Behind The Scenes On the Set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Gorgeous Set Of
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,
And Hearing the Back-Story On How The Set Designers Got There!
Last week, I had the opportunity to hear first-hand from a bevy of set designers during a talk at the New York School of Interior Design. These talents took us on a journey and educated us on how these movie and television sets were created. The show that fascinated me the most was “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”- the Emmy winning television series on Amazon. The show takes us back in time to New York City during the 1950s. Actor Rachel Brosahan plays Miriam “Midge”, a housewife turned comedian. Of course the gorgeous costumes immediately captivate me-colorful capes and prom-like taffeta dresses! It brings me back to a simpler time when ladies dressed for almost every occasion. Then the witty writing keeps me coming back to the show, but the set design keeps me tuning in again and again. I am enamored with the gorgeous apartment on the Upper West Side where Midge and her husband Joel live.
Being an Upper East Side resident, I am forever on the prowl to see how New Yorkers from other eras lived. The show takes a high brow view, and this couple resides in a swanky historic home on the Upper West Side. I'm immediately reminded of Mad-Men and other shows of that ilk, yet the scenes here show a different aesthetic, a finely decorated view with floral and pink and curated pieces from many eras brought together in a refined manner.
Set designer Ellen Christiansen shared with us how when decorating the home’s set they worked hard to create spaces that felt curated with antiques and period pieces in order to paint a colorful and luminous picture. The sets are layered with a medley of design styles from Regency to Mid-Century to show family heirlooms passed down and give the feeling the home was curated over time. The sets channel interior decorators from that era, Dorothy Drapery and Billy Baldwin. I love the fresh red kitchen which feels vintage yet modern at the same time. I dare say that this set design is influencing the color trends we are seeing today in the home market (Color Trend Story). Christiansen explains that in a period set, the designers need to think about every little detail and source the smallest items down to coffee makers and toasters so the show feels real and properly takes the viewer back in a believable manner. Take a look at some insider secrets on how they create these sets…
1. RECREATING ICONIC SPACES- My favorite scene was the one during the first season where they re-created the iconic department store B. Altman and Company when Midge gets a job at the perfume counter. The set designs were created "in the style" of the department store, not exactly as it was but more how it made us feel remembering the store by transforming an old bank in Brooklyn. Success- it was certainly nostalgia. 
2. LEAVE IT AUTHENTIC- many of the sets were left mostly untouched as this butcher shop on the West Village with the vibrant fire-engine red facade, the paint chipping to show the patina. The set effectively captures the grit of New York, and with the pink cape it just put the color story to another level. 
2. LEAVE IT AUTHENTIC- many of the sets were left mostly untouched as this butcher shop on the West Village with the vibrant fire-engine red facade, the paint chipping to show the patina. The set effectively captures the grit of New York, and with the pink cape it just put the color story to another level. 
3. THEY DO THEIR HISTORICAL HOMEWORK- When the crew took over an outdated quintessential Catskill summer retreat, they captured us with the finest details of the now lost culture- down to the jackets and hats of the Bellmen. 
4. SOURCING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE JOB- In this scene Midge works as a switchboard operator. The team relentlessly sourced the furniture, and found these blue chairs complete with pocket book holders on the back! 
4. SOURCING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE JOB- In this scene Midge works as a switchboard operator. The team relentlessly sourced the furniture, and found these blue chairs complete with pocket book holders on the back! 
5. THEY DO GET LUCKY SOMETIMES- In the case of recreating an authentic beauty parlor, they got lucky and found an entire beauty parlor's contents available and bought it all, down to the hairdresser's uniform, the hair dryers and all the accoutrement.
6. SOMETIMES THEY RECREATE- Although they search long and hard, sometimes they opt to recreate the fabric and wallpaper since the antique materials can be hard to work with. Midge loves all things pink (as you can see from the beautiful home), and the set team sources antique shelter magazines to glean the correct colors and details!
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara
