ROSEMARY'S BABY: AN INTERIOR BREAKDOWN Behind The Bend
One of the best parts about the holidays are the movies that start to pop-up meant to get you in the spirit. Whether you find them browsing Netflix or channel surfing, there is nothing like running across that classic that you may have forgotten about but suddenly can't wait to revisit. We had this happen a few weeks back while surfing through Netflix for something scary to get us in the mood for Halloween. What we weren't prepared for was just how inspired we would be by the interior design of the classic that we choose.
When you hear the movie title 'Rosemary's Baby' what typically comes to mind? Horror movie, psychological thriller, witchcraft? Those are the terms that up until two weeks ago we would have thought of too. We hadn't seen the film, about a young wife and soon to be mother who comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world, since childhood. Now having seen the movie some 25 years later and working in the design field, the key terms that come to mind would be more like; interior design, Manhattan apartment make-over and mid-century modern perfection.
Putting aside the story of Rosemary being impregnated by evil satanic forces, the true plot line of this horror classic is, a feel good movie about a young couple and their mind-blowing apartment renovation. When Rosemary Woodhouse and her husband Guy move into the opulent yet gothic Manhattan apartment, it’s full of dark wood paneling and heavy drapes making it a cold and uninviting space. As you can tell from the gallery on the top left, those characteristics didn’t last for long.
Rosemary moves in and does a complete apartment makeover. She white washes the walls giving the wood paneling and crown-moldings a modern and chic update, a style which is very much on trend today. The heavy drapes are quickly replaced with shears, and the antique furniture is given a much-needed modern update.
The couples dining table is a gorgeous round, four top, Danish-Modern set. The fourth chair has been removed and instead the table has been pulled up to a bench window seat, giving diners a view of the city. The rest of the furniture in their shared living and dining space is all Danish-Modern in style, as would be expected for a young couple in 1968 when the film is set. All in all the space is very much on the Bend aesthetic, and we will be drawing influence for future projects at the Bend House for sure. The actual building that houses Rosemary’s apartment is called the Dakota Building, and was made infamous 12 years after the filming of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ when John Lennon who had lived there for several years was gunned down on the buildings front steps in 1980. It seems that the Dakota Building like Rosemary’s apartment is beautiful on the outside, but has some dark secrets to be uncovered.
