{"id":2435,"date":"2021-07-22T12:50:22","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T12:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/?p=2435"},"modified":"2021-08-03T20:42:58","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T20:42:58","slug":"iconic-interiors-inspiration-from-blanche-devereaux-bedroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theinside.com\/blog\/iconic-interiors-inspiration-from-blanche-devereaux-bedroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Iconic interiors inspiration from Blanche Devereaux’s Bedroom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An iconic trend from the 1980s has been making a comeback in recent years. You might hear the 80s and think \u201cOh boy! That sounds over the top.\u201d We are here to calm your nerves about this comeback –  with a modern flare, design inspiration from the 80s can actually be quite dreamy. One of our favorite examples of this style is Blanche Devereaux<\/a>\u2019s house from The Golden Girls. If we were to pick favorites, we might even go so far as to say Blanche\u2019s bedroom specifically is top of that list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Golden Girls Cast | Photo Credit: ABC Photo Archives via Getty Images from The Guardian<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you aren\u2019t familiar with The Golden Girls, here\u2019s a brief overview: The American sitcom first aired in 1985 and due to its success continued on for seven years spanning 180 episodes. According to Good Housekeeping, the season finale was the 16th-most-watched TV series finale of all time. It received national attention and won several awards, including an Emmy and three Golden Globes. Each star received an Emmy, and it is only one of four shows to ever achieve this kind of success. The four main characters Rose Nylund (Betty White), Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McLanahan), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) share a home in Miami, Florida. Originally, White was going to star as Blanche, but the director of the show suggested White and McLanahan switch places, resulting in White playing Rose. If you don\u2019t recognize these names, a quick Google search should clear that up. The premise focuses on the four single women (three widows and one divorc\u00e9e) all living together in Blanche\u2019s glam house after responding to a bulletin board ad. After just one episode, you will quickly realize they are having the time of their lives living together. Apparently they ate over 100 cheesecakes on the show, despite one of the leading actresses allegedly detesting cheesecake. Sounds like a compelling plot line, right? Cue binge watching it immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was above Blanche’s bed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may have inferred from our mention of Blanche\u2019s home and bedroom that The Golden Girls wasn\u2019t just an award-winning TV show, but it also played an important part in the shaping of interior design and home decor trends. What\u2019s even more remarkable is that almost 40 years later, this could not be more true. We are still drawing inspiration for our homes from the designs used on set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blanche\u2019s Bedroom | Photo Credit: ABC Archives via House Beautiful<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s hone in on Blanche\u2019s bedroom. Initially it might feel like your eyes are playing tricks on you when seeing Blanche\u2019s room with the iconic green banana leaf print on both the bedspread and wall. According to a House Beautiful article, Blanche\u2019s bedding was so coveted that it needed its own security detail. The wall is actually covered in wallpaper with palm leaves, taking the place of a traditional headboard. Rumor has it each leaf was cut out by hand and then pasted to the wall because there wasn\u2019t a headboard included in the set design. Her room is quite literally banana leaf everything! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blanche\u2019s Bedroom | Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The banana leaf motif, known as the iconic Martinique, that\u2019s seen throughout Blanche Devereaux\u2019s bedroom is a design staple. It was created by CW Stockwell\u2019s in 1942 after the then company president, Lucile Chatain and her husband Remy, returned from vacation in the South Seas. They had the vision to recreate not just the rich visual landscapes in the tropics, but also the sense of lushness and exuberance they experienced. With the help of a close friend and noted illustrator and textile designer, Albert Stockdale, the iconic Martinique pattern was born. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pattern quickly made its way into some of the most coveted spaces in the US, including The Beverly Hills Hotel. In the late-1940s, Don Loper, a well-known interior designer, was tasked with the Beverly Hills Hotel redesign. Upon entering CW Stockwell\u2019s showroom, he knew he\u2019d found exactly what he wanted. Today, the hotel is still covered in this bold and vibrant wallpaper that has become one of the most recognized patterns in the world. Given the Martinique print\u2019s exquisite history, it should come as no surprise that The Golden Girls chose to outfit Blanche\u2019s bedroom with this pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n