The 2023 round-up: Film and Furniture’s most read features
In the realm of movies and TV, this year has been nothing short of dynamic. From the contagion of “Barbenheimer” to the many other captivating productions on both the big and small screens, we’ve certainly been kept entertained. Our awareness extends to those in the industry grappling with challenges due to the strikes, yet amidst the turbulence, we’ve had many opportunities to dive deep into the intricacies of 2023’s film sets and furnishings. Our community at Film and Furniture has grown, welcoming thousands of new readers and followers worldwide eager to explore the nuances of decor in film.
The cinematic landscape underwent introspection in the first half of the year. Damien Chazelle’s Babylon delved into the hedonistic days of the Golden Age of Hollywood, while Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light explored the power of human connection against the backdrop of a dilapidated multi-screen cinema.
Our journey took us to The Watcher house, where we examined interior details and offered insights on incorporating them into your own home. Even a TV series centered around some strange goings on in an office, like The Consultant, proved worthy of a Film-and-Furniture-style dissection. Additionally, we guided you on furnishing your home with the charm of traditional Irish furniture featured in The Banshees of Inisherin.
Spinning Gold shed light on the legacy of Casablanca Records and 1970s interior design. Meanwhile, 2023’s Dead Ringers brought us a visually stunning narrative, and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City transported us to captivating 1950s Americana.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie spiked our interest, prompting us to explore its references to iconic films and dissect the decor details of Barbie’s Dreamhouse. As the year concludes, the film has grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide.
Our behind-the-scenes explorations, such as A Haunting in Venice with production designer John Paul Kelly, provided unique insights into the filmmaking process. Notable features like Priscilla, The Playlist, and more also captured our attention.
As we bid farewell to 2023, we reflect on our Top 10 most-read features, collectively garnering nearly three-quarters of a million reads.
Film and Furniture’s Top 10 most read features of 2023
No 10. Exclusive! The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Enterprise fuses midcentury design with SciFi futurism
How can you enhance the Star Trek Enterprise? It seems like an insurmountable challenge, given that the original revered starship is often hailed as one of the best-designed and most influential spacecraft in science fiction. Nevertheless, Production Designer Jonathan Lee and his 60-strong team successfully accomplished this formidable task for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds with flair, incorporating noteworthy nods to midcentury modern design details.
In a conversation with us back in 2022, Lee shared his approach to reimagining this iconic vessel, and the feature continued to capture your interest throughout 2023. Strap in, and prepare to energise – this is an in-depth feature in two parts.
No 9. Shining a light on the Overlook Hotel’s Room 237 carpet
Rarely does a movie room exude both repulsion and fascination as effectively as the infamous Room 237 in Kubrick’s The Shining. The Overlook’s head chef, Dick Hallorann, sternly cautions young Danny Torrance with the words, “There ain’t nothing in Room 237, but you ain’t got no business going in there anyway, so stay out … you understand, stay out!” However, little Danny can’t resist the temptation. Apparently, neither can you, as this feature continued to attract the interest of many thousands of readers.
Famed for our officially licensed Hicks’ Hexagon carpet as seen in The Shining Overlook Hotel, you can now get your kitchen shining with our brand new tea towels Approx £22.50 – £60.00 / $29
Shining tea towels featuring iconic patterns as seen in The Shining
Film and Furniture
Director: Stanley Kubrick
No. 8. Barbie film references, side by side
The teaser trailer for Barbie had already hinted at a significant homage to Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The full cinematic experience lived up to expectations, especially with the opening sequence paying homage to 2001′s Dawn of Man, eliciting laughs of recognition from film enthusiasts across the globe.
We unveiled several of the film references in what appears to be a strong contender for the upcoming Awards season in 2024.
No 7. The film sets and furniture of Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange: “A real horrorshow”
Articles on Kubrick films always prove popular at Film and Furniture and it’s no surprise that many of you came visiting to read about the film sets of A Clockwork Orange.
The disturbing film, based on the 1962 Anthony Burgess book of the same name was adapted, produced, and directed by the great Stanley Kubrick. We took and indepth look into the memorable and influential production design, film sets and furniture by John Barry. “It’s funny how the colours of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen” says Alex.
No. 6 The Empire of Light cinema
Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light revolves around a run-down multi-screen cinema, delving into the dynamics of human connection amidst tumultuous times. Against the backdrop of an English seaside town in the early 1980s, the film features Olivia Colman in the role of Hilary, the cinema’s duty manager, supported by Micheal Ward, Toby Jones, and Colin Firth.
A considerable number of you expressed a keen interest in discovering more about the cinema used in the filming, and we happily fulfilled your curiosity with a Film and Furniture-style investigation.
No. 5 #FFFind: The picture of woman with afro in The Shining
More of The Shining! We went down a few rabbit holes investigating the story behind the pictures of captivating black women with afros in Kubrick’s The Shining. These pictures hang in Dick Hallorann’s (Scatman Corothers) Florida apartment: One above the TV and the other behind his bed.
We found them!
No 4. Checkmate! The story behind Kubrick’s carpet in The Shining revealed
Yet more of The Shining! Those familiar with Film and Furniture are well aware that the genesis of this website lies in the inspiration drawn from the hexagonal patterned carpet in The Shining‘s Overlook Hotel. The carpet’s vibrant orange, brown, and red color scheme, coupled with its mesmerizing graphic pattern, captivates us on screen, making it unsurprising that it has earned the title of the most iconic carpet ever featured in film.
A while back, we unveiled the designer behind this carpet and offered insights into why we believe it was selected for this timeless horror classic. This feature continues to captivate and attract readers from all corners of the globe.
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Hicks’ Hexagon officially licensed luxury rugs and runners, designed by David Hicks, as seen in The Shining Overlook Hotel
Designer: David Hicks
Film and Furniture
Directors: Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Mike Flanagan
Shop NowOfficially licensed Hicks’ Hexagon rugs and runners as seen in The Shining‘s Overlook Hotel (original design by David Hicks). High quality, custom made, hand tufted 1 ply wool. One of the most iconic carpets in film
Approx £1,570.00 – £7,344.00 / $2056
No 3. Batman’s taste in modernist furniture
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice not only ignited a clash between two DC Comics superheroes but also sparked a separate showdown between critics and fans. However, one unequivocal victor emerged – Bruce Wayne’s new residence.
His impeccably designed modernist lakeside house, inspired by Mies Van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, maintained its allure well into 2023, even though it was originally featured back in 2016! Just go ahead and call us trendsetters.
Joint No 1: The outdoor grill table in The Gentlemen and Beckham
Incredibly, our discovery of this remarkable BBQ features in the top two of our most-read features of 2023.
The smokeless outdoor BBQ table featured in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen makes a reappearance in the Beckham episode What Makes David Run. In this final episode of the Netflix documentary, we find Victoria and David Beckham in a reflective moment at their remarkable home near Chipping Norton, UK. David, revealing his culinary skills, effortlessly prepares a meal for his family using the extraordinary outdoor grill situated within a tent resembling a marquee. Remarkably, it’s the exact same BBQ we showcased from The Gentlemen!
Read more on The Gentlemen BBQ here >
Read about Beckham’s BBQ here >
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