In the movie Sex and the City 2, Carrie quips that she’s been cheating on fashion with furniture. And I thought the sets may have been my favorite part of this movie!
Let’s take a closer look at the apartment that newlyweds Carrie and Big are living in now.
The Sets from “Sex and the City 2”
Set Decorator Lydia Marks says they took their inspiration from old movies, including Alfred Hitchcock films.
“We wanted it to feel very, very real to New York City.”
“A lot of fancy apartments that you see in movies tend to get a little bit large because it’s easier to shoot in, and it’s an instant read to the general public that it’s a nice apartment,” Marks says.
“But we felt really strongly that we could make an apartment on a scale that was realistic to the real New York and still have it be elegant and high-end and I think we did that.”
Because Carrie kept her old apartment, everything in the one she shares with her husband is new and was chosen so that it reflects them both. It’s much more masculine and “grown-up” than the place she lived in as a single girl.
The living room includes a sofa by Montauk Sofa upholstered in blue wool-mohair
from Donghia and a pair of beige midcentury side chairs.
An oxidized-metal chandelier by Property hangs above
a French 1940s mahogany table from Alan Moss in the dining room:
They wanted to design a space with both masculine elements, such as midcentury furnishings and whimsical rugs.
Elle Decor reports that the unusual blue tile in the kitchen is by Heath Ceramics from Ann Sacks.
The Bedroom
In the first half of the movie, when the characters are in New York, the colors are muted, in stark contrast to the sets and costumes when they’re vacationing in Abu Dhabi.
“Carrie is trying to make a new apartment for the two of them, not just for her,”
according to Production Designer Jeremy Conway.
Carrie’s Closet
The closet isn’t quite as dazzling as the one he built for her
in the first movie, but it’s still pretty fabulous.
Charlotte’s Park Avenue Apartment
I can’t resist throwing a few photos of Charlotte’s Park Avenue apartment, too.
The kitchen looks exactly the way I’d imagine hers to be, pink cupcakes and all.
Set Decorator Lydia Marks says the kitchen was designed to show Charlotte’s need for perfection.
We get a glimpse of the bathroom, too, which also has lots of white and pink in it:
2017 Update: After all the rumors about a possible third “SatC” movie in the works, it sounds like it won’t be happening after all. Which is a shame because I’d love to see where Carrie and her friends would be living today.
2021 Update: The new “Sex and the City” series “And Just Like That” is now streaming on HBO Max and so far the sets look much the same as they did in this movie…with the addition of a Peloton bike in the closet.
You can see set photos at Elle Decor.
Visit my Houses Onscreen page to see the other movies I’ve featured, listed A-Z.
oh it is absolutely gorgeous! The wallpaper in picture one is so d’vine and I love the way those frames are arranged above Carrie’s bed in her old apartment. I would, like probably most woman, die for a closet like hers. sign !
I have not see SITC2, but I think I will rent it now just to see CHarlotte’s kitchen and pantry 😀
Thanks for this post, Julia!
xoxoxo,
Ricki Jill
Maybe the worst movie in the history of movies, and sad for those of us who loved the TV show. But, the sets were beautiful! Only thing I wasn’t crazy about were Carrie’s dining room chairs. They didn’t seem to suit the rest of the apartment.
I could not agree with you more Janice. I think they are just awful.
Good morning, Julia!
I’ve made a post about their apartment because I simply love it! Did you know that dining table was for sale for $65,000??? Take a look at my post, if you have the chance… https://www.homebunch.com/sex-and-the-city-2-dinning-table/
Thank you for sharing this…. I can’t get enough of “Sex and the City”. 🙂
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I love the few shots of Charlottes apt. I would die for a tub like that!!!
Thanks for the post Julia!
As always, enjoying your blog this rainy morning with coffee!
Sending a hug to you for all the work you do for us house addicts!!!
Take good care today!
I loved Carrie and Big’s apartment but my favorite is still Charlotte’s. I’ve always loved everything about it from the architecture and floor plan to her decorating. I did always find it funny though from when we first see the apartment, when it was Trey’s, it practically quadruples in size throughout the show and the two movies. Oh the magic of movie making.
Lovely! I still like Carrie’s old apartment best (the one in the TV series) but I do like the redesign also, as well as her new apartment with Big. Especially those big chairs in the living room and those book shelves with lights, those look great! And Charlotte’s place seems to be a dream house for children 🙂
Julia I adore the New Apartment in NYC KLiving Room, amazing!!
Join my Artfful Offering and Read a great Interview at my site.
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
The movie was really just an excuse for an extended fashion show but I still loved it and I love Carrie and Big’s apartment. Even though it’s beyond anything I could possibly imagine for my own living space, I find it cozy and warm.
*sigh* I will never tire of looking at these interiors… no matter how lack luster the movie was… they are simply fantastic.
I adore Carrie & Big’s kitchen table – does anyone have a source for it? I fear it may be danish modern vintage, ie., nearly impossible to find.
Yay! I’ve been looking forward to this point since last week! Big and Carrie’s apartment is gorgeous-the perfect blend of masculine and feminine mixed with NYC. I thought the movie was whatever, but I loved the interiors. Thank you so much for this post! Lots of lovely inspiration I just bookmarked 🙂 I need that living room coffee table, and that bed!
Despite being a huge fan of the show and the 1st film, I have yet to see the 2nd film because I heard such horrible things about it that I didn’t want it to ruin it for me. I hate when producers and development execs just take things too far. Anyway – I love Charlotte’s kitchen and I like Carrie’s too, however it is not quite my style.
Don’t watch it Jocelyn. I ran out to see it because I missed the girls. BIG mistake. I should have just watched the old episodes on dvd. Pure classics!
Oooooo, Charlotte’s kitchen makes me drool. The cupcakes might be a part of the reason, but that fabulous plain white tile over the stove is right up my alley. Just lovely. Oh! And I wish I had the guts to paint something that blue color from Carrie’s old apartment. I’ve always loved that color. Like a very bright peacock blue or something. Just so pretty!
I was so excited for the film, even planned a girls’ night to see it, but was so disappointed. You’re right…the sets were really the stars. 😉 I loved Charolotte’s kitchen, and appreciate that they showed a *real* mom moment with her breakdown…but she got to take a break and let the nanny take over. 😉
Yeah, movie # 2 was a disappointment, in my opinion. I don’t love fashion, either, so I was having my fun looking at the movie sets; everyone’s apartments, the hotel rooms, etc. I like Big & Carrie’s apt. I also like that she kept her old apt for writing. Wish I could do something like that, lol! 😉
I didn’t care for Carrie and Big’s apartment in SATC2. It was too…impersonal IMO. Too structured and decorated for my taste. Now Charlotte’s apartment? Heaven! It’s exactly the kind of apartment I’d want. You know, if I lived in NYC, had tons of money and a full time staff to keep it clean.
I love it all. Love Carrie’s bedroom and I also love the wallpaper, mirror , and the chandelier above the dining room. Love the movies and I think I heard they are going to make another one. When they all started out in NYC. How fun?
Thank you for sharing this one. Now off topic, have you seen the movie Coco & Igor? Love the house and decor of Chanel.
Take care and Happy Monday!
Claudia
I haven’t seen the movie yet so I loved this post! That apartment is so eclectic and fabulous.
So happy to find your blog! What a great post. Part 2 did fall a little flat, but I also agree about the amazing interiors… that’s what made the movie! I loved the chic, hip look of Carrie and Big’s place. And Charlotte’s kitchen- wow! The interiors definitely fit their characters. 🙂
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I don’t plan to. I’m not a fan of movies with inappropriate parts in them.
As for the sets, they are just ok to me. I’m not a fan of the wallpaper. I have seen much better apartments in movies and tv shows.
Thanks for taking the time to share these with us though.
there’s a feature on the new apartment here. you can launch the digital version at the bottom of the home page and zoom to read the comments by the decorator. i bought a newsstand copy because it had a fullpage shot of that seating area in the bedroom along with the decorator’s comments on it: https://mhlmagazine.com/home/
i just don’t get the new apartment. the comment about it looking staged instead of lived in rings true for me. carrie’s apartment had signs of life: sometimes there were clothes all over the bed, she washed out her delicates in the bathroom sink, there was recycling stacked under the console table. heck, her bathroom had absolutely no personality. not even a patterned shower curtain. for all the images i’ve collected of that pad, and watching almost nightly on E!, i’m not sure carrie even had throw pillows. here’s what i don’t get:
– the kitchen: that is one darn large kitchen for nyc and there is just a small table and chairs in the center. according to comments in modern home living magazine, this was done to reflect big’s taste. any time we saw big in a kitchen, he was cooking at an island. granted this place has a ton of counter space, but that doesn’t the tall man’s comfort zone. and the kitchen table is like eight feet from the dining table. seems wasteful and pointless, from an nyc perspective. also, the kitchen backsplash is pretty but it doesn’t seem like something either big or carrie would particularly like. considering either of their previous abodes, this house is drenched in color and texture. remember the red wall in the beige apartment?
– the seating area in the livingroom corner: the decorator claims this was a nice place to chat and enjoy the view. it gives me the complete opposite impression. the chairs are not facing the windows, and they are too far from the windows for a seated person to see out without craning their neck. it seems much more carrie (or big) to have either placed a chaise or a round chair and a half in this corner, or built it out with cushy daybed/bench reading area. then someone could curly up in the sunshine and read their vogue.
– the bedroom seating area: this is supposed to be carrie’s spot to relax and read (including the mail). who tracks their mail all the way to their bedroom? i live in a studio apartment and i don’t bring my mail all the way to the living/bedroom. how does she relax in that cane chair? it’s pretty, but no subsitute for a chaise or something with a back. you can’t prop your feet on that glass table. and the three pillows (yes, i recognize my personal hypocrisy here) have to thrown on the floor so you can sit down. and i don’t know there’s a mirror sitting on the floor.
– the library: the space btw the entrance and the livingroom with a pedestal table in the center. it’s supposedly lined with carrie’s extensive book collection. say what now? since when she have such a collection? the old spot was devoted to fashion magazines. a worthy, worthy collection. did carrie cruise street vendors to get lots of used books on the cheap.
don’t get me wrong, i do like the space. it just doesn’t really relate to what we’ve known of the characters. by all means let them change, but evolution is much easier to accept when it is shown to us rather than told to us.
In complete agreement with everything you said! Particularly about it not reflecting the characters at all, based on what we know of them, and looking too staged. I would extend that remark also to Carrie’s re-decorated former apartment.
we are in total accord about both apartments. what i liked her apartment on the was that it reflected a real person. she liked to dress and act like a glamour girl, but she wasn’t one. carrie had loads of credit card debt, shopped too much, was bad with money, and from time to time we’d see her at home in an ordinary outfit doing the laundry or cleaning up. she didn’t spend every day walking the streets in stilettos. that’s what nyc is. people come here to live fantasy lives, where people will allow them to do so. but we all still have some basic responsibilities of day to day life.
Most of it looked lovely, but I hated Carrie & Big’s living room. It looked SO cold and impersonal. I just couldn’t imagine hanging out in there…
I am a big SATC fan. But the number two movie… was awful. I didn’t like Big and Carrie’s place… accept for the closet. Tip for fans that haven’t seen the second movie… don’t.
Ok…A. Julia, you must read my mind! I just moved and really need a coffee table, and since I have tons and tons of books, I was thinking about the coffee table from Carrie and Big’s apartment because I liked the way they had books in it – but I was too lazy to Google it to find a picture, and voila! Here it was!
B. While I like the pieces in their apartment separately, together it just feels so show-roomy that I don’t buy it as an actual lived-in space. In Carrie’s original apartment, she had stacks of magazines, books, papers – she’s a writer! – shoe boxes, hangers on the floor, bottles in the bathtub, etc. I felt like her apartment was lived in. This apartment is so sterile…it looks like a “movie set” that wanted to showcase designer furnishings. I know Carrie got married, but I don’t think she changed THAT much. Plus, its soooo bright. I liked her other apartment because it was mainly neutrals – wood, cream, soft blues, etc. This apartment has so much color it is almost jarring. Neither Big nor Carrie’s character’s seem that modern to me – Carrie wears tons of vintage clothing and her previous apartment was full of antique furniture, and Big is a bit, ahem, older than her and always came across to me as being more classic – remember him dancing to “Moon River”? I just don’t see either of them meshing with neon blue tile. I understand what the set designers were trying to do in terms of reflecting the growth of the characters, and maybe it is just my own aversion to bright, modern pieces – I hated when Carried re-decorated her old apartment, too! And I would love this spread if it was in a magazine. I just hated it as their home.
C. As always, however, drooling with jealousy over their closet.
You are so right–the sets were the best thing about the movie, which was awful on so many levels. Why did they have to ruin such a great franchise?
While not my thang, I love the wallpaper and fabrics.
I think it’s fair to say none of us watched the movie for the theatrical acumen. We watched for the sets, the clothes, the bags, jewels and the shoes.
Being a lover of blue, of course I liked much of Carrie and Big’s apt. The desk he put the TV in was a bit out of character though and the first closet from SATC1 was better. That apt was killer.
From the moment I saw it I could not forget about the blue wool felt ottoman. I searched high and low until I found it was custom by Anne Kyro Quinn from the UK. This is a Carrie piece. It’s decor couture! It has line, design, style and instantly say’s “I’m special.” A typical ottoman would have been lost and pedestrian. This was like an art piece, original and that unexpected surprise.
heh, are you me? i too walked out of the theater thinking of only that gorgeous, gorgeous, blue ottoman. i searched for hours and hours online using every variation of “felt blue ottoman” to find it! sadly, when i did find it the price was less than palatable, so i may attempt a diy sometime in the future.
I found this site by chance, looking for carrie’s apartment!
I totally love their apartment, and her old apartment, too.
The movie wasn’t as good as the tv series but it reminded me of good tv series!
I liked the closet a great deal. Of course women look at closet space like it was a property all on its own. That’s the deal maker and breaker of homes to me. Great closet space. Of course that’s not the only thing. I think once again, since everyone migrates to the kitchen and we know Carrie was never a cook, I still think, knowing she does have friends over, make the kitchen cozier, brighter, more colors, great appliances and a place where people feel at home. The bedroom was okay, not my favorite. I wasn’t in love with the painting in the living room at all. Some of the furnishings were nice, some just didn’t set the tone for me.. I love comfortable beautiful furnishings that look welcoming. She was too hard on him about his shoes over a couch I honestly think looked like it belonged in a museum, not a living room where you live comfortably.. not that I would condone shoes on a great new couch, but that one, I wouldn’t care. With so much great decor to choose from, I read the book about making this movie and they stated that this set was the hardest to make out of all of them. Big and Carries home.. I can’t say it was my favorite. I see so much potential to do other things with it. What else can you say.
No I really can’t say I love their apartment. There were so many things I would have done differently. I can look at so many rooms and say this belongs here, there, different color schemes, different this, that, the kitchen definitely different. I like some of it. It just doesn’t scream Yeah, this is it. I would have done it completely different.