French and Californian influences come together in It's Complicated

The movie set design of It’s Complicated (Universal Pictures, 2009) revealed some casually elegant style trends for home. The look is inspired by a blend of American and European gourmet and wine country influences, a desire for quieter homes and for more organic materials.

Writer and director of It’s Complicated, Nancy Meyers is already well-known for her portrayal of women as strong and independent; she’s becoming as well-known for the trend-setting house decorating ideas she packs into her leading lady’s home. The movie set design of her latest movie follows on the heels of another memorable movie home in Something’s Gotta Give (Columbia Pictures, 2003). And if the influence of her most recent set decor on interior design is anything like the last one, it’s likely to inspire more than a few home makeovers!

Jane (played by Meryl Streep) owns a Spanish ranch in southern California that blends Italian, French and California country styles. In a nutshell, the home's interior design style is sophisticated without being fancy. Terracotta-colored accents look inspired by surrounding Santa Barbara rooftops. Antiques mix with high-end furnishings. Belgian linen pillows and cashmere throws are tossed over French chairs and slip-covered sofas. A gourmet influence (Streep’s character loves to cook and owns a bakery) is seen in a charming, though slightly makeshift kitchen. (See kitchen photo, left).

Meyers went after “a quiet palette” and the home is certainly serene, with even Streep’s ex-husband Jake (Alex Baldwin) commenting on how ‘quiet it is here’.

For a closer look at how the set room designers pulled off one of the most exciting movie homes we’ve seen in quite a while, check out our March 2010 issue below.

Check out a few other articles about the It’s Complicated movie interiors… from Remodelista and Traditional Home.