Greenroom

While the onstage action during Oscars night keeps us glued to the screen, it's the celebrity greenroom backstage that always piques our curiosity. For the 11th year, Architectural Digest was given the task of spearheading the design of the greenroom, and their team is letting us in for a behind-the-scenes look!

Architectural Digest chose designer Madeline Stuart to execute the room's vision, which evokes the glamour of Old Hollywood with a modern twist. "My goal was to design a space where contemporary stars wouldn't be surprised to bump into Cary Grant or Katharine Hepburn," says Stuart.

For her muse, Stuart looked to the art-deco-influenced interiors designed by art director and production designer Cedric Gibbons. Aside from bagging 11 Academy Awards for art direction, Gibbons is also responsible for designing the iconic Oscar statuette!

Built-in upholstered banquettes, polished black floors, and stepped walls and ceilings are just a few of the Gibbons-inspired design elements Stuart incorporated into the greenroom. Even the furniture (all from Baker) and lighting selections mimic his luxurious yet tailored style and are influenced by a recent project for the new owners of his iconic 1930 Santa Monica, CA, home (talk about a real-estate score!).

Last week I gave you a sneak peek of LA-based designer Michael S. Smith's rendering for the Architectural Digest greenroom at the 83rd annual Academy Awards, and now we've finally got a look at the completed room! The concept this year is an elegant, 1940s-style library with a sophisticated color palette and furnishings celebrating Hollywood's golden era.

Here are a few quotes from Michael about his design!

On his inspiration for the room:

I think I was really influenced and kind of inspired by movies of the '30s and '40s which sort of show the background of Hollywood behind the scenes. And I think that's a great place because I think those kinds of movies and that era sort of established what we think of as Hollywood glamour.

On choosing a library setting:

Having worked for a lot of actors and people in the movie business, there's something so kind of comforting and cozy about a library, about a paneled room, and it felt that at the Academy Awards where there's so much bustle and activity going around and kind of so much energy in the air, it felt that a library would be a great retreat to kind of collect your thoughts before you go out and have to be on screen for millions and possibly billions of people.

On the color palette:

We chose colors which were kind of golds and browns and blues, colors that traditionally kind of give you a sense of coziness, of comfort, that are not too warm, not too hot, not too cold, just kind of very comfortable and very kind of relaxed.

Want to see a time-lapse video of the room being decorated? Head to my Twitter page!

Photo by Roger Davies for Architectural Digest

The Oscars are really closing in on us! Architectural Digest has just announced that it has chosen interior designer Michael S. Smith to create the Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 83rd annual event. The greenroom is the backstage lounge where all the Oscar presenters and honorees will relax and rehearse before their big stage debut at the Kodak Theatre. The choice seems fitting for Thomas, who says, "Having lived in California my whole life, I have always been thrilled by the movies, and the design and architecture that surround them. I am always inspired by film. It is an honor to participate in the most prestigious of all Hollywood events."It's also no surprise that Smith, a good friend of the magazine's new editor in chief, Margaret Russell (formerly of Elle Decor), was chosen to do the honors. "Michael’s signature style made him a natural choice to create the Greenroom on behalf Architectural Digest this year," says Ms. Russell. "And though his design reflects midcentury Hollywood glamour, his interpretation of the space is state of the art."

Until now, Michael's claim to fame has been has his post as the Obamas' White House decorator, but this certainly tops the list, too. In any case, there's no doubt he's gotten comfortable around celebrity. Though The New York Times somewhat slanderously called Smith's design for the Oval Office "too brown, too dowdy, too ho hum," in an article called "The Audacity of Taupe," he is by far one of the most talented and sought-after designers in the States today.

I'm afraid to say Smith's greenroom rendering isn't a far cry from NYT's description, yet it is undeniably sophisticated. The room is designed to be an elegant, 1940s-style library with a warm, reserved color palette with a mix of traditional and Art Deco era Hollywood-style furniture. As for the resources, Smith has chosen pieces from Baker, Cowtan & Tout, Phillip Jeffries, Questroyal Fine Art, and Samsung Electronics. Even if the Oscar gowns of the evening feel uncomfortably confining, the guests are sure to feel at home in Smith's greenroom.

Last week we learned that Architectural Digest had selected interior designer Roger Thomas to create the greenroom for the Oscars, and the room is complete just in time for the big day!

On the right-hand side of the room, you can see that, as planned, he's handpainted a few chairs to turn them into one-of-a-kind pieces. The splatter-paint floor, which was inspired by scenic departments of Hollywood studio lots, turned out beautifully, too. Not only does it have an artsy, painterly quality, but it subtly brings in a bit of color to combat all the neutral furnishings. The floors also give the several different seating areas a more cohesive look. It's smart that Thomas to chose to forego a traditional coffee table in favor of five small stools, ottomans, and side tables which could potentially moonlight as seating. What do you think? Would you like this design in your home?

Want to see a time-lapse video of the room being decorated? Head to my Twitter page!

The Oscars are really closing in on us! Architectural Digest has just announced that it has chosen interior and furniture designer Roger Thomas to create the Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 82nd annual event. The greenroom is the backstage lounge where all the Oscar presenters and honorees will relax and rehearse before their big stage debut at the Kodak Theatre. The choice seems fitting for Thomas, who says, "My fondest memories are cinematic moments. The films have as much to do with set design as they do the action."

On to the décor! To hear about Thomas's vision and resources for the room, read more