Film Interiors: W.E.

So much of Madonna's W.E. represents the best offerings of film artisans that the senses have trouble absorbing all that is projected at them. The gorgeous original score by Abel Korzeniowski brings to mind Yumeji's Theme from In the Mood for Love. The costume design is flawless, with Wallis (Andrea Riseborough) always dressed for company in haute couture gowns and Cartier jewels and Wally (Abbie Cornish) wearing a black and white Chanel-inspired wardrobe. And the sets that are their backdrops tell as much about the characters as the dialogue. Surrounded by opulence first in England and then France, Wallis' residences start to feel like gilded cages as she learns what it really means to be married to a royal who has committed the unforgivable sin of abdication. Similarly, Wally's Park Avenue apartment seems to mock her as it suggests a perfection that she cannot approach in her marriage. Everything is in its place and yet all is not as it should be. When Sotheby's security guard, Evgeni, rescues her from her abusive husband, she is finally able to breath again in his welcoming exposed-brick loft. Spaces tell stories, and sometimes we have to change the spaces we move in to live a different story.

Images: Semtex Films.

Black & White

Because we moved a lot when I was growing up, the houses/apartments my family lived in were always understood to be temporary. My father wanted to keep the interiors neutral for the sake of the next owners, which meant that white walls ruled my childhood environment. Once I was out in my own space, I relished painting my walls and decorating with color. What some folks consider to be chic and elegant--an all-white house--is what I consider a decorating tool of last resort. On the other hand, dedicating one room or part of a room to a black & white scheme is another story altogether. A bedroom with white walls and linens, black painted trim and the occasional pinch of color can be extremely soothing to an over-stimulated brain. Small vignettes of black and white items strike a classic note and a bathroom with black/white checkered tile, white towels and vintage plumbing fixtures can be equally modern and retro. Old movies are not the only vehicles for cool black and white style.

Images: At Home with Country: Bringing the Comforts of Country Home by Christina Strutt, photography by Edina Van Der Wyck, publisher Cico Books 2010. Inside Out magazine January-February 2009 issue, May-June 2010 issue, May-June 2009 issue, and March-April 2009 issue. Living etc magazine, August 2009 issue.