Production Designer Suzuki Ingerslev sat down and answered a few questions about the inspiration used to create the new home designs that have made their appearance this season on True Blood. Not only have Sookie’s homes’ former Maenad-inspired decorations been replaced, but King Bill’s home has also seen many major changes!
One of the first questions asked during the interview was, “Sookie’s house looks new. How did it get that way?” Ingerslev’s response:
“Eric repainted the façade a warm yellow color with Navajo White trim and touched up the landscaping. Eric kept her house the way he knew she liked it best, which is how Gran originally decorated it. We updated a few electronic appliances, such as a microwave and a big screen TV, which are actually gifts for Sookie from Eric.”
The remainder of the questions asked involved the new layout and design of Bill’s residence. ”Bill Compton’s house really got the extreme makeover, from shabby to unbelievably chic. Why does it look so contemporary?” Ingerslev replies:
“When we first meet Bill in Season 1 he inhabits a worn-down antebellum home that was inherited by ancestors who, over the years, had performed various remodels but had left it in ruin. It did have a Victorian feel, but that style wasn’t necessarily an indication of Bill’s taste. We chose a modern style for him because we felt he had been around for a long time and had traveled the world. There are antiques and treasures from other countries and time periods he might have accrued through his adventures.”
“The formal entry to the home really sets a tone. What are the key design elements?”
“Like all the rooms in Bill’s house remodel, it has a nice mix of old and new elements. The zebra rug is a nod to the hunting trophy rooms of the past. The chandelier, like the one in Bill’s study, takes the traditional element of a crystal chandelier and amps it up by encasing it in a rusted wrought iron sphere. Once we cross Bill’s threshold, we want audiences to feel his worldliness and quiet power. We want his house to reflect how he rules Louisiana with an understated but iron-fisted elegance.”
“His office has a Hollywood Regency vibe, normally a somewhat frilly style. But it reeks of sex and power, doesn’t it?”
“It is meant to be his lair. We wanted the room to be extremely masculine and authoritative and could be a place from which King Bill could stage his power plays.”
“How would you describe King Bill’s living room?”
“If I had to name a style I would say it’s in the vein of old Hollywood meets Southern plantation. The goal for the living room was to create a tranquil, formal room in which Bill could greet and entertain guests. We see less of Bill’s individual personality here, but something that is much more formal, although still relaxed and intimate.”
Want to read the entire interview? Click here!
So what do you all think about the new set design? Do you like the new changes or did you prefer the old layout? (By the way, am I the only one curious as to what Eric’s lair looks like?) Let us know what you think about the renovations in the comments below!
Sources: Los Angeles Times - ‘True Blood’ Set Design Sees Changes on the Home Front
(Photos: HBO, Inc.)
