Binge-Worthy Décor
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P2JW173000-4-D00800-1--------XA D8 | Saturday/Sunday, June 22 - 23, 2019 **** THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. DESIGN & DECORATING Binge-Worthy Décor Which TV series to commit to this summer? The set decoration in these shows will keep design lovers riveted. Plus: The pros behind these fanciful interiors share the strategies that work well in real-life rooms BY INGELA RATLEDGE AMUNDSON designerstoname their favoriteseries based on the tion designer Samantha Harley, of London, champions strength of the shows’ décoraswell as plot and charac- layering as well. “People in real lifeseem to be ob- N MY HOUSE, the fastest way to torpedo a per- ters,then narrowedittothese nine—including three sessed with things‘matching,’ but we would never de- fectly good Friday night is to reach for the re- whose aesthetics aresonotable our panel recommended sign aroom all from one shop,” she said. mote control without a plan. I’ll start by staring them despitefinding the shows otherwise lacking. Another trick of the trade: no unsightly personal down the offerings on Netflix, a digital Hydra And thereare benefitsbeyonddiversion: Even casual items. “We don’t dress a room with piles of mail and that sprouts two new series for every one you décorfans canbeinspired to bring atouch of the shows’ shoes on the floor—even the garbage bins are care- Icontemplate. My husband will then request a due-dili- visual savvyintotheir ownliving rooms.According to fully selected,” said New York production designer gence scroll through Amazon Prime, Hulu and our ever- Miri Katz,the set decorator forNetflix’s“SexEducation” Ina Mayhew, who created the sets for the OWN more-dejected DVR. By the time we’ve done the rounds, and Masterpiece’s“Endeavour,” viewers frequently tryto drama “Queen Sugar.” If you want an inviting glow, we’re too sapped to make a decision. replicateanappealing set. “They’relike, ‘Why doesn’t my prepare to renounce overhead lighting. “We fill What arelief it would be to have aselection of shows home look likethat?’” said Ms.Katz from herbase in rooms with table and floor lamps,” said Ms. Katz. that’sbeen as expertly curated as,say,adrawing room on Bristol, England. “I think,‘Youprobably need to gettoa “The moment a ceiling light goes on, it kills the at- “The Crown.” Or what if the filter were the design itself? flea market and start building amoreeclectic mix.’” mosphere.” Even in this heyday of TV antiheroes, To that end, Off Duty asked dozens of real-world interior Ms.Katz’s collaborator on “SexEducation,” produc- that sort of sabotage doesn’t fly. RETURNING THIS SUMMER ALL-STARS SCENE STEALERS Current-season series with dramatic and aesthetic appeal Great shows from recent years with admirable décor Sets so compelling they overshadow general so-so-ness Queen Sugar (Season 4airsWednesdays at 9p.m. ET,on The Crown (Seasons 1 and 2 streaming on Netflix) At its Forever (Season 1streaming on Amazon Prime) Whatdoes OWN) Although this family saga about the owners of a core, this fly-on-the-gilded-wall depiction of Queen Eliza- the afterlifehold? Forzestlessmarriedcouple June (Maya Ru- sugar cane farm in Louisiana is set in contemporary beth II (portrayed in the first two seasons by Claire Foy) dolph) and Oscar (FredArmisen),it’s“meh” of the same.At times, you’d never know it from the dining room in the plan- aims to humanize HRH. Her Buckingham Palace digs, leastthe California midcenturyabode they’ve been assignedto tation house inherited by Ralph Angel Bordelon (Kofi Siri- though unquestionably posh, are thoroughly lived-in. “The foreternityisaconversation piece.“The sunken living room, boe). “It was his father’s home, and Ralph Angel has left private apartments of the royal residences are at once re- the arrangementofthe furniture, the horizontal windows,the the room untouched in tribute,” said the show’s production gal and homey,” said Phillip Thomas, an interior designer in way booksare stacked on shelves—the style is executed to designer, Ina Mayhew, noting the hand-hewn details New York. The French-influenced furnishings and uphol- perfection,” said interior designer Joe Williamson, co-founder of throughout. “The traditional furniture is rustic and South- stery show signs of gentle wear, and “amidst the grandeur HollymountDesign +Production in NewYork.Anexample of ern, mismatched from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. Even there are newspapers, a desk clock and family photos,” the decorating acumen: “This is asoaring space, obviously,but the lace tablecloth has the feeling like his grandmother said Mr. Thomas. “It’s the kind of space you’d expect from the windows,sconces and book casesall create adatum line crocheted it.” the mother of a nation.” thatbrings the scale down to ahuman, livable level.” ; NICOLE RIVELLI ; NICOLE RIVELLI TZ TZ KA KA YLOR/NETFLIX; HILARY BRONWYN GAYLE/HBO; MIRI YLOR/NETFLIX; YLOR/NETFLIX; HILARY BRONWYN GAYLE/HBO; MIRI TA TA M M SA SA ION TV; Endeavour (Season 6 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, on PBS’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Seasons 1 and 2 streaming Scream Queens (Seasons 1and 2streaming on Hulu) ION TV; AT AT OV Masterpiece) The prequel series to the long-running U.K. hit on Amazon Prime) As Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Welcome to Psycho Barbie’s Dream House.The first season OV “Inspector Morse” is typically restrained in its interpretation Brosnahan) demonstrates, it was no picnic being an of Fox’scampyslasher series,set at afictional university CANAL +/ of mid-to-late ’60s trends in Oxford, England. But this flat— independent woman on the doorstep of the sexual revolu- in NewOrleans,had enough eyecandy to makethe toxic CANAL +/ T/ home to 20-something Joan Thursday (Sara Vickers)—pro- tion—but it sure was visually dazzling. “This is not a premise palatable.Dripping with Old Hollywood glamour, T/ vided the chance to go all-out. “Joan is vibrant and playful, clichéd depiction of the [late] 50s,” said interior designer this boudoir wasatailor-made roostfor vitriolic sorority and this design was her fully expressing herself,” said the Marina Hanisch of New York. In the Catskills beauty-parlor presidentChanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts). “It’s areminder to set’s decorator, Miri. Katz. “There’s so much going on with set, “I love how the Italian midcentury Stilnovo sconces Chanel’sminions thatshe’s the richestand mostpowerful,” the bold reds and floral patterns, but it’s cooled off by the pair with the traditional floral ceiling fixtures and wallpa- said interior designer Maryline Damour of DamourDrake large blocks of greens and blues, and manages not to look per,” said Ms. Hanisch. “But the hero is the geometric in Kingston, N.Y.,pointing to the luxurious textures and like a mental asylum.” As for that ceramic-tiled coffee ta- linoleum floor, which lends balance and a ‘wow.’ It’s oversizechandelier.“This room is purefantasy, yetit’s ble? Said Ms. Katz, “It’s so practical!” whimsical elegance.” agoryshow.” LLECTION; ANOUCHKA DE WILLIENCOUR LLECTION; LLECTION; ANOUCHKA DE WILLIENCOUR CO CO LLEEN HAYES; EVERETT OLLEEN HAYES; EVERETT CO C Y; BERT BERTVIGLASK VIGLASK RO INMENT INC.; INC.; TA . ENTER ENTER OS RNER BR BR WA Big Little Lies (Season 2airsSundays at 9p.m. ET on Sex Education (Season 1 streaming on Netflix) Sex thera- Versailles (Seasons 1-3Streaming on Netflix) Yes, Louis XIV T/ HBO) In this tart, soapy drama, the tony seaside enclave pist Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson) is effortlessly cool and (playedbyGeorgeBlagden) had his flaws—a lack of ambition of Monterey, Calif., is lousy with two things: secrets and worldly—unless, of course, you ask her perpetually morti- justwasn’t one of them. This Ovation series follows the king’s meticulously decorated, multimillion-dollar homes. But when fied teenage son, Otis (Asa Butterfield). Her early-20th- exorbitant(and controversial, given France’sfinances in the it comes to the latter, boho yoga instructor Bonnie (Zoë century chalet in an unspecified part of England follows mid-1600s)renovation of Versailles.“The showitselfwas lack- Kravitz) has set herself apart from the hyper-manicured suit. “It’s a placeless, timeless environment—the focus is on ing gravitas,and the character arcs were abit weak,but it was herd, preferring to seek refuge in an earthy, unpretentious Jean,” said production designer Samantha Harley. While justsooo pretty,” said NewYork interior designer Michael Tav- P LEFT: MICHELE K. SHOR LEFT: MICHELE K. SHOR nest. “The mix of midcentury modern and Asian styles and the William Morris wallpaper and textured chenille sofa ano.“The palacewas meant to shock and awe;Louis XIV felt his TO quirky choices—like an umbrella stand that doubles as a skew conservative, the accessories—like an African fertility design wasenlightening the ignorant.” His materials of choice? vase for pine cones—show she’s a rule-breaker,” said series statue and voluptuous crystal sculpture of the female “He broughtgilding into interior décoronwood furniture, which admirer Anelle Gandelman, creative director of New York’s form—do not. Still, noted set decorator Ms. Katz, “They’re wascutting-edge forthe time,” said Mr.Tavano.“And sparkling A-List Interiors. not vulgar. She’s got great taste.” crystal wasusedtorefract lightaround the rooms.” CLOCKWISEFROM FROM.