I’ve gotta hand it to you guys — when there’s a house you want me to feature, you’re persistent about it! I got so many requests to see Reese Witherspoon’s house from the movie “Home Again,” I lost count.
The rom-com was filmed on location inside this sweet 1929 Spanish-style hacienda in Brentwood, California.
It was already accustomed to a certain amount of fame, having been formerly owned by celebs like Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Garner.
Take a look!
Reese Witherspoon’s House in “Home Again”
At the beginning of the movie is a flashback to the 70s, indicated by the sepia tones and peacock chairs.
We later see those same “Morticia Addams chairs” in the present-day scenes outside Alice’s bedroom.
“Home Again” was produced by Nancy Meyers, so you know the sets are going to be good!
We have her to thank for some of our favorite movie houses, from Something’s Gotta Give to Father of the Bride.
Her daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer wrote and directed it.
The Entry Hall:
The Living Room:
The movie’s about Alice (Witherspoon), who recently left her husband and moved into her late father’s home with her girls.
On her 40th birthday, she meets three aspiring filmmakers who need a place to stay. With a little arm-twisting (and plot twisting), she agrees to let them live in her guest house.
She starts an affair with one of the young men (played by Pico Alexander, who was 25 when he filmed this, but only looked about 18 to me), and another one falls hard for her, too. Things get even more complicated when her ex (Michael Sheen) shows up to win her back.
There’s a pink theme running through the house, which emphasizes the idea that Alice and her girls are living here on their own. At least that was the plan, until the three young guys moved into the guest house and the ex showed up with his suitcase…
These glass doors off the kitchen look great.
As someone who ducks and covers whenever someone unexpected rings the doorbell, though, they wouldn’t work for me, ha.
The Kitchen:
The countertops aren’t really wood. They just put contact paper on them to look like butcher block.
For the flashback to the 1970s we see the kitchen looking very retro with different tile and curtains:
They used stick-on vinyl tile for the back splash in the movie.
Candice Bergman played Alice’s mom, and now I can’t wait for the “Murphy Brown” reboot!
I found photos of the house from when it was listed in 2013 that you can see here.
I took as many screenshots of the house as I could while watching the movie.
There weren’t a lot of wide shots of the rooms, unfortunately, so you have to kind of mentally piece together how the spaces connect.
For instance, you get glimpses of the breakfast room and dining room through the doorways behind them:
The Dining Room:
I really like the classic blue and white scheme they went with in the kitchen and dining room.
Production Designer Ellen Brill says, “We didn’t put a lot of dark things in the house.”
She told the L.A. Times, “The house is like a character in the film. That’s what happens in Nancy Meyers movies. We were on a limited budget, but Hallie knew that she wanted a very light and bright feel to the place. She wanted it to feel very much like California. Antiques with a good patina always work.
Alice’s Dad’s Old Office in the House:
Alice’s Bedroom
Brill created the colorful headboard in the master bedroom with two rugs from Raoul Textiles.
Alice’s Home Office:
Those window treatments look like the Bingham curtains from Ballard Designs.
I found some photos of the house that were taken by home stager Meridith Baer.
She posted them on her Facebook page and wrote: “We were thrilled to donate select MBH furnishings for the set of Home Again Movie, the directorial debut from Hallie Myers-Shyer, and starring Reese Witherspoon. This home is the definition of California cool!”
Ellen Brill also worked on sets for American Horror Story and Parenthood.
They wanted the “Home Again” interiors to have a mix of rustic, Midcentury and bohemian influences.
The Family Room:
The Guest House in the Backyard:
The producers needed a property that came with a guest house, so this one fit the bill!
In the distance are the two chairs we saw in the 1970s flashback:
Patio with Fireplace:
This brick patio with the fireplace and built-in seating created one of my favorite “rooms” in the movie.
Photo sources, credits, and additional info: Karen Ballard, Open Road Films,
Meridith Baer, L.A. Times, Cote de Texas, Period Media, Elizabeth Street Post,
Ellen Brill, Trisha Troutz (2013 listing photos), and Inside Houses.
