The Furniture of The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Oscars can be a bit of a predictable and boring affair. It's often quite clear who's going to win, largely because they've strategically aimed their marketing at winning an Oscar rom the get-go. The categories which I tend to find actually do offer a certain degree of intrigue and surprise are those which focus more on the visual categories within the films. These categories can't really be campaigned for or bought. The set, costume and design of a film are either beautiful; or they simply are not. The Grand Budapest Hotel took home the full set in last month's Academy Awards, so let's take a little sneak peak:

(Being a furniture and interiors blog, I'll stick with that angle. Fashion is slightly above my pay-grade. I do have a sudden urge to wear purple though. )

Below we see a Bavarian hunting lodge on speed. Jeff Goldblum's character stands triumphantly behind a wooden desk made almost entirely from antlers! The top is likely some form of varnished mahogany, whilst the white button on the front is almost certainly ivory. The wild boar painting, coupled with the bear taxidermy, really completes an animalistic and raw interior.

Now we move on to the hotel in its prime, in 1932; a very different Europe. The grand dining hall bears more resemblance to a great concert hall than hotel dining area. A far cry from the Premier Inn breakfast buffet, this room is probably one of the best representatives of the grandeur of the hotel in its prime. The painting of the mountains outside is the perfect finishing touch. Bonus: None of this is real, this shot is made up entirely of a miniature model set.

36 Years later, the hotel has changed. You could argue it is equally as unique and eccentric, but it is not grand. The 1968 hotel is more of an Okay Budapest Hotel. The waiting room furniture is typical of the late 60s, but is a far cry from the luxury of 1932. The towel bin and big black signs are obvious symbols that the service and luxury of the pre-war hotel.

Which films' interiors are your favourites? Plenty of Wes Anderson style colourful furniture can be found here.