Color Inspiration: a ‘Grey Gardens’ garden room

I love to be inspired by films.  The sets, the costumes, the makeup…even the movie posters outside of the theaters intrigue me.

Every film has a palette, the set designer, costume designer and cinematographer all work together to create it.  A well designed palette helps the viewer in their journey to ‘suspend ‘ belief- if not but for a few hours.  Color plays a starring role in the action of ‘movie magic’.

One particular movie palette that has always stayed with me over the years is the faded colors of the cult classic documentary-Grey Gardens.  Like a wilted flower or a cedar shingle whose colors are slowly draining away – this movie always brought to mind equally faded hues.

Like most fans I was super excited to learn that the Grey Gardens was being remade into a feature film- especially when I caught wind that Drew Barrymore ( Little Edie ) and Jessica Lange ( as Big Edie ) were to star.

When the movie poster was finally revealed- I was blown away by how a change of color could change my perspective.

While the original film and poster documented Big Edie and Little Edie surrounded by the ruins that their seaside paradise had become, the new version reminds us of how grand and colorful their lives and home had once been ( just like the new poster says- ‘true glamour never fades).

Love the palette of the poster…especially the color of the famous aqua stairwell and the denim-ish blue together with that brilliant pop of red and yellow…the stripes of the American flag mimicking Big Edie’s sun hat…it’s all good.

f.y.i. – if you’d like to know everything there is about the Grey Gardens house, and I mean everything! – check out this amazing post from Cote de Texas

The colors of the poster are very similar to that of the dining room in the updated movie ( I need those red chinoiserie chairs!).  Set designer Kalina Ivanho is a genius in using color.  Kate wrote a fun post about another movie whose sets she designed- Little Miss Sunshine.

So, in honor of my new perspective and the poster’s updated palette… I figured I’d create an eclectic, modern day outdoor space that might just please my two favorite Edie(s) if they were still with us today – lounging outside their amazing home in all of it’s original glory.

I figured I’d throw in a place for one of their many ‘pets’ to rest on and a mini grille to replace Big Edie’s hot plate!  And for Little Edie my favorite icon of headwear-a beautiful Hermes scarf with a beach-y motif…. in shades Gray, of course!

Marais A56 chair ( DWR $275 ), Shady Lace Parasol ( Conran $495 ), Palm Tree Lantern ( Conran $85), Celia Round Table ( Maine Cottage $990), Bucket Grille ( Conran $39), Confetti Tumbler ( Conran $4), Longervity Plate ( Pearl River Mart $4), resin flatware ($85 for 5 piece place setting from House Beautiful.com)

Bella Dog Bed ( Maine Cottage $225), August Rocker ( Maine Cottage $990), Zelda Sofa ( Maine Cottage $2190), Red Garden Bench ( Horchow $1500 ), Bean Bag Coffee Table ( West Elm $179), Teak Croquet Set ( DWR $498 ) and Bullet Planter ( DWR $165 )

Libre silk scarf ( Hermes $375)