Movie Interior: Something's Gotta Give

It could be called the house that launched a thousand renovations: the Southampton, New York beach house featured in the 2003 film Something's Gotta Give.

This is the kind of house you dream about when you're holding a lottery ticket.

Counting down to Sunday's Academy Awards I wanted to highlight a few of my all-time favorite movie homes and interiors. Cue the graceful, grey-shingled cottage with Kennedy-esque charm...

Although the romantic-comedy written, directed and produced by Nancy Meyers featured the serious star power of Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, thanks to the talent of production designer Jon Hutman and set decorator Beth Rubino it was the setting that almost stole the show.

In fact, Hutman earned an Oscar nomination for the Hollywood magic he created with this film.

You see, although the exterior of this movie home does exist in Southampton, the interiors were fabricated on a movie set from the polished floorboards up. The team even custom designed some of the furniture to suit the space.

  Photos courtesy of Hooked on Houses. 

(This is an amazing site and definitely worth a look!)

The kitchen's design inspired a lasting trend toward white cabinets & subway tiles and black countertops. Clean, classic & completely covetable. In spite of its popularity, I think this style remains fresh & favored today. That range! Those ceilings! 

Diane Keaton's character, Erica Barry, is a playwright who works at an antique desk situated in front of a bay of windows with a view of the ocean and blooming hydrangeas. Sigh. Now, this is the kind of fantasy I will pay good money to see! Wouldn't we all be more creative and productive with a little space like that...

Diane Keaton won a well-deserved Oscar for this role! As a writer myself, I think the stacks of books and papers on her desk are also rather convincing...

 

It's beautiful the way the dark wicker contrasts with the colorful book shelves and pale walls.

Character, Harry Sanborn's (aka, Jack's) bedroom in his townhouse is the epitome of handsome, masculine elegance. The artwork brightens the space bathed in rich chocolate and ebony.

Something's Gotta Give is a movie that could be enjoyed with the sound off, but it would mean missing a hilarious movie and great performances. Might be time to rent this one again.