Last week we took a look at Kate Winslet’s charming cottage from The Holiday. Today we’re taking a peek inside the much more contemporary home that Cameron Diaz’s character Amanda lived in. This is a real house in Pasadena, and it happens to be one that the architect Wallace Neff built for himself in the 1920s. It has that distinctive, Mediterranean-influenced “California Style” that he became known for.
The Entry:
Another beautiful house that Wallace Neff designed was featured in Monster-in-Law (photos here.) And Reese Witherspoon owns one of them in Ojai, too, that I love (photos of her place here).
The interiors were elaborate sets built on a soundstage, which reportedly cost a cool million to construct (keep in mind, that’s without exterior walls, plumbing, a roof, or electricity!).
The movie premiered in 2006 and gave us a look at a lot of trends that would really take off in the years to follow: the color gray, seagrass rugs, and lanterns, to name a few. What other trends can you spot in these rooms?
Amanda’s Bedroom:
Bath:
Home Office:
I love how we get a tour of Amanda’s house when Iris explores it for the first time. And it’s fun to see how excited she gets about it. That would totally be me, jumping up and down and squealing.
Whereas Iris has a “book room” in her cottage, Amanda has a media room lined with every DVD imaginable. Which would you rather have?
The house looks more welcoming and at ease when Iris moves in. Even the lighting is warmer and not as harsh. The night of her dinner party is a perfect example. The house takes on a mellow kind of glow:
The Kitchen:
Rufus Sewell plays Jasper, the “bad boy” in Iris’s life who keeps breaking her heart. I’ve been a fan of his since he played Will Ladislaw in the “Middlemarch” miniseries years ago. Anyone remember that one?
Rufus and Kate actually dated each other in the ’90s. No word on whether he was this big of a jerk to her in real life or not, though. 
I really thought Jack Black was miscast as Kate Winslet’s love interest in this movie at first, but he won me over by the end. The movie was reportedly written with him, Kate, Cameron, and Jude Law in mind for the roles.
We get the feeling that the kitchen was never really used much before Iris moved in.
The Living Room:
Notice how minimally Amanda has decorated for Christmas, with a simple garland on the fireplace…
The Production Designer was Jon Hutman, who also gave us the beautiful interiors in movies like What Women Want, It’s Complicated, and Something’s Gotta Give.
One of the set decorators was Cindy Carr, who also worked on Life as We Know It and Failure to Launch.
I personally would need more color if I lived in this house, but I thought that it suited Cameron Diaz’s uptight character perfectly. This looks like the house where someone with a need for perfection and control over her surroundings would live.
Remember how she would have those esophageal spasms whenever she got too anxious about something? Nancy Meyers says she’s had those herself, so she wrote that in for her.
For more information:
- Cote de Texas has more photos and thoughts about this movie from a design point of view.
- Iamnotastalker tracked the house down and has photos of how it looks today.
- The Movieland Directory lists the locations of all Wallace Neff-designed houses.
(Set stills via Columbia Pictures.)
The Pool:
What do you think? Would you rather take a holiday in Amanda’s house or Iris’s cottage?
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{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this! I actually watched it yesterday and was drooling over this house. I agree with you about more color though.
Thanks again Julia! You have no idea how much joy you have brought to my very stressful year!
I hope you have a beautifully designed holiday!
.-= Heather Collins´s last blog ..Free to wait a while =-.
I can never decide which place I love more in this movie…. the cottage or the house in cali!!
.-= Ami @ beyondpeasandcarrots´s last blog ..Orange Cranberry Sauce =-.
I would take a scaled-down version of Amanda’s house and add some more colour! I love the furnishings and the backyard/pool area.
Great post – so many juicy tidbits!
.-= Vanessa@Decor Happy´s last blog ..Meeting Up with Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe =-.
Yes, I remember Middlemarch. Loved it!
I noticed the big twisty legs (barley twist?) on the console table in the entryway, which seem to be quite popular now.
.-= Nichole´s last blog ..7 Quick Takes Friday =-.
I am freakin’ bonkers over this house! Thank you for the lovely pics, Julia! May your holiday be merry and bright and filled with love and peace! Wait a minute, peace? Who am I kidding!
I could happily live in this house! I might throw just a wee bit more colour around, but otherwise it’s totally me.
Good Morning, Julia! Did you have a cup of coffee yet?
I forgot how wonderful that house was! Thank you so much for remind me! This is stunning and so unpretentious. It’s definitely very stylish, but at the same time, very comfortable!
My favorites are that GORGEOUS bath and the HUGE kitchen!
Btw, if you can, please go take a look at my blog today.. I’ve posted some really Beautiful Christmas Ideas!
Have a Fun Week!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I think the house is gorgeous, but I still prefer Iris’s cottage (book room over DVD room any day!). But I prefer SoCal for the location rather than Surrey…especially this morning. It is snowing. Here. In Alabama….brrrrrrrrr
.-= Ricki Jill Treleaven´s last blog ..The Dixie Diva Book Clubs 2011 Book Selections =-.
oops!
PS Thanks for this post, Julia!!!
.-= Ricki Jill Treleaven´s last blog ..The Dixie Diva Book Clubs 2011 Book Selections =-.
I’ll take the English cottage any day over the California mansion.
.-= down-sizingboomer´s last blog ..Boxes Day =-.
Oh my goodness you nailed it. I have a friend who lives in an all white environment and that sums it up. The need for perfection and control! Wow. LOVED this house. Even though I need color I found it to be soothing and spa like. Great house…great movie.
.-= Becky @ Farmgirl Paints´s last blog ..cuddling in =-.
These two houses are one of the reasons I know that I am quite an odd person, because I honestly love them both equally and they couldn’t possibly be more opposite in both style and location! This might also be why I have such a hard time decorating our house, I love so many different things it is often hard to decide what stays and what goes, and what can look good together and what really ought not be mixed. It really depends on my mood at the time I watch the movie, some days I dream of living in the fab California house, and some days nothing sounds better than a tiny cozy cottage in England.
I blame my parents, they shouldn’t have taken me all over the globe at such a young age ( I kid, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world, even if I do have a permanent case of wanderlust and a love of entirely too many things).
.-= hip hip gin gin´s last blog ..Lady and the Pram =-.
I’m the same way!! But I guess that’s why people have vacation homes. They can do them totally dif from one another. Wish we could all afford them
My fav movie starring Rufus is “Cold Comfort Farm” — a fun Brit comedy with some wonderful homes too! Love “The Holiday” — and I pick Jude Law’s home! Love this one — but I would have to add some comfy cozy elements.
I love them both! The california house would need a few more curvy lines in furniture for me and just a little more color. I do LOVE the way the stairway has rounded stairs at the bottom that come off the side!
I sometimes wonder why it costs millions to build a set when an entire house costs the same? Seems like it should be less, but what do I know? I just enjoy the end product!
.-= Pat´s last blog ..Glitter- Candles and Trees =-.
Great post, Julia, both are incredible houses. I could live in any of them. But I pick Graham’s house, for me its the best.
And Julia, can you found for us pictures of the amazing set in the show Huff, with Hank Azaria? There are, at least 4 houses, one better than the other.
PD Iread it is snowing in Alabama, here 33 centigrades!!!
Books, please. Oh, and I could not really live in this house, I’ll take Iris’ cottage instead. And Jack Black is adorable in this movie. Oh, I’ll just be Iris for heaven’s sake!
.-= Mindi´s last blog ..Dangerous Instincts =-.
Loved Rufus in Middlemarch! You have to wonder what he’s like in real life. He is so good at playing a bad guy.
The bath in the Cali home is awe inspiring. Look at all the white towels in the (genius/ gorgeous) built-ins along the wall. It is almost comical to think of this mountain of linens and the lone single girl using the same one or two towels every day. Love the home. Love the pool. Even love the colors.
Books AND DVDs please! Nothing better than reading a book and then picking apart the movie that was made from it. Sublime!
I love the floors in this house…a place walk around barefoot.
Mary Ann
.-= Mary Ann´s last blog ..Need an Elegant Gift Idea An Orchid is Perfect =-.
The wife absolutely loved this house. I don’t mind watching romcoms if they’re good so I gave in and watched The Holiday with her. She couldn’t stop talking about how much she loved the house. Honestly, it’s a little too girly for me but I can admit it is beautiful. Everything in the house screams successful california lawyer woman. Woman taking precedence over everything else. That bathtub does looke pretty amazing though, even if it is too girly.
I’ll take the cottage, please, with the book room.
If I was going to go on a holiday, I think I’d choose Iris’ home, but you made a good point about it being much more homey after Amanda swapped houses. I wasn’t sure about Jack Black in that role either before I saw it, but I thought he was great!
.-= Amanda @ Serenity Now´s last blog ..Christmas Decorations in My House =-.
I’d take the cottage if I had to choose. But this would be its own of kind of adventure as well. So chic!
.-= Lesley @ TheDesignFile´s last blog ..Design books make great Christmas gifts =-.
Beautiful home! Love that kitchen, especially.
.-= Cole@LavishProperty´s last blog ..19-690-000 – Saint Tropez- France =-.
What a delicious discovery your blog is – so pleased I found you. Iris’s cottage and style are very familiar to me – I’m English and all of the places I’ve ever lived in end up looking somewhat the same, old things mixed with new things, antiques mixed with inexpensive modern pieces, mismatched but somehow everything sort of works together. But I do love the spaciousness of Amanda’s house.
.-= lickedspoon´s last blog ..Deck the halls =-.
I would live in Iris’ house and vacation in Amanda’s
.-= rosie at 3rosebuds´s last blog ..Getting in the Christmas Spirit with Hooked on Houses =-.
I loved both houses when I saw the movie. I admit to loving the feeling of a lot of space, and Amanda’s house fills that desire. I have lived in cozy cottages and large spacious homes. I think my friends and family who have been in all of them would back me up on this conclusion…it’s the heart of the home that makes it feel good. While I have a preference for a lot of white….and my current home is VERY white, I see the art, flowers, and other treasures as the colours on a canvas…mostly it’s the people and pets that make it warm. Add to that great scents and aromas, music, laughter. People often laugh at how white it is the first time they come here, but I receive very positive feedback about my home, so something’s working!
Jan from Vancouver BC
I’ve been wanting to see this movie for ages now, but somehow it never happens. I guess it’s because it’s kind of a girl movie and most I watch most movies with my boyfriend lol. I love the house! Especially the bathroom and the kitchen. The other rooms are beautiful, but a bit boring.
By the way: I’ve been thinking about it for several minutes now and I still can’t decide which one I like better – I want a book room AND a dvd room
.-= Maaike Quinn´s last blog ..Day 20 – Include laundry in your routines =-.
ps. My favorite house from the movie is Grahams….I’d take that one in a heartbeat, along with him and the two precious daughters. My girls and I watch the Mr. Napkinhead scene over and over. This movie is one of our Christmas classics now, but we always sneak a peak or two through the year.
I adore this post and I love this house! I love the layout of this house, and the staircase is fantastic. The media room is great, but I would also love Iris’ books. It’s LA, can’t we have both? Amanda’s gym and bathroom are gorgeous, they remind of a hotel gym and spa. I think the kitchen is incredible and the dinner scene is one of my favorites-the warm lighting definitely had something to do with it
I really love the work of the production designer and set decorator, they’ve done some beautiful work in previous beautifully shot films. Great holiday movie, a classic. Thanks for this post Julia! Have a great week!
.-= Bre´s last blog ..Shellac Manicure =-.
Thanks Julia! I loved this house when I saw it in the movie and, I agree, it would need to be warmed up to be perfect, (but I understand making it look cold to represent her character). I’ve always had a soft spot for these Mediterranean-style homes. I loved the modernized staircase, and it fit w/ the character, but I would have loved seeing a curving staircase with wrought iron railings- closer to a Neff original. Those French doors and that deep patio= perfection in my book! PS- Add me to the list who would love you to take a peak at Graham’s house!
I already posted photos of Graham’s house. You can see them here:
http://hookedonhouses.net/2009/01/04/jude-laws-mill-house-in-the-holiday/
Thanks! I somehow missed it originally!
I have a friend who has an all white nice interior and it’s always tidy. Everything is in their perfect place too so I definitely agree about the perfection thing.
I think I would choose to spend the night in the mansion because it seems very relaxing. I would spend time by pool most of those days.
Julia, I just watched this fab movie again and took in more of the details! I love the coziness of the cottage, however would adore to spend a couple of weeks in Amanda’s light bright home. Of course I would warm it up like Iris did! Oh and Jack Black won me over as well, because I had you sentiments at the first!
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
.-= Karena´s last blog ..Fifi Flowers Giveaway 200 Value =-.
Ok, I just found your blog first time today and I’m so in love! Being an Interior Designer I have a passion for houses too! I’m so glad I found you!
Hi Julia hope you are keeping warm… I loved all the houses in this movie for different reasons but I loved Grahams house more it was more family friendly. About Jack Black I agree I didn’t see him in a romantic role but he was great and I tried and could not think of any other actor in this role. Thank you for sharing this was great. Regards Esther from Sydney.
The Holiday is my favourite movie.ever.i just fell for jude law.he is gorgeous.the movie is great.iris’s house is so charming.i’m dissapointed that its not a real house tho.i watch this movie each time i think of england.(im from malaysia)but it makes me miss england more..and now that its almost xmas..its the perfect movie to watch.merry xmas to all.
There is a picture in the entry way of Amanda’s house. It is a picture or print of a dress. Can you tell me the name or artist?
Sorry, but I don’t know anything about it. Does anyone else? -Julia
There is a photo on the wall by the staircase in Amanda’s house, a woman in black and white, with wet hair. You cannot see her face, her head is down. It’s the 4th photo down on this webpage. I need to find out what this photo is and where I can buy it. Does anyone know??
Please help me! I love it and don’t know where to get one for myself.
I am mesmerized by all the designs. What I would like to know is what is the flooring used in Amanda’s house? We are remodeling and until a closer look at her home, I was all set to put in hardwood floors. And do they look grey to y’all?
Looks like a lot of dark gray tile to me!
Your blog is a real treat. This house…is amazing. There is nothing I would change about it. If it were a real house I’d move in as is. Every since I saw The Holiday which was around the time it was released I’ve been in love with Amanda’s house. I remember a few years back I searched for info on it and couldn’t find anything. So, thank you for these wonderful pictures and information. Maybe one day I can live in something as equally beautiful.
The house was brilliantly decorated.
I loved the house, especially the bed. Do you think it was custom made?
I just found your blog and love it!! One neat thing about the CA house was the automatic remote controlled window blinds! I’d have fun with that! And the pool! But then I’m a CA girl.
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