Are you a Barbie girl or more of a fan of The Mandalorian? Here, Nicholas Smith from The White Kitchen Company shows us how this year’s favourite films and TV shows are influencing our interiors.

2023 certainly hasn’t been short of box office hits and if you’re anything like us, your favourite film or TV show is about more than just the story or cinematography. We’ve been captivated by the colour palettes of Barbie and The Little Mermaid and drawn in by the aesthetics of Daisy Jones & The Six, Queen Charlotte, and The Mandalorian, so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen everything from fashion to homewares inspired by this year’s most popular flicks.

If you’d like to get a bit of that silver screen magic in your home, why not take inspiration from one of 2023’s showstoppers? Here, we’ll take a deep dive into how five of this year’s most popular films and TV shows are guiding our interiors, particularly trendsetting kitchens. We’ve also used the power of AI to imagine five stunning cinematic kitchens in real life. So, whether you’re into bubblegum pink, 70s nostalgia, or Regency-era décor, there’s a kitchen to inspire you here.

Daisy Jones & The Six

We were all captivated by the drama and scandal of Amazon’s smash hit Daisy Jones & The Six. However, it wasn’t just Riley Keough and Sam Claflin’s on-screen chemistry that had audiences talking, but the sensational costume and set design. While interest in 70s style has been growing steadily over the past few years, Daisy Jones has skyrocketed the retro trend in 2023 as designers take inspiration from Billy and Camila’s love shack or the band’s shared house.

To get this look, stick to the warm, saturated colour palette synonymous with 70s interior design, paying particular attention to earthy tones like ochre and mustard yellow, rusted orange, chocolate brown, olive green, and powder blue. Don’t be afraid to go bold with this style, such as by painting a statement wall in one tone or opting for bright cabinetry. Alternatively, if you’re looking to add a retro hint to your existing kitchen décor, experiment with clashing grid tiles, floral print tiles, or a vintage light fixture.

Alongside an earthy colour palette, 70s interiors fully embraced organic shapes, with curved furniture taking centre stage. Curved countertops or an island can add an instant ‘wow factor’ to your kitchen, along with a round wooden dining table. You can add some small organic touches by incorporating a few houseplants or some statement wall décor. For even more inspiration, take a look at Film and Furniture’s feature on 70s interior design in cinema.

Barbie

If there’s one thing Barbie is known for, it’s pink, and while Barbiecore has been around for a while now, this hyper-feminine aesthetic has taken over our social media feeds. After this summer’s hottest film reached our screens and pulled in a record-breaking £276m in its opening weekend — making it the biggest female-directed debut (The Guardian) and Warner Bros’ biggest film ever (The Hollywood Reporter) — you’ll find everything from Barbiecore fashion and makeup to interiors and even food!

Fans of Greta Gerwig‘s latest blockbuster can create their very own Barbie dreamhouse by layering various shades of pink in a monochromatic style. The kitchen is the perfect place to experiment with bold colours and monochromatic palettes, as cabinetry, countertops, furniture, and accessories lend themselves particularly well to layering. To give the space a polished, well-rounded look, incorporate touches of white or gold in the form of appliances, hardware, and plumbing and add some greenery using houseplants or fresh flowers.

If you’re not ready to commit to total Barbie pink interiors just yet, you can add delicate hints of pink without diving in headfirst. Consider brightening up an all-white kitchen with pink tiles and some rose accents. You could even include a few nostalgic Barbie accessories, such as a novelty phone, some fluffy pillows, or a hot pink lava lamp to create a space that everyone’s favourite childhood doll would be proud to call home.

Queen Charlotte

Bridgerton fans rejoiced when the long-awaited prequel series Queen Charlotte hit Netflix this spring, and if we weren’t already obsessed with Regency-era décor (or Regencycore), we certainly are now! A stark contrast to 2023’s breakout trend ‘quiet luxury’, Queen Charlotte has had us falling in love with lavish, maximalist interiors. Think bold prints, florals, ornate features, and plenty of gold, with a rich and opulent colour palette of emerald green, sapphire blue, and burgundy. You can soften this look by incorporating pastel tones like rose or powder blue, too.

To design a kitchen fit for a queen, consider eye-catching cabinetry in your base colour, layering with a marble worktop and splashback, gold or brass hardware, and bold but beautiful wallpaper. A farmhouse sink will add to the grandeur of the space, as will an extractor canopy complete with corbels.

Vintage is your friend for this look, so make sure to scout your local charity shops and vintage fairs for classic, solid wood pieces to incorporate into your kitchen. Dressers can be transformed into stylish cabinets to house your tableware and cutlery, while dining chairs can be reupholstered in fresh fabric — velvet or silk will add to the Regencycore look.

The Mandalorian

As the newest instalment to the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian has amassed a cult following. And, while you might not necessarily think of this sci-fi-meets-Western when it comes to interior design, The Mandalorian is the perfect series to inspire fans of the industrial aesthetic.

To get this look, mix and match muted, earthy tones like stone grey and sandy beige with steely hues like gunmetal grey. Copper hardware and fittings add some warmth, so look for door handles, taps, a cooker hood, and decorative lighting in this shade. While the industrial aesthetic doesn’t rely too much on accessories, you can decorate with your kitchen essentials by displaying copper pans on a hanging rack and putting potted herbs, oil bottles, and spices on show.

Take your kitchen into the future by investing in smart tech such as a smart fridge, hob, or oven, and incorporate a built-in speaker system throughout your space — perfect for dinner parties or musical cooking sessions.

The Little Mermaid

Earlier this year, the classic Disney film The Little Mermaid got a highly anticipated live-action remake starring Halle Bailey. Audiences young and old flocked to the cinema to see the fan-favourite mermaid come to life, with many basking in the nostalgia to popularise the mermaidcore aesthetic. Sweet, coastal, and a welcome dose of sunshine, #mermaidcore has amassed nearly 494 million views on TikTok as users share their makeup looks, fashion inspo, and home décor inspired by the seas.

To get this look in your home, mix whimsical, youthful, and nautical shades of dusky pink, lavender, and turquoise with pearlescent and iridescent finishes. An offshoot of the ‘coastal grandmother’ trend — another aesthetic that itself has over 515 million views on TikTok — the mermaidcore look borrows elements such as high-quality, organic materials, light wood, and plenty of natural light. Add some nautical finishing touches in the form of scalloped edges, fishscale tiles, and ocean-inspired tableware.

 

2023 has been a big year for cinema and TV and we’ve seen how our on-screen favourites can influence our home. If you’ve been inspired by one of this year’s blockbusters or streaming hits, why not incorporate some of the style advice above to design a kitchen that’s bound to impress? For even more film and decorating tips and titbits, take a look at some of the other features on Film and Furniture.