Star Homes

I’ve been feathering my nest since I moved in last August (one year anniversary in a couple of weeks – yay!). A gorgeous print from Neil Leonard here, (buy one!), a lovely vintage lamp over there. A well-loved red armchair, a garland of red flowers above my bed, some coloured tea-light holders and a feminist postcard picked up in Santa Cruz almost ten years ago. Some of these things have moved with me across my many London addresses, others are newer acquisitions; I love them all. Here are a few pictures for the nosy among you:

When I first noved into my flat in Hackney, my friend N exclaimed, “Ah, it’s like an apartment from a French film – so cute!” Reader, I flushed with happiness. Because, I’m not sure if you know this, but I am a vain so-and-so. One who really wants the approval of her peers when it comes to interior design. Look, I am who I am and I make no excuses.

Anyway, I was extra pleased to discover a compendium of desirable film apartments over on Flavorwire. It had some of the usual suspects – the man-trap apartment in which the models lived in How To Marry A Millionaire, Tom Hanks/Josh Baskin’s pinball machine+vending machine+trampoline flat in Big – as well as a fair few forgotten gems, like Demi Moore’s painfully 80s place from St Elmo’s Fire. But it left out a few of my personal favourites. And that’s what I’m hoping to correct here and now.

My favourite ever movie flat is the one in which Julie Delpy’s Celine lives with her cat Che, in Before Sunset. This is where she sings the song which breaks my heart (A Waltz For a Night – *sob*), imitates Nina Simone, and makes Ethan Hawke a cup of tea. It’s perfect – from the courtyard, where her neighbours (played by her real life parents, fact fans!) are having a cook-out, to the studio itself, all warm colours and knick knacks galore. Here it is:

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From another angle:

And here it is in motion (SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE):

When I saw (500) Days of Summer at the cinema, I remember snorting derisively at the flat the set deisgners had dreamt up for Manic Pixie Dream Girl™ Extraordinaire, Zooey Deschanel’s character, Summer. With time and repeated viewings on DVD, I’ve grown to like it a lot more, even if it does conform hideously to what we can only call ‘blind hipsterism’. Here’s her lovely bedroom:

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Full disclosure: I have blue fairy lights above my bed too, but I did it first, okay? Tom’s place is no slouch either – the blackboard headboard is a nice touch, I think.

I can find no stills shots for the next apartment on the list, and for that I blame the internet at large. It’s the home of Amanda Peet’s character Emily, in A Lot Like Love, one of my favourite ‘not-great’ films. Emily’s LA home has a gorgeously leafy courtyard (we shall not discuss how she can afford such a place) and is split level. I love the cosy kitchen, the spacious living room and the bare walls, as well as the simple staircase that leads to the dinky bathroom and bedroom upstairs. Here’s a clip which showcases some of its features (start at 5:40, for lovely courtyard pr0n):

People mailgn Love Actually rather unfairly, I always think. Yes, it’s a bit mawkish and slick (and not in the expected places, either) but it’s also got bags of charm, a lot of which is present in the scene where Sarah and Karl consummate their love attempt to have a ‘grown-up hug’. I love the design of her little London flat, the mezzanine bedroom is quirky, as is the titchy little hallway. Highlights:

Giddy post-kiss stair-dancing... We've all done it.

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I have a longer list, but the internet just isn’t co-operating picture-wise, boo. Here are a few more faves:

Annie Hall’s apartment in Annie Hall

Abby Barnes apartment in The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Brian’s apartment in The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Amelie’s apartment in Amelie (that blue lamp!)

Adam and Kate’s place in Love and Sex

What are your favourites? Please share in the comments.