The Holiday Home

I once endured days of underwhelming chit-chat with a Hinge match purely because he told me he was from the same village that the movie The Holiday was shot in. This, of course, to someone who spends as much time on Pinterest as I do, was very alluring. Quaint countryside pubs, never-ending fields covered in (albeit, fake) snow and having family nearby is somehow had an appeal to me that the Irish equivalent- that I grew up in- never had.

I envisioned him to have an idyllic stone cottage, à la Rosehill Cottage in the Nancy Meyers film. Surely everyone in Surrey lived in such cutesiness? And he probably had a slipper bathtub and a handmade quilt on his bed? Maybe made his own jam and owned a Barbour wax jacket? Alas, I never found out. Unlike Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, I couldn’t be arsed with making it work. So that was that.

Point is, the set design in The Holiday is very inviting to me. It’s such a treat for the senses, and conjures up all kinds of snuggly, homely feelings. The movie itself is a bit cheesy for my liking, but, like all of Nancy Meyers productions, the interiors are *chef’s kiss*. Production Designer and frequent Meyers collaborator Jon Hutman nailed the charming cottage vibe without it being overly twee. Particularly impressive when you consider that the cottage didn’t actually exist and that the exterior was built in a field in Surrey, but that the interiors were built on a soundstage… in California!

In honour of having to stay at home all winter (thanks, Covid-19), I figured now was a good time to provide some cosy, wintery interiors inspiration.

Annndddd, though it isn’t in Iris’ cottage, I had to include this shot of the adorable indoor tent/ fort/ kingdom of cuteness. This was set up in Jude Law’s character’s home he shares with his two utterly English daughters.

Image credits: Hooked on Houses; Locations Hub; Outnow.