Mainstream TV is a huge influence on US culture. Many times the TV homes we see on our favorite shows can have an impact on our design ideas and trends. How has mainstream television influenced the housing marketing in the past and present in this way? Let’s look at some homes shown on popular television programs and how they might affect design trends.
7. Don Draper’s House on Mad Men
Everything about this sleekly produced drama following advertising salesmen in New York affects the retro design trends that home buyers are seeking out now. The home that Don Draper and Megan Cooper live in oozes mid-century style and the desire to return to simpler times could affect design trends. After all, how long has it been since you’ve seen a sunken living room?
6. Carrie’s Apartment in Sex and the City
What a perfect companion show to the tiny house movement. With very little room for Carrie and her shoes, economized storage and a lived-in feeling, this apartment could very well serve as a model for efficiency apartments and converted living spaces.
5. Masters of Sex
This is another retro classic that has much to teach designers about the throwback style of the fifties and sixties. William Master’s office is a blur of clean lines and sharp metallic finishes while his home pops with flashes of fabulous color.
4. Monica’s Apartment in Friends
It’s spotlessly clean and decorated with a kitschy, throwaway style that makes it feel like the perfect place to hang out. Note that the entire apartment, save the bedrooms, are built around conversation areas like the living room, kitchen, and balcony.
3. House of Cards
Who wouldn’t want to live like Frank Underwood? With rich woods and luxurious fabrics, Frank’s home shimmers with luxury; a perfect place for two people who practically consider themselves to be king and queen.
2. Boardwalk Empire
Now here, is retro done right. One of the first shows to properly depict the roaring 1920s and the glitz of New England beach towns at the time will give designers plenty to swoon over.
1. Walter White’s House on Breaking Bad
The Albuquerque filming location home of Walt, Skyler and Walt Jr. in AMC’s Breaking Bad is a private residence, but it’s still fascinating to watch how this home—the perfect emblem of suburban family life—is abandoned and decayed as Walt moves through his final terrifying transformation into Heisenberg.
To learn more about what buyers find to be most valuable, visit the 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty® (2-10 HBW®) blog here, or visit 2-10.com/homeowners to learn what a 2-10 HBW Systems and Appliances Service Agreement can do for you.
