You might have heard by now that the sets of hit CBS show The Good Wife have inspired a range of furniture and accessories. While this is the first instance that I've heard of of TV decor making the leap into our homes, I'm not surprised by this development.
Visual inspiration is all around us these days, and it's no great leap to imagine wanting to live in the homes we visit, via our TV screens, every week. Set designer Beth Kushnick's modern-luxe interiors have gained a following of their own over The Good Wife's four seasons, and have even prompted the designer to author a blog for the network, appropriately titled The Good Look of The Good Wife. The new furniture collection is manufactured by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, and includes upholstery pieces, a desk, and several accent cushions.
For my money, I love the sets of Showtime's Homeland, especially lead character Carrie's living room. The aqua-painted brick wall, minimalist grey sofa and vibrant floral cushions make my heart sing every time I see them (as no doubt the color-coded "terrorist wall" makes Carrie's.)
What about you- do you have a favorite TV show, decor-wise? Would you buy furniture or home accessories inspired by it, or is that taking admiration a step too far?
(Images: 1. The Good Look of The Good Wife 2. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 3. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 4. TV Equals 5. Now. Here. This.)
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Happy to take inspiration from different sources, however, the budget for The Good Wife apartment seems way out of reach. At least Carrie's apartment (from Homeland) is in the realm of possibility. Another Carrie (from Sex and the City) has an impossible apartment to copy unless you're not in The City. Do still get a kick out of the apartments in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Auntie Mame.
Should have known: Breakfast at Tiffany's was filmed on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (where Sex and the City's Carrie lived) - although interiors were in film studios so they didn't look as small as real NYC apartments: The green and white candy-striped awning of Golightly’s apartment building, where Mickey Rooney donned rubber eyelids as an an unlikely Japanese landlord, may have gone, but you’ll still recognise the townhouse at 169 East 71st Street, on the East Side, New York.
I'm pretty certain that the sofa in the first photo isn't Mitchell Gold/Bob Williams. It's a Hutton, from Room and Board.
The set of Homeland makes me want to furiously create cork board montages while listening to Miles Davis.
I would love to live in Adam and Kristina's house from Parenthood. Their living room, kitchen and master bedroom are so much fun.
ive always loved the apartment in the good wife, its a great balance of modern and traditional. id love to have that place
I'm absolutely in love with Will Gardner's warm, stylish loft on the Good Wife. Photos here, here and here.
I covet the things they have on The Big Bang Theory, especially the old card catalog and the vintage props everywhere (like a DC-7 cut-away model they used to show in travel agent offices). Granted, the characters of the the show would not have the design sense to outfit their apartment so grandly, but, it IS television, after all!
Someone else mentioned "Parenthood." I love Joel and Julia's home on that show. Clean and modern, great artwork, and very warm feeling as well.
I like Carrie's apartment in Homeland and seems to fit great with the character
I also very much like castle's apartment in Castle
ElleOh: can't access Will's apartments through the links
(also have a vague idea is cool but can't remember well)
Although older shows: Jennifer Garner's second apartment in "Alias" sans the wood walls, Jenna Rinks New York apartment in "13 Going on 30", Matt Damon's apartment in "Adjustment Bureau",going back further the loft of the main character in "Witchblade" and finally Jennifer Beals' loft from "Flashdance". ...........and the apartment of the guy(can't remember his name) that Xtina Aguilera shared from "Burlesque" . Just dreaming.
i love olivia pope's apartment in "scandal" very elegant, they also dress her beautifully, great sets and wardrobe, D
I've posted elsewhere about my obsession with the wallpapers in the UK version of "Being Human":
http://richard_watts.blogspot.com/2009/01/being-human-series-premieres-in-uk.html
I'm also in love with the kitchen in "Six Feet Under":
http://thespottedfox.com/stuff-we-love/inspiring-spaces-ruth-fishers-kitchen
I'd also love to get corn-cob curtains in my kitchen, a la Marge Simpson:
http://barbrabright.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/hello-world/
And of course, so much of "Downton Abbey" is beautiful, especially the spare and lovely servants' quarters!
Is there a website that talks about the interiors/sets of movies or shows?
Eldon: hookedonhouses.net is really good for that. Enjoy!
@eldon, agreed, you must go to HookedonHouses. She has an entire movie/tv homes section.
Kinda surprised The Good Wife has an interior design following. I don't watch the show, so I can only base it on the pic above, but it looks pretty traditional and boring.
I love the homes in Happy Endings. They encompass a variety of Chicago architectural styles, and a few of the characters have moved several times and I always love the apartments they are in!
I don't know if anyone else caught the short-lived NBC show, Best Friends Forever, but the set of their apartment was fab! It was colorful and had great architectural touches, I could totally have lived there.
And in the new season of Raising Hope there's a mid century modern house to die for complete with furniture.
Another show with great sets is Whitney. Horrible show imo, but I actually watch it just because I loved the main couples' apartment and I've loved each of the other characters' apartments as we've seen them.
I think Mad Men is a given right?
There's this new McCormicks spice commercial that takes place in the kitchen...I LOVE the kitchen island...it's like a desk but it has stools that fit under it perfectly making it a space saver...wish that commercials could list where they get their furniture...I find myself pausing the TV to just look at the cool spaces. :)
The ranch house in the original Parent Trap. Love it!
Oh, sorry, you asked about TV show inspiration, not movies. Loved Brenda's house in Six Feet Under.
What about the wonderful house in Up All Night? Or Anne Perkins' house in Parks & Rec?
I want Jack Donaghy's office view.
I always wondered who did the dusting in Alicia's house. You never see a cleaning lady.
@ElleOh and ricard: (the links don't work) I think Alicias apartment is nice but conservative and boring, but Will's is fantastic, especially the living room. It has a loft feeling, I think there's a beautifull wood wall and a big brown leather sectional with beautiful killim pillows. I wish there were more scenes there. Have they every shown Diane's apartment? Must be pretty nice (though very different to Will's) too.
I never thought I'd see Mandy Patinkin on AT. I'm just here for that.
Modern Family!
Amber's loft on Parenthood! Or is it that I wish I were in my 20s again and could wear big glasses and red lipstick while strumming moodily on my guitar in an almost bare, unsafe, brickwalled loft?
La Femme Nikita has some great decor in Nikita's apartment--an Eames La Chaise, a Bose BeoSound 9000 stereo, an Ariette by Scarpa light fixture.
For that matter, the new La Femme Nikita remake on the CW has some impressive decor in the character Alex's loft. Lots of West Elm, Crate & Barrel, etc.
Tuck's place from This Means War had an idea I'm stealing in my next apartment: a grid of photos covering an entire wall, with large frames and very wide mattes.
Also a fan of Greg House's townhome and Jason Bourne's apartment.
Yeah basically every house on Parenthood. The grandparents house too! It's so cozy and warm feeling.
Will's apartment on Will & Grace and the Gossip Girl's sets.
I'd make a humble correction. Shame on me. The Mad Men New York residence in the city...ahhh.
I'd take any house on Parenthood.
OMG Ruth's Fisher's kitchen, love. And Brenda's craftsman house toward the end the series was gorgeous.
I also love Liz Lemon's apartment, especially her bedroom.
Every house on Modern Family is amazing. I especially love Cam and Mitchell's house because it's so comfortable.
Carrie's Homeland apartment IS great. I like the feel of the Brody house (and their double-sided fireplace), too.
I work in wardrobe on the show, so it's so cool to see my workplace on my favorite website! I'm just waiting for the season when they sell off some of the set dressing!
When I was little, I LOVED Rhoda's apartment on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and made my own beaded curtain out of Christmas garland so I could be like her. Now, not so much - whew is that place saturated! These days I think Hot in Cleveland has some great touches...and the right amount of color for my taste.
I'll second everyone's enthusiasm for the Parenthood sets.
I'd also like to mention the home from It's A Wonderful Life, but then again I'm just one of those twenty-somethings that is nostalgic for a time far before their own. 'Tis the season.
A little off topic, but I always imagined the Gatsby home would have been quite incredible as well. Waterfront property to boot!
Carrie Bradshaw's apartment, of course. And I loved the set of the movie Carnage:
http://www.architecturaldigest.com/ad/set-design/2012/carnage-movie-set-design-slideshow#slide=1
I like the house on Will Arnet's & Christina Applegate's Up All Night.. Very mcm
I'm about to redo my little kitchen and Dexter's kitchen is the inspiration.
I love using elements from Pee Wee's Playhouse to lighten up the place. Combine that with elements from the Real World (older seasons, not current ones), and the Addams Family. I don't really watch a whole lot of TV anymore, but I used to. I do have to say that the New Girl's loft really caught my eye though.
as always, the big city apartment on Family Affair
does anyone know where I can get the barstools from Joey's & Chandler's apartment on 'Friends'?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ip1UQauMIvc/S04Y2d4bdwI/AAAAAAAAAwo/XJZm7msW3rs/s320/guy+apt.jpg
I LOVE the floral pillows on Carrie's living room couch. Does anyone know the brand or where to find them?
Does anyone know what paint colors/brand was used in Carrie's apartment in Homeland?
Homeland Prop Question - Does anyone know who is the manufacturer for the 'Headboard' in Carrie's bedroom? I have been trying to buy something like that for quite some time, and then I see just what I'm looking for pop up on the show. I have tried google searches, but no one mentions the headboard. Help!
I love those pillows too, and, in fact, I actually HAD those pillows - that is, I had that exact fabric, and used it to make covers for big floor pillows in our apartment 30+ years ago. What fun to see them on Carrie's couch, all these years later. I would love to know the brand (of either the pillows or the fabric) so I could re-create them.