Dharma & Gregg
8. Real World Austin
9. Big Brother 4
10. Red Room in Twin Peaks

I like the Forman's house from That 70's Show. Not because it's the bleeding edge of design, but because that house feels so homey. I look at the set for it, and think "Yeah. A regular family could live there." I forget that it's actually a set, which is what I want for my own home. I love design and I love having little knicknacks that make the place perfect for me, but homes (like some of my friends have) that are 95% top design and everything in it's place, seem so very cold to me. I don't want to touch anything, lest I break it.

Plus, I grew up with a basement like theirs which was usually full of kids. ;)