Rooms on Film: Doctor WHO (Clara Oswald)

surprise: there's a t.a.r.d.i.s. in her bedroom

It’s the dream we all dream of - rollin’ with The Doctor - and Clara Oswald is living it to the fullest. At first she was reluctant to fall in with his epic brand of whimsy, but now she’s totally on board. So much so, that The Doctor regularly lands the T.A.R.D.I.S. in her postage stamp of a living room. (A couple times he even lands inside her bedroom, which makes no spatial sense.)

…Epic brand of whimsy, right?

Rooms on Film: Saturday Night Fever

let's dance the last dance: john travolta and karen lynn gorney

It seems I'm still in an Empire State of Mind. Specifically, New York in the '70s. This movie has several locations: Tony's family home, the dance studio, stores, the disco hall... And it briefly breezes through the new Manhattan digs of Stephanie, a young woman who is very serious about her ambitions. 

Typically, it's one of those places that gives the impression that elevators had not yet been invented. Or at least, no one had thought to install them anywhere in the five boroughs...

Single-Girl Style: Moody Modern Luxury

home of di botha and athol moult featured in house & leisure south africa

This house near Cape Town, SA is nothing short of striking with its dramatic combination of dark walls and opulent colors. The interplay of modern lines and luxurious textures adds up to a riveting home. It's not so much welcoming as demanding. You feel required to be there right now, reveling in it's cozy, relaxing atmosphere for as long as possible before the owners kick you out. 

Single-Girl Style: Sunny in South Africa

stylist tara sloggett at home in south africa

This little cottage has stuck with me ever since I first read about it a few years ago. The light-filled rooms and feminine furnishings feel very restful and refreshing. I could definitely vacation in a b&b (or home-swap) done in this style. The floral stencils on the dresser and mirror are particularly impressive. They feel more personal and distinctive than the average furnishings. 

Rooms on Film: How to Make it in America 2

rachel (lake bell) in her one bedroom palace eclectic

Okay, so it has been a year since my first post on this cancelled HBO series, but as promised, here is the second installment featuring my favorite of the show’s many homes! In season two of How to Make it in America, Rachel (Lake Bell) moves into an eclectic 1BR apartment. Designed by Kelly McGehee, the set has a typical prewar breadbox layout. The never-seen bathroom is just off the front door, the simple kitchen flows into the vibrant living room, followed by the sunny bedroom. The apartment also has lovely prewar bones, including French doors and a bay window…

Single-Girl Style: Downtown Decadence

now: nanette lepore's stunning bedroom

Six years ago, Elle Decor featured the Manhattan brownstone of fashion designer Nanette Lepore. It was one of those legendary shoots - eternally popular with shelter enthusiasts online. This is a family home, not a "single-girl's," but the styling is distinctly feminine. LIVINGetc just revisited Lepore's home with the launch of her homewares line... and it's still stunning.

Rooms on Film: Cloud Atlas (Luisa Rey)

There are a ton of film sets I want to talk about lately and that's all I really want to talk about. It doesn't make for a balanced blog, but so what? Some months ago, I had the tremendous pleasure of seeing Cloud Atlas for the first time. It came out in 2012, starring Oscar Winners Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, and the promos were downright confusing. Never having heard of the (magnificent) novel, I just didn't know what to make of it. My loss! This movie is visually stunning and best viewed in the theater. The story - tighter and more romantic than the novel - is entrancing, resonant and powerful. From the 1850s to the very distant future, the cinematography, CGI and set design produce a dazzling array of scenes in the 1850s, 1930s, 1970s, 2000s and distant future. If you haven't seen it, or read the novel, run don't walk...

Now let's discuss the 1970s studio apartment of Luisa Rey...

Rooms on Film: Enough Said (Marianne's House)

Let's have a look at the second of three lovely homes in the 2013 film, Enough Said. Unlike main character, Eva's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) little suburban two bedroom, Marianne's (Catherine Keener) house is just a little more..something I can't quite put my finger on. Certainly Eva is impressed when she first visits the home. This one is also in a suburban neighborhood, but the location seems to offer some cooler outdoor decoration options. 

Should Eva be jealous? I certainly am.

Bring Back Domino: Thank You!

an eclectic, global rooftop cabana in los angeles

This is quite overdue. In the year since domino magazine returned in it's new format, I failed to thank the publisher for one particular detail: making the archive images full-size. It did take me a while to realize that they were. But other people's pins showed me I was missing something. It has been really fabulous to be able to get my favorite house tours at a properly viewable size. It's pretty hard to see the details in 3x5" images. 

So, thank you, domino. I can finally appreciate my all-time favorite profile without wearing cotton gloves to protect the pages.

Rooms on Film: Enough Said (Eva's House)

julia louis-dreyfus as eva in "enough said"

This is a lovely little 2013 film about a midlife divorcee who meets a new man and also meets a new friend/massage client at a party. Turns out the new man used to be married to the new friend/client, which our heroine discovers after having developed a serious girlcrush/envy on the new friend while listening to all her complaints about her ex - who our heroine has fallen in love with. One woman's shlub is another woman's teddy bear. 

Anyhoo, in the course of events both of these women have lovely girls-only homes that each shares with a teenage daughter. I see no reason for anyone to be jealous of anything given these two pretty boxes. But I'm a midlife woman in a studio apartment. Shall we? 

Single-Girl Style: Robin Roberts' NYC Apartment

 

good housekeeping's spread from june 2012

Since she's been in the news lately, it seemed like a good time to take a quick peek at the Good Morning, America host's livingroom. Robin Roberts did a covershoot for Good Housekeeping that indicates a lovely, ladylike space. Too bad we didn't get a full tour. The article specifically mentions a show-stopping view of the Hudson River. 

Surely, we'd all like to take a gander at that. 

Single-Girl Style: Cold Light in Quebec

north american whites, as opposed to scandinavian

Here's a home that reminds me of that old memory of my aunt's apartment. It belongs to model/stylist, Azamit. Done all in white, this two story loft is about as open and airy as possible. The high ceilings allow a lot of light to get in through those tall windows. The block glass wall keeps light filtering into the bathroom. Modern, yet relaxed and unfussy. 

Rooms on Film: How to Make it in America

lulu d's (nicole laliberte) ladylike boudoir

Another of those shows I barely ever saw before it was cancelled. It clocked two seasons on HBO. Before it bit the dust, How to Make it in America did impress me with some of it's NYC digs, all designed by one Kelly McGehee.

Rooms on Film: Revisiting "Think Like a Man"

meagan good as mya in think like a man 2012

About a year ago, I did a brief "Rooms on Film" post on the trailer of Think Like a Man which hadn't yet opened. One of the reasons I'm revisiting this film is because of this post by Kimberly Ward at Pink Eggshell blog. The line that struck me most was, "Because we have to see images of ourselves living well to know that we can achieve it." That line immediately called to mind this movie whose struggle to be accepted as mainstream entertainment was much-discussed in the media. 

For that reason, this will be a multi-part post. I have some thoughts on this movie and it's portrayal of the modern Black experience which feel too big for a set design post. Plus, there are all these homes to cover.

So first, Mya's house:

Single-Girl Style: Global Mod Living

move-in ready, just needs one tweak

Seeing this livingroom in Cottages & Bungalows magazine last year was a jolt. What a an inspiring room. It's very casual and comfy, heavy on paisleys and blockprints, the colors are fresh and feminine and the bones have simple lines for a simple, modern feeling. 

The only thing I would change is that stuffy rug. 

Rooms on Film: Carlito's Way

This is a brief one (and mildly NSFW), but I just love it. New York stories are one of my favorite film genres. Maybe that isn't a bona fide genre, but a good New York City film is a very special something. Those are movies that allow you to feel the city, to believe you're really there. On my short list: Desperately Seeking Susan, Girlfight and Beat Street. To name a few. 

And then there's Carlito's Way...

Single-Girl Style: Studio Living

photo: ngoc minh ngo

For the umpteenth time I was considering this delightful room that has been floating around Pinterest for months. How beautifully the colors blend with the patterns and textures. Yellows, reds and pinks grounded by whites and tans. Wools, silks, canvas and crackled ceramics. Paisleys, swirls, dots, geometric florals and African mixes against stripes. Wouldn't it be nice to see the entire room?

And then it hit me. We already have.

Rooms on Film: The Dark Knight Rises

Here's a room I've been dying to cover ever since The Dark Knight Rises opened back in July. It is seen very briefly, but it was fabulous all the same. If you don't do action/superhero flicks you probably missed this one. And no, it isn't "stately Wayne Manor."

Chez Moi: Zara Floor Runner has Landed!

It's here! The runner shipped very quickly (and dropped $10 in price the same day mine arrived, but okay). At first, the pattern seemed really huge and overwhelming, but now that it's down on the floor it feels like a really good choice.

Chez Moi: Curtains on the Wall

color texture pattern: curtains for any season

Last weekend I decided try something new: putting curtains up in the corner behind my bed. Some years back I tried this with some diaphanous sheers from Spiegel website. It was okay, but the curtains really only worked with the matching sari coverlet. I sold them off. This time I was longing to put an amethyst sheer up on the wall instead (really wish to paint the whole apartment this color).