Sitcom Style: Inside America's Favorite TV Homes (Hardcover)

by Diana Friedman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
All the Style of Famous TV Homes, Now in Yours!

From Archie Bunker’s Barcalounger to the framed peephole on Friends, sitcom decor sets the tone of our favorite shows—and defines the lives of its characters. Now Sitcom Style brings you a behind-the-scenes peek inside more than two dozen of the most recognizable homes in American pop culture: the sets of our favorite TV shows from the past half-century.

The sets of situation comedies aren’t just a collection of random props that surround the actors; they’re statements of style. They’re designed to convey a particular mood, to both reflect and enhance the personalities of the people who live in them—just like anyone’s home. So Sitcom Style is more than a glimpse into a make-believe world; it’s also a fascinating exploration of how to bring personal style into your own living room. Set designers share their secrets and strategies for creating some of the most thought-out homes in America, and you can learn how to recreate these styles in your own home, complete with shopping resources!

What’s more, Sitcom Style is also a nostalgic stroll through the most beloved locations in the American consciousness. From the early days of I Love Lucy, The Addams Family, and I Dream of Jeannie through seventies’ favorites like Three’s Company and Happy Days to the eighties’ The Cosby Show and Roseanne and recent megahits like Friends, Sex and the City, and Will & Grace, Sitcom Style is an at-a-glance look at how America has lived for the past fifty years. And for true TV buffs, each chapter includes information on the set designers, years of production, favorite quotes, and trivia.

A completely unique combination of pop culture and interior design, Sitcom Style is a must whether you love the TV world or want to spice up your own decor at home.

About the Author
Diana Friedman is a freelance design writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, In Style Home, and other newspapers and magazines. Diana also styles interiors for print, film, and private residences. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (November 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400051789
• ISBN-13: 978-1400051786
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #569,454 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #77 in

  Books > Entertainment > Television > Reference

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snooping on the Sitcom Set, November 28, 2005

By	P. Johnson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I always enjoyed when Entertainment Weekly would go behind the scenes of a popular show and call out the details of its set -- the books and knickknacks on the shelves, the pictures on the fridge, the paintings on the walls. Here we have an entire book of close-up looks at sitcom sets from the last 40+ years. It's a fascinating, guilt-free trip inside your favorite homes. I could do without the decorating tips, but the backstage trivia makes for a fun read.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and Fun!, November 24, 2005

By	Mark Mokrzycki - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book after reading its review in the New York Times. It is novel,fun,informative and brings back fond memories of programs I have enjoyed through the years. I would highly reccomend it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Surprisingly Functional, December 12, 2005

By	Ari Bayme (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sitcom Style provides an in-depth look at the process, styles and techniques utilized by set designers to make the unknown television character immediately familiar to the television audience. The book strikes a perfect balance between trivia on some of the most famous pieces of furniture ever seen on television, such as Archie Bunker's chair, and close ups of the actual technical diagrams used by television producers.

Ms. Friedman's lucid explanations on the relationship between a television character's projected personality and a set designers choice of furniture and layout, provides valuable insight into the design of any living space. Detailed deconstructions of various sets, such as the open layout of Frasier's sophisticated living room or the use of a club chair to project the assured confidence of Murphy Brown, end up being valuable guides in how to project your own sense of character in your personal living space. The inclusion of a buying guide at the end of the book with accompanying websites and phone numbers is helpful as well.

While the book already does a great job of providing decorative insight along with television history, one would hope the author would do another book with even more home decoration tips. My only detraction would be the failure to examine some of the more popular canine abodes on television.

Strongly suggested as a holiday gift to anyone who enjoys television history and trivia, home decoration and style, or both!