Monday, December 30, 2013

Rooms on Film: How to Make it in America

lulu d's (nicole laliberte) ladylike boudoir
Another of those shows I barely ever saw before it was cancelled. It clocked two seasons on HBO. Before it bit the dust, How to Make it in America did impress me with some of it's NYC digs, all designed by one Kelly McGehee.

Of course, I'm particularly taken with the homes belonging to the female characters. Let's start with Lulu D, whose apartment is only seen in two brief scenes. She mostly appears in her West Village clothing boutique, which has a similar air of light femininity to it. 


When eager young Cam finally makes some headway with Lulu, it comes as a bit of a surprise. She goes from blowing him off and using him for favors to drinking wine by candlelight in her livingroom. 


Only the living room and bedrooms are ever seen, and those only briefly. But it's enough to inspire. Especially Lulu's lovely boudoir with it's pale colors, Eastern accents, Victorian inspired furniture and the odd eclectic touch like that stuffed bird on the table. Even her embroidered dressing gown matches the carefully tailored scene.


Seems to me it takes a certain kind of girl to pull off a rolling rack in her room. Sure, lots of people do it, but somehow this always seems like a touch best left in my 1980s dreams of what it's really like to be a grown woman.

And how about this headboard? Tufted upholstery on a Victorian design. Not over the top, but certainly something that tips the package toward upscale. That one item does so much to inform the feeling of the room. Cam seems only slightly out of place, despite his bright blue boxer briefs.


Even I can respect the restrained color palette here. Very calm and serene. About what you'd expect from a creative like Lulu DiFlorio.

As I said, this was only one of the cool homes featured on the show. Stay tuned!

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