Why Women Kill Set Recreation
Paramount’s Why Women Kill tells us the story of 3 couples living in the same Pasadena house, over the course of 60 years. With each new owner of the house, we see the it drastically change to suit the styles of the modern couples, boldly representing the trends and designs of each decade, all within the walls of the Spanish Colonial style home.
Between the soft turquoise panelling and warm teak tones of the early 60s, the bold purples and polished brass of the 80s, and the rough timber and industrial lines of the 2010s, the show presents a concise, clean visual image between the battling designs and fashions of the decades, making a perfect backdrop for the complex storylines that we see our characters traverse. The house itself acts as a further reflection of each of our couples, helping us understand their stories and characters in a completely different way.
Wanting the recreate a small portion of each of the decades was a passion project I started at the commencement of the initial covid lockdown, and inspired my interest for displaying a stark contrast between the trends and visuals of distinct decades. With custom wall treatments, vintage decor and furniture, and a few custom pieces, the end result was a fun, striking feature in my studio, with each vignette looking like it could have been ripped out of any corner of the California house.
1963 - Stanton Residence
Beth-Anne and Robert Stanton, a housewife and an engineer, move into the Pasadena house in 1963. With the house being renovated prior to their move, the overall design is a smart, elegant and bright early 60s representation of the contemporary trends. The soft, pastel turquoise colour of the walls and panelling acts as a beautiful backdrop to the smart collection of teak furniture adorning the rooms. With an elegant selection of decor and furnishings, the home represents the couples classic style, all while following their journey into a new phase of their lives and time.
While the house is renovated in a more modern 60s theme, remnants of the houses history still remain throughout. Spanish style wall sconces and chandeliers adorn the entryway, pairing beautifully with the cast iron handrail wrapping down the sweeping staircase. These original elements pair beautifully with the new panelling and parquetry flooring that we see in the house, acting as a great example of the loss of design elements over the course of history. By the time we get to the 1980s storyline, these original to the house features are long gone and replaced with the trending style of the time, something that is far too common in design.
When it came to replicate the style of the house, the panelling came first. Because of COVID restrictions, I was not able to find a close enough panel mould to the original house, so had to settle on a simple quarter round, but in the end it still gave the same pleasing visual appeal. I mixed custom paint colours to match the 2 shades of pastel turquoise that finishes off the panelling. Bringing in a 60s desk that has been with my family since new, it instantly brought out the richness of the panelling colour, with the two of them completing each other stunningly.
Vintage wool blankets, books and decoration were used to style the piece, with an antique brass lamp base to the side. Unfortunately because of restrictions, I wasn’t able to find a perfectly era-appropriate lampshade, so a more simple white one had to do for the moment. Carved timber wall decor and a French painting compliment the lines of the panelling, and bring the couple’s smart style together.
1984 - Grove Residence
Buying the house in 1974 are Karl and Simone Grove, a socialite couple that share a thriving art gallery together. We pick up on their story a decade later in 1984, after the completion of a major renovation by the couple, bringing the house into the glam, high-end trends of the 80s. With the walls adorned in a textured, bright purple finish, framed with polished brass trim and marble floors, it is immediately a strong divergent from the 60s interpretation of the house.
Changing every aspect of the design, the couple leave no trace of the previous owners style, while even changing some structural aspects of the house, such as a more streamline balcony shape in the front entryway and a glasshouse extension off the kitchen. The only elements remaining of the original house are the stained glass windows and study door. The couples worldly travels are displayed well throughout the house, with many forms of Asian and Middle Eastern inspiration styled seamlessly into the decor, mixed with sleek modern 80s elements. The walls are adorned with a well curated collection of artworks, a few being stunning portraits of Simone herself.
To recreate the textured wall treatment, I alternated two shades of purple paint together and used a scraper to create a sort of ‘brushed suede’ effect, but in a more strong, stone like texture. An original 80s console table fits the space perfectly, with the glass and brass elements tying the look together. A collection of vases, sculptures and decor pieces adorn the console, most of which came from my family home, while a few pieces were a custom make. The marble and brass obelisk is made from a timber base, wrapped in marble vinyl and brass contact paper.
Up on the wall are three custom pieces, one of which directly inspired by one of the Grove’s collection, the geometric sculptural piece in the upper left. Made with a timber base and brass effect paint, it follows the same shape as the original piece but with a different paint finish to it. I painted the upper right piece, with small references to the overall colour scheme, while the bottom piece is a new fabric stretched across a timber frame.
2019 - Harding-Cohen Residence
Our most recent owners of the house are a lawyer and a writer, Taylor Harding and Eli Cohen. We begin their story 2 years after buying the house, in which time they have renovated it, bringing it into the modern day. Long gone are the 80s, replaced with modern architectural elements and styling. The walls are lined with matte, shaker style timber panelling, with trendy herringbone floors and sleek hardware.
The couple’s style is trendy, industrial and a fraction eclectic, with a casual elegance to it. The layout is relaxed, Eli’s writing desk is proudly placed in the lounge room, and the house has an overall practical sensibility, portraying how living styles have changed so much to the way that we know now. With shelves filled with books, trendy decor and captivating artworks, the house is the perfect example of contemporary trends of the time, perfectly representing the couple we find occupying the house. The stained glass elements remain the only nod to the original house, but that isn’t the only reference to decades gone by, for example the 80s pink vinyl armchair in the lounge room, playing into their eclectic style and furthering the trends of the current day.
To create the timber panelling with the materials I had available, I used inexpensive MDF to create the structure of the shaker panel, and then went over the top with a mix of stain, paint and varnish with heavy brushwork to represent woodgrain. The wall colour is a simple beige, and using a fairly standard industrial shelf for the furniture element gives us the perfect place to display a selection of what could be Taylor and Eli’s possessions.
Using plenty of books gives the vignette a lived in, comfortable feel, mixed with sleek modern decor elements and a few eclectic bits and pieces, such as the Indonesian elephant statue and stone dragonfly trinket box. The chess board and bar set bring together the practical aspect of the design, with lush plants used to soften the industrial elements.
