Why Interior Design and Cinema are Basically Soulmates

Upon reading Hannah Baxter’s “The “Whimsigoth” Aesthetic Isn’t Just for Witches” article on Architectural Digest recently, it prompted me to further explore the relationship between what we see on screen, and how that impacts interior design trends. Baxter mentions the 1998 cult classic “Practical Magic” as a key example of the “whimsigoth” aesthetic: a style characterised by velvets and lace, moody colours, metallic accents, homely touches and magical elements that counteract the ghostly, macabre feeling of the typical gothic style. The article demonstrates extensive effort and detail on how to achieve this particular aesthetic; a type of understanding that made me wonder how powerful films can be to truly influence something so personal like your own home, that even esteemed magazines like ArchDigest give an in-depth guide on how to accomplish it.

Excited to learn more, I soon stumbled upon Cooper Osinki’s video on Nancy Meyers: who is she, and why did so many people in the 90’s and 00’s want to make their homes look “Nancy Meyers-esque”? Beyond being a screenwriter and producer, she’s also the interior designer behind the sets of her many beloved films like “Father of the Bride” (1991), “The Parent Trap” (1998) and “The Holiday” (2006). Distinguished by warm neutrals, layered lighting, soft seating spaces, and clutter that feels intentional rather than neglected - the spaces psychologically tap into a person’s aspirations: a composed, comfortable lifestyle. In times of political and environmental uncertainty, the need for comfort and safety tends to intensify - possibly explaining why individuals gravitate towards the Nancy Meyers home, including today (aligning with the “Coastal Grandmother” trend as well, Osinski argues). If you’re willing to spend the time, money and effort in making your home feel like the ideal place to unwind, who wouldn’t read an ArchDigest guide (or other magazines alike) promising exactly what you need? 

Evidently, cinema has an influence on home decor trends, but does interior design have any impact on cinema? Surprisingly to some, the setting of a movie, like the protagonist's home, can tell us a lot about a character’s psychology and enrich themes of the production's story.  A significant, albeit clichéd, example is Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” (2019), a film that commentates on social discrimination and human greed in a chilling, darkly-humoured manner.  For instance, visual storytelling expresses this from the two main spaces explored in the film. According to Dominika Kožuchová in Diggit Magazine, the marginalised Kim family’s home is designed to feel constrictive, filthy and chaotic, and the lack of light is meant to emit a sense of hopelessness - a sort of space that “is not meant for dignified living.” In contrast, the wealthy interior of the Park family portrays a sense of order, comfort and aesthetic enjoyment - a visual depiction of “the good life,” Kožuchová says. Similarly, interior design enthusiast Paula Benson argues that “in Parasite, minimalism signals hierarchy.” 

Another example is Marie Schrader’s purple home in “Breaking Bad” (2008-2013). The director Vince Gilligan uses this colour in the Schrader household furniture to silently reveal Marie’s true emotions throughout the series: purple, commonly perceived as the colour of royalty and power, visually contradicts Marie’s inner struggles of inadequacy and desire for control in a time of emotional turbulence and moral corruption, Anuja Banerjee suggests. On a warmer note, Benson analyses character and story developments in “Sentimental Value” (2025) via furniture too: through the passage of time, the setting slowly introduces more modern pieces of furniture, like an Arco Floor Lamp and Swedese Lamino Easy Chair, showing that furnishings can be markers of time and can compile meaning over generations through use and attachment; that whether sentient or not, change is a natural part of life. 

The list of examples could go on and on, with Oscar-winning films including Kramer vs Kramer (1979), The Great Gatsby (2013), The Brutalist (2024), and many more. But Benson summarises this beautifully: “the common thread [...] is not period accuracy or extravagance. It’s intention. Each interior reflects identity, desire or aspiration.” Considering their bilateral influence, it’s clear that cinema and interior design are made for each other. 


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Bibliography

1. Banerjee, A. (2023) The colour purple: Revisiting Marie’s character Shades in breaking bad, Youth Ki Awaaz. Available at: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2023/08/the-colour-purple-revisiting-maries-character-shades-in-breaking-bad/ 
2. Baxter, H. (2024) The ‘whimsigoth’ aesthetic isn’t just for Witches, Architectural Digest. Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-whimsigoth-aesthetic-isnt-just-for-witches 
3. Benson, P. (2026) Interior design lessons from Oscar winning movies, Film and Furniture. Available at: https://filmandfurniture.com/2026/03/interior-design-lessons-from-oscar-winning-movies/ 
4. Kožuchová, D. (2026) When a space becomes class: Exploring parasite (2019), Diggit Magazine. Available at: https://www.diggitmagazine.com/when-space-becomes-class-exploring-parasite-2019 
5. Osinski, C. (2026) Nancy Meyers Invented America’s Dream Home and It Was Never Real., YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCw0a_LoUSs&list=WL&index=24&t=366s