Years ago I fell in love with the cloud bedding from Nick & Nora when I saw the items featured in an independent movie.
Sadly, I can't remember the name of the movie now, but I do remember becoming obsessed with finding the flannel bed sheets I saw in several dream sequences. I pictured myself living the same dreamy perfect life that the sheets were portrayed in. In attempting to locate the store I hit the Internet 1.0 circa 2000 (not a good place to dig deep and find information back then). And at the time, I did not realize I subtly being influenced by the media.
Now mind you, I looked at the Nick and Nora cloud sheets at Bed, Bath and Beyond at the Beverly Center in West Hollywood but they did not seem like they were the same sheets. But the sheets were the real deal and I bought them and enjoyed them for a long time knowing that I reliving a dream over and over again.
Do Movies and TV Shows Influence Our Decor?
Nick & Nora flannel cloud sheet bedding makes me think how influenced we are when we see a movie. But do you ever think how real life influences the images we see on television and the silver screen?
The Associated Press has an article out this week about how Hollywood Set Designers use clutter and found objects to flesh out characters and tell their visual story. Here are some snippets of the article and some famous tv shows decorative touches:
Three's Company:
"Three single people living in a rental in Santa Monica. The mismatched pieces conveyed the idea of roommates without much money, throwing together stuff they'd found to fill the space. Wicker was inexpensive back in the early '70s so there were several pieces of that. The dishes were brightly colored plastic — certainly not mother's china."
All in the Family:
"...we know before we see any characters that this is a working-class, traditional family." The furniture and decor are from a different era, the walls dingy. The furniture is worn, the art is traditional. "Things have been added over the years, but nothing has been taken away. It looks real..."
According to the piece, clutter and collections of things give a room a "lived-in" look. Our rooms speak volumes about us. Set decorators for television shows specialize in knowing what they can say.
NBC's Parenthood:
What does the set above speak about this fictional Berkeley, California-based family in Parenthood?
- They are a little earthy;
- Craftsman style home, probably built in the 1930's;
- Eclectic look, lots of integrated furniture;
- They have a lot of family and inherited family pieces;
- The space is decorated by an established couple;
- They are more functional than fancy;
- They have very little, if none, room for more collecting.
Hollywood Set Dresser-turned Professional Organizer:
Judson Crowder, a Houston-based Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) and owner of Restorganize, LLC, worked previously as a Set Dresser for Everybody Loves Raymond for over 9 years setting up and maintaining storage units for the show. He's not featured in the article but it's worth mentioning that my friend Judson turned his finely-tuned organizational skills into a successful, full-time organization/storage business with a glowing testimonial from actor Ray Ramono.
The Story of our Stuff:
Hollywood does influence our decor. However, It's a circle. Our stuff also tells a story of who we are. Some folks use collected objects to prove their value, some put clutter ahead of relationships. Some use the void of clutter to show that they are better or more perfect than everyone else. Some are perfectly happy in whatever circumstances surround them, some want to get a handle on the extreme.
Our homes convey a feeling to ourselves and the world. It is up to us to cultivate that feeling and enjoy the journey. Hollywood hype or not, the health of our house really does influence our own personal health. There is solid evidence that being organized is good for you.
What does your home say about you?
Read More:
Set decorators use decor to flesh out characters - Associated Press
images courtesy Eddie Copeland, DIY Newlyweds, Salon.com
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