Designing architecture and interiors for film
Clyvedon Castle: Bridgerton
Prior to qualifying as an interior architect and opening WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture, Verity Woolf worked as an art director and production designer in the film industry. During her film career, she developed a reputation for creating otherworldly spaces in television and film productions, many of which were science fiction or period dramas. She gained recognition for her talent in creating a unique vision based on the story line and the context of the characters.
This is an approach she continues to adopt with her projects today, WOOLF is often a first-choice interior design practice particularly for hotel developers and private clients, many of whom work in the film and television industry. This is mainly because the WOOLF team are trained to see the narrative of a space, the brand of a hotel or character of their clients, as the core of the projects they work on. Explore WOOLF historic projects.
In Verity’s view there is a huge overlap between film, art, interiors, fashion and architecture. All genres influence the way in which we understand the world around us and often we are informed, on a very subliminal level, by a plethora of design influences. That is what we tune into on our projects at WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture.
What are the differences and similarities between designing film sets and designing interiors?
Working as an interior architect is in many ways very similar to the work of a production designer or art director who designs film. As interior architects, we understand the client brief and look at the context and history of a building. Then we consider in detail how our interior design work can reflect the look and feel of the client’s brief and harmonise with their lifestyles. A technical design is created outlining how the space should be lit and electrical plans produced, we work with a variety of specialists and consultants to ensure the production of bespoke design and construction work, matches our design intention. Often a huge amount of research, technical rigour, knowledge of regional and global suppliers and logistics underpins our projects. Explore WOOLF historic projects.
The role of a production designer is to steer the creative direction and overall look of a film or TV series in each location or built film set. They work in harmony with the director’s vision and the approach being taken by the costume, lighting and makeup designers. An art director will take the essence of the story line, scene by scene, designing and building film sets which communicates the era in which the story is set. The key is to convey the look and feel of the character’s environment with immediacy. They will work closely with the location managers to understand how to design and dress locations and work out which scenes will be shot on location. Art directors will technically design scenes to work with lighting and camera angle setups and increasingly work in conjunction with animation and special effects designers, as the technology rapidly evolves.
The Morning Room - Film set by Production Designer, Will Hugh Jones
Films spaces are largely transient spaces which are broken down after they have served their purpose, whereas interior architecture has a permanence and the resulting space is built to last. Where the attention to finish and detail is critical in a home or hotel interior, a film set requires an understanding of illusion and the immediacy of image making. Film design is fast paced and is a theatre of magic, whereas residential or hospitality interiors evolve; they are static spaces which revolve around comfort and ergonomics.
Eloises’s room - Film set by Production Designer, Will Hugh Jones
The UK has a rich history of producing successful period dramas. Some of the most rewarding film and television projects that Verity designed were period pieces where she would design sets or period locations that recreated a bygone age. One of the most intriguing recent period British television dramas, courtesy of Netflix, is ‘Bridgerton’. A costume drama set in Regency London with pomp, romps and scandalous story lines. Based on Julia Quinn’s historical romance series, the show focuses on the Bridgerton family and the decadent lives of high-society London during the 1800s. Many of the scenes were filmed on location near both our studios, the WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture London studio and the WOOLF Interior Design and Interior Architecture Bath Studio. Explore WOOLF historic projects.
Holburne Museum Of Art - Danbury House: Bridgerton
Danbury House: Filmed at Badminton House, Wilton House and The Holburne Museum
The connection between Lady Danbury and the Duke of Hastings goes beyond their relationship; their homes were also filmed in the same locations. Like Hastings’ home, the interiors of Lady Danbury’s London residence were shot at both Badminton House (the hallway and the bathroom) and Wilton House (the drawing room and grand hall). For the exterior, the crew sought the imposing Bath stone facade of the Holburne Museum in Somerset. Danbury House is the massive mansion belonging to rich widow Lady Danbury, Simon Basset’s unofficial Godmother. The exterior of her house is the Holburne Museum in Bath. Footage of nearby Great Pulteney and Bath Street is also used to add to the effect.
Royal Crescent by Matthew_Hartley is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
North Mymms : Brigerton
Featherington House: Filmed at The Royal Crescent
Much of the filming of Featherington House took place around the famous Royal Crescent, which features as the home of the Featherington’s. Beauford Square, Trim Street and the Assembly Rooms also made an appearance. Bath Street, the Holburne Museum and the banqueting room at the Guildhall took center stage. Perhaps the most recognisable of all the residences in Bridgerton is the facade of the Featherington’s home, for which Bath’s iconic Royal Crescent played a starring role. The Palladian frontage stands in for the Featherington’s Regency London home, which in the series is located opposite the Bridgerton’s residence. Designed by John Wood and built in 1776-1777, the Grade II-listed Bath stone crescent was originally designed as 30 terrace houses overlooking Royal Victoria Park. Today, the Royal Crescent is home to the museum No.1 Royal Crescent, The Royal Crescent Hotel and private housing, it has been used as the backdrop to films such as The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice. Explore WOOLF historic projects.
Bridgerton’s ‘Queen Charlotte’ - Hatfield House, Featherington House
Saloon at Hatfield House by Jayembee69 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Featherington House: Filmed at Hatfield House
The interiors of the Featherington home are as memorable as the exterior, not least because the colour palette is so vibrant. To find such complementing decor, the Bridgerton crew took to RAF Halton and Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, the stately home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury. The North Front of Hatfield House was used for night shots and interior scenes were filmed in the Marble Hall, the Library, the West Garden and the West Terrace. This Jacobean mansion was also used in the filming of the latest adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s novel ‘Rebecca’ starring Lily James, Armie Hammer and Kristin Scott Thomas and has played a starring roles in TV drams such the Oscar-winning movie ‘The Favourite’ starring Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone .
Ranger’s House, Greenwich: ‘Bridgerton House’ exterior
Bridgerton House: Filmed at Ranger’s House, Greenwich and RAF Halton
The Bridgerton’s residence is located in the heart of Mayfair, a grand wisteria-clad villa where the lives of the eight Bridgerton siblings play out. In reality, the elegant Georgian property is located on the other side of the capital in Greenwich. Ranger’s House, as it is known in real life, sits on the boundary of Greenwich Park and Blackheath, and was built in 1720 for a Naval Captain. Today, the building is under the care of English Heritage and is home to the impressive Wernher Collection, the 700-strong art collection of 19th century diamond magnate Sir Julius Wernher. The interior of the Bridgerton home was filmed at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, one of the UK’s largest Royal Air Force stations, which was used to create the grand hall, stairs, hallway and smoking room.
P1100742 by acme london is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The Double Cube Room- Wilton House
Hastings House: Filmed at Wilton House, Syon House and Badminton House
Wiltshire’s Wilton House has been home to the Earls of Pembroke since the 1540s, but in Bridgerton it doubles up as the Duke of Hastings' grand London abode. This Tudor house, which has appeared in ‘The Crown’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’, acts as both the exterior and interior for the fictional residence, with its portrait hall, hallway and entrance hall all used in the Netflix series. Other scenes inside the home were shot at Syon House in Brentford, such as the nursery and the Duke’s study and dressing room, and Badminton House in Gloucestershire, where scenes in the Duke’s parlour and morning rooms were filmed. Explore WOOLF historic projects.
Wilton House by byb64 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
RAF Halton : Bridgerton
Clyvedon Castle: Filmed at Castle Howard, North Mymms Park, Wilton House and Badminton House
Clyvedon Castle is the fictional country home of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings. The striking facade belongs to Castle Howard, a historic palace in north Yorkshire that was built in the 16th century which took more than 100 years to complete. Other scenes set at Clyvedon were shot at Wilton House (the dining room), Badminton House (the parlour and grounds) and Hertfordshire’s North Mymms Park (the nursery). Explore WOOLF historic projects.
Lancaster House is a favourite filming location for period dramas such as ‘The Crown’, ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘The King’s Speech’.
St James’s Palace and Buckingham House: Filmed at: Hampton Court Palace, Lancaster House and Wilton House.
Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte splits her time between Buckingham Palace (then known as Buckingham House) and St James’s Palace, both of which the Bridgerton set designers created using an amalgamation of stately homes. Her Majesty’s throne room, which appears in one of the first scenes in the series, is the striking Double Cube Room of Wilton House. The Long Gallery in Lancaster House, is a favourite filming location for period dramas such as ‘The Crown’, ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘The King’s Speech’. For the exterior and the red brick courtyard of St James’s Palace, Hampton Court Palace in Richmond stood in for the real deal. Have a look at the sets in the Bridgerton either via You Tube or by watching the series on Netflix.
