Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Joey and Chandler. You remember the names. FRIENDS was a sitcom that started back in 1994 and was on air for ten years, ending in 2004. But the show was so successful that it left a very lasting effect on the audiences and the evidence is that even though it’s been years since it ended, people still discuss it all the time. It is considered as one of the most popular shows of all time and it’s become quite the pop culture icon. That being said, even though it was sitcom, the show can be pointed out for a number of other reasons. Just like we will be exploring everything we learned about interior and decoration from the show considering that most if the scenes took place indoors.
Let’s start with Monica and Rachel’s apartment. This was the most well-arranged apartment in the whole series and for good reasons (Ahem, Monica. Compulsive arranging and cleaning). So, what was so great about this apartment? Let’s take a look-
- The Layout: The layout of the apartment was cleverly crafted. The rooms were decorated with the layout in mind and as a result, the layout came out strong. There were no excessive furniture and no empty space that draws attention too much. Just enough that allows you to move freely without feeling like you are being suffocated by the furniture.
- The Colours: While modern designs might be rethinking bright wallpapers, FRIENDS showed that brightly coloured walls can be spectacular and memorable (Also, this was the late 90s). Even the floors had brightly coloured patterns on them; but if you think about it, perhaps that is better than a bleak grey floor with no personality at all? What’s great about Monica’s apartment is that there are bright colours on the walls and floor, and they complement each other. With some rich lighting, they appear to be rather distinctive.
- The Rug: We keep saying- “use a rug” over and over again. And it’s for a reason. Rugs are a great way to separate the different sections of a huge room. It often happens that the Livingroom and the dining are together and we often ponder about how to separate the two in a subtle yet elegant way. FRIENDS remind you that using a rug can really bring layers to your interior. Recall how they had a rug underneath that sofa-set; essentially separating it from the dining and the kitchen.
- The Dining: The Dining room should be big with a lot of seats, right? Wrong. The Dining should be proportionate to your apartment and exactly how big you need it. And you can figure out how big you need it by counting the permanent residence of the house. Even though everyone was always hanging out at Monica’s, remember how they had a small round table right next to the kitchen.
- The Kitchen: Dining should be right next to the kitchen and we were reminded of it every time we saw Monica’s apartment. What’s great about the kitchen is that it had a direct window, allowing it to be breathable.
- The Study: There wasn’t exactly a particular room in Monica’s apartment that you can call study. But there was a setup that served the purpose and cleverly it was put right next to the big window. Allowing the natural light and airflow in the apartment. The
- The Sofa-set: The Sofa-set consisted of a four-seater sofa, a single seat sofa, a centre table and pair of corner tables to go on each side of the large sofa. But they still needed at least one more seat. Instead of just adding another sofa, they added a comfortable chair with a foot stool. Giving a different look to the set, something to keep in mind while decorating your own home. And yes, the set was indeed pointed towards the Tv cabinet.
- Use of Space: The best decorated rooms are the ones that can use the space properly. Because every now and then, you just need some storage space. FRIENDS was very realistic that way. For example, there was a cupboard above the refrigerator in the kitchen. Just like there was storage space in the Tv cabinet. As for the furniture, they were places with the space in mind. So, you could stand in the dining and Livingroom separately even though they were part of the same huge room. This really speaks about how well they used the space in all contexts. Although, we strongly recommend a multipurpose for your dinner set rather than the cupboard above your refrigerator. (Because a cupboard that small isn’t really practical for home).
- The Bedrooms: There were two bedrooms in the apartment and they were so great because they were decorated with comfort in mind over everything else. Considering that the rooms were small, they were decorated with the basic elements which made them comfortable. A King or a Queen size bed, a bedside table, and a dressing table (or a wardrobe.)- that’s the way to go. Less is more and we see this minimal decoration in both bedrooms of the apartment.
- The Posters: While many might overlook them, the dedicated fans will surely remember the posers that were hanging on the walls of the apartment. As if they had a character of their own and they set the mood somehow. This might sound dramatic but that’s entirely wrong. Posters a great way to compliment the empty space on the wall because let’s face it, it’s much better to look at a very illustrative poster that reminds you of the 90s.
Whether you are a fan or not, you have to admit that Monica’s apartment was very well decorated and bears a number of lessons for interior decoration. If you are a fan, you can easily draw inspiration and ideas from the decoration. Either way, HATIL is prepared to assist you in your interior decorations- however you plan to do it.
