As promised, here is our Double Take of Carrie’s apartment, which is featured as part of a series on Design For Mankind. Close your eyes if you haven’t seen the movie yet (but come back later to see a very Carrie-esque design idea in Erin’s own home)…
Just as the storyline of the Sex And The City movie did not disappoint, the set designs also exceeded my expectations. Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda’s abodes were updated in the movie but the most dramatic transformation was Carrie’s apartment. This time the glamour was not strictly reserved for Carrie’s closet only. Jeremy Conway (production designer) and Lydia Marks (set decorator) infused her Upper East Side apartment with high fashion and vintage decor. Let’s see if we can recreate this chic Bradshaw apartment…
Rarely do we ever mention the wall color first in our Double Takes but I think you’ll agree with me that the intense ocean blue paint was the most noticeable change. Pick up a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s electric blue for the same look in your own space (via article written by Shaila Wunderlich of the Chicago Tribune).
The Hollywood style mirrored vanity was definitely a showpiece, so I dug around and found a similar vintage treasure offered by John Salibello through 1stdibs. Restoration Hardware’s chenille dining chair would tuck neatly under this vanity, dressed with a Chanel silk twill scarf — a very Carrie accessory.
Conway upgraded Carrie’s shelf headboard from the SATC series to an upholstered paneled bed similar to the Erickson bed. Her crisp white sheets are accented by a neutral plum coverlet and toss pillows. Lamoon’s modern couture pillows could work well in the space, as the swirl motif would echo the curves in Carrie’s overleaf rug by Marni. Now try customizing your own saarinen side table to sit beside your bed.
I recall a Love poster hung at the entryway of Carrie’s apartment. It reminded me of an Us Weekly article that I read in the May 19, 2008 issue featuring a similar piece in Jessica Alba’s nursery. This Love needlework design was created by Paul Smith and is now available at the Rug Company. Perhaps Conway and Marks commissioned the designer for another Love piece, just perfect for Carrie’s apartment.
And one more noticeable design idea to mention is the grouping of photographs and prints above Carrie’s bed. To avoid a cluttered look, keep your artwork and frames within a certain color scheme. Perhaps we can take some tips from Erin’s organized collections on Apartment Therapy.
Need more style ideas? To find the source of specific furniture pieces, pick up a copy of the June/July issue of Traditional Home, which features several of the sets on the Sex And The City movie (pg 82-87 & pg 160). Stylish Erin of Elements of Style has other great suggestions for mirrored vanities, artwork, and modernized pieces around Carrie’s new home. And Paloma from La Dolce Vita dishes on the lighting featured in the movie, thanks to her husband who worked on the sconces and floor lamps throughout the sets.
We’ll try to feature more sets from the Sex And The City movie, especially because I’m very curious about the wallpaper in Lily’s bedroom, Big’s sleek kitchen, Samantha’s stone fireplace, and Miranda’s olive green couch. Until then, get those electric blue paintbrushes out (and send us photos!)…
Interested in more set design inspired rooms? Here are the latest posts from my new feature, Double Take:
- Failure to Launch house
- Mia’s apartment on Cashmere Mafia
- Apartment on P.S. I Love You
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith house
- Chateau in A Good Year
- Craftsman house from Monster-In-Law
- Rose’s bedroom on In Her Shoes
- Carrie’s apartment on Sex And The City
- Caitlin’s office on Cashmere Mafia
- Victory Ford’s apartment on Lipstick Jungle
Image credits: Chicago Tribune, Traditional Home, Us Weekly, Benjamin Moore, Restoration Hardware, Chanel, 1st Dibs, Bedroom Furniture Direct, Pillows And Throws, The Rug Company, Retro Modern, & Apartment Therapy.
30 responses so far ↓
1 yasmine - aprintaday : Jun 3, 2008 at 11:53 am
oh i have yet to see SATC! i want to see her dresses and shoes really
and seeing snapshots of the movies make me want to see it even more! and that blue apartment is gorg!
2 Jessie Cacciola : Jun 3, 2008 at 12:02 pm
well done.
- Jessie -
3 Diana : Jun 3, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Fun post - I still haven’t seen the movie - gasp - must go SOON! Thanks for your comment on the Living post - glad to hear you have found your creative path - keep up the great work!
4 Paloma : Jun 3, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Awesome post! Wasn’t Big’s place gorgeous? I told my husband to make a list of all of his company’s lighting that was featured in the film so that I can update my post. Your double takes are the best.
5 mrs. french : Jun 3, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Oh my, you just got me so excited for the movie…wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!
6 Jude : Jun 3, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Fabulous, as always!
7 melissa lewis - off the wall : Jun 3, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Maybe my favorite Double Take yet!!!! I haven’t seen the movie yet, but you’ve got me itching to go soon:)
I love that blue. We actually just did a clients house in that color and are adding a few frames in the same blue to our collection! I love it!
8 alis : Jun 4, 2008 at 12:27 am
I discovered your blog via design for mankind. What a brilliant post! You are going straight to my blogroll sister!
9 bandelle : Jun 4, 2008 at 7:58 am
You all just make my day
Paloma — can’t wait to hear more about the lighting design from the movie. Could he spot the lights in each scene as he watched the movie?
Melissa — we’d love to see the blue in your client’s home.
10 Erin @ Elements of Style : Jun 4, 2008 at 8:24 am
Thanks for the mention- great roundup!!!
11 Anonymous : Jun 4, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I haven’t seen the movie yet but now I’m even more enticed to see it, if only for Carrie’s new digs. She’s moved up. I don’t remember any color in her old apartment. In fact, the only thing I truly remember is Aiden’s leather chair. This new look is a tad tres chic for our old Carrie, I think. Thanks for the peek! Loved it!
12 Krissy : Jun 4, 2008 at 1:23 pm
That bedroom is just SO dreamy
13 Daisy : Jun 4, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I tell you I can’t get enough of SATC. I am so glad they are back even if it is for just a while. I really like the new update they did to Carrie’s apartment. Have you seen the movie yet? I am loving the big white apartment that her Big looked at-
14 Paige : Jun 4, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I am building a house right now and went and got a quart of BM Electric Blue this morning to test it out. I am totally copying and I don’t care! That color is gorgeous!
15 jaelle : Jun 4, 2008 at 8:30 pm
aah great post! i was wowed by carrie’s apartment makeover and was actually thinking about your post on the girls’ fashion while watching it — you could tell that they knew we would be scrutinizing and lusting over all their fashion and design choices and they definitely did not disappoint!
and paige, there is no shame in copying a beautiful thing.
16 MKB : Jun 5, 2008 at 3:38 am
I’ve been waiting for your post on the SATC apartments and, as usual, it didn’t disappoint me! I love the electric blue colour. The apartment looks fantastic. I can’t wait to see the movie this weekend as it just came out in Australia today.
17 JENNIFER RAMOS : Jun 5, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Super job on this post, i love the info you gave us here!!
Jen Ramos
‘100% Recycled DESIGNER Cards & More’
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com
18 bandelle : Jun 6, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Thanks, everyone. I want to see the movie again and again, don’t you?
19 Katie : Jun 10, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Awesome job!
Do you know where I can purchase the media wall storage and bench that is in Carrie’s new apartment?
Thanks!
Katie
20 Erin : Jun 13, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Great post! Thanks for mentioning Samantha’s fireplace - I’ve been dying to get a better look at that. I couldn’t pay attention to the dialogue because I was too busy wondering what kind of stone that was, and how it might look in my own mid-century house! I’d love to know more…
21 bandelle : Jun 15, 2008 at 11:31 am
Katie — Thanks again for your kind words. I’m still working on your question about the media wall storage. I haven’t found anything similar yet but I PROMISE to let you know.
And Erin — Oh, I just loved Samanthan’s stone fireplace. I was so distracted by it. From what I remember, the stone was cut into very small strips. It was definitely the focal point of the room but didn’t seem so overwhelming. Stayed tuned for photos etc. and thanks for stopping by
22 Tina : Jun 16, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I think the wall storage is from IKEA or custom, I’ve been searching for it myself all day and that’s the closest I’ve come.
23 bandelle : Jun 16, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Tina — thanks for the tip. Even if the original isn’t from IKEA, I bet you could replicate the look with their cabinets because they have high gloss doors. Thanks for sharing…
24 bandelle : Jun 18, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I have received many e-mails about the source of the real Love poster in Carrie’s apartment. It’s actually a different needlepoint artwork from Paul Smith than the one I showed above. Visit the Rug Company’s site and type in “Love Too” in the search field on the bottom left corner. And there you have it
Please let us know if anyone ends up ordering it because I’d love to hear whether it’s just as beautiful in person.
25 Randall : Jun 24, 2008 at 10:29 am
i really wanted carries coffee table but i couldn’t find it, and i was so disappointed with Room & Boards version i started building them myself…
http://www.rshstudio.com/furniture/
26 Anonymous : Jun 30, 2008 at 1:52 am
For everyone out their looking for the mirrored vanity, they have a BEAUTIFUL replica @ pier1 imports. Here is the link…
http://www.pier1.com/catalog/browse/0302.bedroom-furniture
27 bandelle : Jun 30, 2008 at 9:59 am
That mirrored vanity is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it with us, Anon…
28 Anonymous : Jun 30, 2008 at 4:10 pm
No problem, i’m obsessed with trying to find one for a bit cheaper though, soo please let me know if you see anything cute and cheap!
29 Anonymous : Jul 4, 2008 at 11:56 am
I am looking for the sketch of two dogs that hangs on the wall of April’s apartment in the movie “Definitely, Maybe”. Any leads?
30 this is glamorous : Aug 6, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Completely fun — was surprised by how much I loved the blue. The mirrored vanity is so chic, and your 1st dibs find is equally beautiful. Can you believe still haven’t had the chance to see the movie?
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