Set Design on “Scandal:” Olivia Pope’s Apartment and Office

Once I started watching Scandal, the juicy new drama on ABC, I couldn’t stop.

The first season was streaming on Netflix over the holidays and I spent an entire weekend burning through one episode after another. It’s addictive.

Now the show’s well into Season 2 and the twists and turns just keep on coming.

Kerry Washington stars as D.C. “fixer” Olivia Pope. Let’s take a look at her chic apartment and office on the show.

The Sets on the TV Show “Scandal”

Olivia Pope’s Apartment

Olivia has a piano in the corner of her living room, but she doesn’t have a lot of time to play it. She’s one busy lady. I don’t think she ever eats or sleeps!

When Fitz (also known as the President, played by Tony Goldwyn) visits Olivia’s apartment for the first time, he says,  “I imagined your place a thousand times. I like it. It’s very you.”

Anyone else get excited when Gilmore Girls‘ Liza Weil appeared on the show? (She played Paris Geller on G.G.)

Without spoiling anything for those of you who haven’t watched all the episodes yet, let’s just say her story arc didn’t end well for her…

When the show returned this January, Olivia’s apartment looked different.

My guess is that the earlier episodes were filmed on location and now they’re using a set.

It’s similar, but not quite the same. For instance, here’s how the entry and living room sets look now:

Production Designer Corey Kaplan told People magazine:

“The space is based off of apartments in the El Royale in Los Angeles, designed by William Douglas Lee of the Chateau Marmont in 1927. We loved the moldings and the embellishments, but we made it a little bit larger scale with larger arches.”

In her apartment there aren’t any signs of Olivia’s childhood: “You don’t see baby pictures, a mother or father,” Production Designer Corey Kaplan explains, because we don’t know a lot about her past–and show creator Shonda Rhimes wants to keep it that way.

Vulture reports: Because Pope is always working, “she doesn’t do much entertaining,” Kaplan says. The goal, then, was to keep her place simple. “She decorates for comfort. She isn’t that fussy.”

Olivia’s kitchen is small but striking with black subway tile and white cabinets.

I always want to see more of it, but she’s not the kind of woman who cooks a lot…

Looking down the hall into her bedroom:

It’s hard to see much in this nighttime shot of Olivia’s bedroom,

but that bedding of hers made an impression on viewers:

If you’re one of the readers who was searching for it, it’s from West Elm:

We also got a look at her bedroom in the daytime on a recent episode, although it was just a teaser of a glimpse.

We also got a quick glance at the closet doors next to her bed:

And the dresser on the other side of the room:

Kerry Washington’s wardrobe on the show has gotten a lot of attention — especially

that signature white trench coat of hers:

Olivia Pope’s Office on “Scandal”

According to Seeing Stars, the exterior of Olivia Pope’s office that we always see on the show

are actually the top floors of the Palace Theatre at 630 S. Broadway in downtown L.A.

The set designers went all out when they created Olivia’s office.

There’s not a standard cubicle in sight.

The print behind Olivia’s desk is by Randy Hibberd.

Her team uses the windows in the conference room to hang notes and photos about cases they’re researching.

They are constantly rearranging them like giant bulletin boards.

ABC introduced the show last year this way:

From the creator and executive producers of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” comes a drama revolving around the life and work of a professional crisis manager and her dysfunctional staff.”

Scandal” was written by Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice”).

Any Everwood fans out there?

Scandal had an episode with two Everwood alums playing a married couple: Tom Amandes (Dr. Harold) and Brenda Strong (Dr. Andy’s belated wife).

Not only that, but Debra Mooney, who was Harold’s mom on Everwood, is Verna Thornton on Scandal.

The dramatic wood table makes a great centerpiece for the room.

It was designed by District Millworks.

Scandal was inspired by Judy Smith, a real-life “fixer” based in D.C. and L.A.

For more photos and information about the sets on “Scandal,”

check out the articles in People magazine, Vulture,

Seeing Stars, and I Am Not a Stalker.

There’s an official Scandal blog devoted to the sets, as well.

Visit my Houses Onscreen page to see other shows I’ve featured, listed A-Z.