Dream Design
by habituallychic
02 . 28 . 08
Production Designer Sarah Greenwood of Atonement fame has done it again with the lust worthy sets for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day! Penelope Green recently interviewed the Oscar Nominated designer for The New York Times and here’s what she had to say.
Q. Most of the film takes place in the fantastical flat of Delysia Lafosse, an American nightclub singer on the make. What was your inspiration?
A. It’s Hollywood Comes to London, and we set about referencing a lot of Hollywood style, like Dorothy Draper and William Haines.
Q. What is that wallpaper?
A. It’s hand-painted and costs a fortune from de Gournay.
Q. What’s your own house like?
A. It’s an 1850s schoolhouse in Brixton. Doing “Miss Pettigrew” was a flight of fancy. It’s all the things I don’t have in my own life, though now I do have one of the throws from Delysia’s bed, a fake polar bear skin that my dog loves.
Q. What is your favorite period?
A. Anything but the one I’m working on.
The movie opens March 7th and I know I can’t wait to check it out. I also wonder it might also inspire people to move away from minimalism to more luxurious designs.
10 Comments
WOW, that looks pretty amazing. Will have to check it out when its realeased here.
I can’t wait to see this movie’s luxe, Deco interiors on the big screen. Waiting for movies to make their way down to Atlanta is a major reason I miss New York. (though I am not missing the movie ticket prices). I hope you will give a review.
i love how luxurious/decadent/ornate design is coming back as well, especially in film. the wallpaper looks amazing. and sarah greenwood is so lucky to live in an old schoolhouse. do you ever watch hgtv? there’s a show on there called “rezoned” and i’ve always found some of their features to be fascinating – real life people buying, converting, and living in places like churches, schoolhouses, warehouses, general stores, etc. i’ve always thought that might be something i’d like to take on when i’m older…and financially capable.
funny- i didn’t read your blog today, (or the new york times in weeks), yet somehow i coincidentally did a post on de gournay wallpaper this afternoon.
must be something in the air. de gournay really is the most beautiful stuff ever!
Hear, hear Brilliant A! More inspiration for the bedroom redo.
Yes! I can’t wait to see this movie either! There should be a category of movie called “Clothes and Lifestyle”. It’s my favourite fantasy on the big screen!
you know alice olive- you couldn’t be more right- “clothes and lifestyle” should DEFINITELY be a movie genre. i’ll go see the even the worst reviewed films if they have fabulous sets and opulent costuming!
I live in Portugal, but usually visit your blog.I love it.
Excuse my poor English
Yes, clothes & lifestyle. The fact that Barry Lyndon‘s storyline is linear to a fault & that nothing happens & that there’s not a single character you can identify with doesn’t stop me from seeing it–the most beautifully filmed movie ever–every time it surfaces on a big screen.
One time my boss asked me if I’d liked Howard’s End, which was the hot thing of the moment. I told him that I thought the story was horrible & depressing but that I LOVED the sets. He just gave me a puzzled look and said “There was no sex in that movie!” “No, no” I replied, “not sex, sets. S-E-T-S.” Then he really gave me an odd look.
At any rate, this one looks like a winner. Even if you don’t care about the story.
Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the lovely comments. Sorry I have been MIA the last few days but I am sick AGAIN! Cough cough sniff sniff. Ughhhhhhh!
I definitely look forward to seeing the full movie and reporting back. The story seems fun and if it’s not, at least I can look at the pretty interiors!