I just watched the 1966 Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole film How to Steal a Million, which is chock-full of talking points when it comes to interior design. But the one thing that truly blew me away (aside from the armoire that leads to a secret staircase) was the purple staircase and banister in Hepburn's character's foyer. In contrast to the rest of the reserved, gilded, French furnishings in the Parisian mansion, the purple stair runner is a very bold choice.
Several important scenes take place on the staircase, so it was smart of production designer Alexandre Trauner to make it a focal point. Clearly, the décor in this home is dated and a little glitzy for most of our tastes, and this shade of purple isn't very popular these days. But what do you think of this effect in general? Do you like how they've used a stair runner to create visual impact? Would you want to replicate a similar look in your home with a powerful color, pattern, or stripes?
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Manoush
Chevignon
Kate Moss
This film's style is iconic. One of my favorite's for 60's class... the cars, the wardrobe, the interiors and exteriors... all perfect in my eyes.
1I love this movie -- I recovered my couch the color of the runner after seeing it because it stuck in my head so much (in a good way)!
2Gorgeous. It adds a shot of color without being overpowering.
3Wow, really, hayworthgilda? I'd love to see a photo!
The Givenchy outfits in this film are my favorite...
4I wouldn't do it. I think they did it for visual impact...it makes the star (Audrey) shine & compliments her. I think it was used as part of the fantasy of filmmaking.
5When it's done well, it can look terrific.
6I agree!
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