Monster-In-Law in the Making

From bandelle

Before we delve into the set design of this movie, we must take note of Jane Fonda’s brilliance at playing the merciless mother-in-law (Viola) that we all hope to never have. Fonda definitely stole the show and we may just have to do a second installment of Double Take to cover her palatial Wallace Neff estate in the movie. But for now, let’s ooh-and-ahh over Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) and Kevin’s (Michael Vartan) Craftsman style home.


Missy Stewart, production designer of Monster-In-Law, explained that it was important for the set design to reflect the architectural elements common in the area. So this Craftsman house in Pasadena became the home of Charlie & Kevin. You will notice that the interior palette is rich in orange — purposely vibrant with hints of pastels and limes to cue Charlie’s character.

To recreate this look, we might as well start with the guava colored sofa in the living room, similar to the fenton sofa from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Toss a couple of Thomas Paul’s silk pillows to add even more color. And now soften the punchy scene with an iconic 1950s Akari light sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. These illuminated sculptures epitomize the simplicity of Japanese aesthetics and cast a soft glow on the neutral grey walls. Benjamin Moore’s seattle grey would be a good paint option for your walls. As for that striped chair by the fireplace, why don’t you join us by designing your own Monster-In-Law inspired chair on the Norwalk Furniture site. I could play all day long.

Let’s proceed to the master bedroom. I’m a huge fan of Sarah Richardson (and can even hum the tune of her show, Design Inc.) so when I searched for a simple headboard it didn’t take me long to find the Nicola upholstered headboard from her collection. A simple wooden bench stands at the foot of the bed while a cowhide covered chair sits to the right. If I had the budget, I would probably go for Le Corbusier’s iconic LC1 sling chair. This sleek upholstered cowhide seat is set in polished chrome — such an interesting juxtaposition of materials but I guess we could expect nothing less from such a talented architect and designer.

And now to my absolute favorite part of the entire house (I bet this is Erin’s favorite too)…drumroll, please…the framed subway roll signs. Did you know that you can score your very own vintage NYC subway roll signs on eBay? Thanks for the tip, IMDb readers. They are placed in the living room and kitchen, alongside racks and shelves of Le Crueset cookware.

Soon we’ll feature some of your terrific movie suggestions for Double Take, but we just had to finish exploring Monster-In-Law. Viola’s (Jane Fonda) quintessential Southern California mansion is almost as grand as her character. Let’s see how they furnished this Mediterranean-inspired estate…

Unlike the vibrant orange accents of Charlie & Kevin’s house, Missy Stewart (production designer) purposely kept Viola’s palette fairly neutral with some cooler undertones. Most of the seating in the living room is upholstered in creams and whites, including the sofa, chaise, and ottoman. The profile of the earl collection is reminiscent of some of the pieces but with a tufted touch. Rest your feet on the petrie ottoman before heading over to dine on the louis upholstered armchair, similar to a classic Louis fauteuil. And what better way to divide the room than to use the four ladies soapstone room divider from Modabode.

Since I associate soft creams and whites with Martha Stewart, her Valspar paint collection may provide just the right hue for the walls. Perhaps the zen garden sand would be a good match.

Fancy a cup of tea on the patio? I could spend many hours reading a book on the santenay lounge chair while sipping irish breakfast in my juliet tea cup from Wedgwood. Add a soft spring touch with a couple of small asian floral toss pillows. Finally, accent the space with a bamboo outdoor floor lamp and a hand carved ebony buddha statue.

Can we please take a moment to drool over the architecture and gardens of this Wallace Neff estate? Neff’s Spanish Colonial style is sprinkled across Southern California, which is now well-documented in the book entitled, Wallace Neff and the Grand Houses of the Golden State. The set designers only spruced up the already immaculate rose garden just a little for the winter filming months, otherwise it looks as glorious as it does in the movie all year round. Hmmm…I think I’ll take that cup of tea in the garden instead, thank you.