Get the Look: 'Scandal' Style for a Sensationally Chic Home
Model a room after the compelling TV show for all the visual drama with none of the conflicts
Becky Harris
May 16, 2013
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Have you been bitten by the Scandal bug? I have. While Showtime's Homeland is my favorite drama, ABC's Scandal has it beat in sets, fashion and chemistry, and that shutter whoosh between scenes is becoming as iconic as Law and Order's famous opening "chung-chungs." I think one of the things that make the show so stylish and engaging is the sets.
Each set has been thoughtfully designed to reveal things about the characters' personalities and relationships, and serves as a striking backdrop that enhances the story lines. I know you fans will be going through withdrawal after the season finale, so after you've caught up on all the tweets and rewatched your favorite scenes, check out how to get the look of these five fabulous Scandal sets.
Each set has been thoughtfully designed to reveal things about the characters' personalities and relationships, and serves as a striking backdrop that enhances the story lines. I know you fans will be going through withdrawal after the season finale, so after you've caught up on all the tweets and rewatched your favorite scenes, check out how to get the look of these five fabulous Scandal sets.
The set: The Oval Office
The style: Traditional American. This is Hollywood's favorite office, where the most important decisions in the country happen. On Scandal, a lot of other crazy stuff happens in here too.
Get the look: This is easy — curved walls and a large round area rug with the presidential seal on them. Seriously, though, this traditional style formula is easy. You need two buttery damask sofas with rolled backs, facing each other, plus numerous drop-leaf side tables, brass light fixtures, a leather-topped desk, a carved fireplace surround and blue and white ginger jars and lamps. Hang a few gold-framed oil portraits and landscapes, and you're done.
Best sources: Ethan Allen, Monticello Shop, serious colonial "ye olde" antiques shops
Books to inspire: Anything about or by Micheal S. Smith or Sister Parish
The style: Traditional American. This is Hollywood's favorite office, where the most important decisions in the country happen. On Scandal, a lot of other crazy stuff happens in here too.
Get the look: This is easy — curved walls and a large round area rug with the presidential seal on them. Seriously, though, this traditional style formula is easy. You need two buttery damask sofas with rolled backs, facing each other, plus numerous drop-leaf side tables, brass light fixtures, a leather-topped desk, a carved fireplace surround and blue and white ginger jars and lamps. Hang a few gold-framed oil portraits and landscapes, and you're done.
Best sources: Ethan Allen, Monticello Shop, serious colonial "ye olde" antiques shops
Books to inspire: Anything about or by Micheal S. Smith or Sister Parish
The set: Cyrus and James' home
The style: New traditionalist. Their home is harmonious. Their relationship is another story.
Get the look: Mix and match old and new, soft and hard, wood, metals and glass, prints and solids. Keep clean lines but don't be afraid to soften things with throw pillows — just make the word "tailored" your mantra as you decorate. Choose paisleys over florals and two-toned plaids over anything more complicated. Edit tchotchkes with a keen curator's eye, and don't forget to tend the rose garden on Sunday.
Best sources: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Thomas O'Brien for Target, Room & Board
Books to inspire: The New Traditional, American Modern, American Beauty, Steven Gambrel: Time and Place
The style: New traditionalist. Their home is harmonious. Their relationship is another story.
Get the look: Mix and match old and new, soft and hard, wood, metals and glass, prints and solids. Keep clean lines but don't be afraid to soften things with throw pillows — just make the word "tailored" your mantra as you decorate. Choose paisleys over florals and two-toned plaids over anything more complicated. Edit tchotchkes with a keen curator's eye, and don't forget to tend the rose garden on Sunday.
Best sources: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Thomas O'Brien for Target, Room & Board
Books to inspire: The New Traditional, American Modern, American Beauty, Steven Gambrel: Time and Place
The set: Abby Whelan's office at Pope and Associates
The style: Deep, rich hues warm up this contemporary office; we never saw Abby's office until season two, and it looks like it was designed to complement her lovely long red hair.
Get the look: Start with an Oriental rug and draw your colors from there. Next choose your wall color — these walls appear to have a Venetian plaster treatment saturated with tawny and coppery browns. Ground the room with a big desk, the most important piece in the room. Choose a leather task chair that stands up to the scale of the desk in a deep hue like this burgundy. Arrange the back walls with the necessary credenza and bookshelves. Last and most important, accessorize with some abstract art. If you don't have time to hit art fairs or galleries, hit a website like Zatista or Etsy for original works.
Best sources: Crate & Barrel, Zatista, Global Views
Books to inspire: Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design, Nomad
The style: Deep, rich hues warm up this contemporary office; we never saw Abby's office until season two, and it looks like it was designed to complement her lovely long red hair.
Get the look: Start with an Oriental rug and draw your colors from there. Next choose your wall color — these walls appear to have a Venetian plaster treatment saturated with tawny and coppery browns. Ground the room with a big desk, the most important piece in the room. Choose a leather task chair that stands up to the scale of the desk in a deep hue like this burgundy. Arrange the back walls with the necessary credenza and bookshelves. Last and most important, accessorize with some abstract art. If you don't have time to hit art fairs or galleries, hit a website like Zatista or Etsy for original works.
Best sources: Crate & Barrel, Zatista, Global Views
Books to inspire: Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design, Nomad
The set: The gladiators' war room (i.e., the conference room at Pope and Associates)
The style: Urban industrial
Get the look: Add some Eames office chairs, iron radiator grates, shelves full of law books and a reclaimed wood table to a dingy warehouse, then tape photos of persons of interest to the windows.
Best sources: Restoration Hardware, Sundance Catalog, Design Within Reach
Books to inspire: Salvage Secrets, Industrial Chic
The style: Urban industrial
Get the look: Add some Eames office chairs, iron radiator grates, shelves full of law books and a reclaimed wood table to a dingy warehouse, then tape photos of persons of interest to the windows.
Best sources: Restoration Hardware, Sundance Catalog, Design Within Reach
Books to inspire: Salvage Secrets, Industrial Chic
The set: Olivia Pope's apartment
The style: Feminine, light, global ... Olivia's apartment provides high contrast to her office; it's the polar opposite of the gladiator room. Just as her hard-edged personality is softened by her wardrobe of white and soft gray cashmere and trenchcoats, she is softened by the light colors, cushy textures, large arches and traditional moldings of her apartment. This is where she likes to get her red wine on.
Get the look: Start with a base of light neutrals and envision what will make you feel comfortable and relaxed after a hard day of power fixing, like a cushy sofa, flowing drapes and a cashmere throw. Subtly show off how well traveled you are with exotic pieces like bone inlay mirrors, ceramics and quatrefoil shapes atop a base of British colonial furnishings. Again, editing is key here — you can't have too many mirrors, but you can have too many tassels. Actually, one tassel would be too many for this place.
Best sources: Wisteria, Serena and Lily, DwellStudio
Books to inspire: Inspired Interiors , The Joy of Decorating: Southern Style With Mrs. Howard, Hers: Design With a Feminine Touch
The style: Feminine, light, global ... Olivia's apartment provides high contrast to her office; it's the polar opposite of the gladiator room. Just as her hard-edged personality is softened by her wardrobe of white and soft gray cashmere and trenchcoats, she is softened by the light colors, cushy textures, large arches and traditional moldings of her apartment. This is where she likes to get her red wine on.
Get the look: Start with a base of light neutrals and envision what will make you feel comfortable and relaxed after a hard day of power fixing, like a cushy sofa, flowing drapes and a cashmere throw. Subtly show off how well traveled you are with exotic pieces like bone inlay mirrors, ceramics and quatrefoil shapes atop a base of British colonial furnishings. Again, editing is key here — you can't have too many mirrors, but you can have too many tassels. Actually, one tassel would be too many for this place.
Best sources: Wisteria, Serena and Lily, DwellStudio
Books to inspire: Inspired Interiors , The Joy of Decorating: Southern Style With Mrs. Howard, Hers: Design With a Feminine Touch
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Anyone had luck tracking down the pendant lights in the conference room? I have a client lusting over them;)
I have never been able to find those. Looks like she's going to have to have them made custom.
Does anyone know where I could find the patio furniture on the balcony of the White House? It’s white in a Chinochiere (sp?) style? Thanks!