Marilyn Monroe Decor: Bright in White
Marilyn was the classiest woman when it came to fashion; but her sense for what worked and what didn't work certainly carried over to her interior design skills. She seriously had the "je ne sais quoi", and one could learn a lot by taking a cue from her sophisticated style and incorporate it into their own design style!
Sadly, a quick Google search will not be of much help. Go ahead. Type in any combination of the words "Marilyn Monroe Interior Design" and you will find a somewhat hideous array of Andy Warhol knockoffs, black & red-hued rooms, and fluffy pink chairs.
*shudder*
These are far away from reality.
Marilyn Monroe Decor: MONOCHROMATIC CHIC
Marilyn Monroe was not flashy when it came to her home decor, in fact, she was almost the exact opposite. She was known for decorating almost completely in white.
She loved art, and reportedly purchased a Rodin statue of a couple embracing. She also loved Goya, Picasso, El-Greco -- the list goes on and on.
When she purchased her first home in Brentwood, she finally had the chance to make a house her home, one of her very own. A place she could feel safe in. I have pulled inspiration from furniture she had in that home (Greg Schreiner's private collection was a huge help for reference), along with examples from previous apartments she had in New York and Los Angeles, to compile this list of home decor.
Marilyn Monroe-inspired furniture and home decor (some look almost identical to pieces the classic actress owned!)
White Chest of Drawers
The last check Monroe purportedly wrote was for a white dresser, which makes sense, the woman loved the hue! I was unable to find photos of the dresser she ordered, probably because it was never delivered. But this one is beautiful and has a Marilyn feel to it.
Silk Sheets
In an interview with Resource, Douglas Kirkland (photographer) quoted Marilyn's instructions for their famous photo shoot: “I should have a silk sheet. Nothing on but that silk sheet.” And she added, “It must be silk.”
Deep-Seated Red Couch
While Marilyn's style was almost overwhelmingly simple when it came to interior design, she clearly loved pops of color. A red couch similiar to the one pictured sat in the living room of her Brentwood home.
Hand-Painted Tiles
Marilyn Monroe brought back a number of souvenirs from her 1962 trip to Mexico. Tiles in this style were scattered throughout various places in her house. Some of the tiles she used in her Brentwood home ares still there today (others have been sold at auction for ridiculous amounts of money).
Gothic Mirror
In her Brentwood home, one of the doorways was a Gothic arch. It may not be possible to remodel your home this way, so go the easier rout -- evoke the feel with this Gothic Mirror.
Wood Coffee Table
Amongst Marilyn's collection was a coffee table believed to have been sourced (handmade) from Mexico. It is difficult to find something identical because the piece is so unique, but with its striking lines and distinctly non-manufactured look, I think this fits the bill.
Floral Oil Painting
She had a beautiful floral painting hanging in her bedroom. Swathed in purples and oranges, this gorgeous oil painting of poppies by Janet Peters reminds me a lot of Marilyn's!
Chippendale-Style Corner Chair
There is this delightful picture of Marilyn Monroe perched atop a chair that looks similar to this. It looks like a Chippendale to me. Other than the green cushion of the original, they look pretty similar!
Several notes in the spirit of doing the right thing... Marilyn Monroe did NOT endorse any of the products listed here, but based upon my research they look very similar to things she actually owned (you can see the original photos from her house with some Internet searching). That said, if you buy from any of the links included above rather than going straight to the vendor site from Google or another search engine, I get a portion of your purchase at no cost to you. :)
love marilyn monroe? so do we!
One might not think of Marilyn Monroe as a bookworm, but she actually considered literature one of her favorite hobbies. In fact, some argue that she was photographed reading more than she was ever photographed nude.
Knowing this kind of makes the following quote all the more meaningful, doesn’t it?