Learning from the Big Screen: Production Design vs Interior Design

Today we explore how film production design can inspire our everyday interiors. By looking at films like The Brutalist and others, we see that good interior design goes beyond aesthetics. It creates experiences that resonate with the human spirit.

I hope this piece encourages you to think of your next interior project as a chance to tell your unique story.

Lights | Camera | Design

At the 97th Academy Awards, held on March 2, 2025, the five films nominated for Best Production Design include The Brutalist, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Nosferatu, and Wicked. I was surprised to see that Gladiator 2 did not make the list.

Wicked, a musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, won the coveted Oscar. The production design team, led by Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, wowed everyone with their creativity in transforming the familiar English countryside into the fantastical realm of Munchkinland.

But while Wicked stole the show that night, I want to focus on another film that intrigues me as an interior designer: The Brutalist. I want us to explore the techniques used by the set designers to create compelling environments and how we can translate that magic into our everyday interiors.

What is production design?

In film, production design is the art of creating the visual environment where the story takes place. It includes everything from the architecture and location choices to the colour schemes, textures, and set decorations.

When you walk into a film set, you should feel like you’ve stepped into another world. Every wall, piece of furniture, and decorative detail is carefully chosen to evoke a particular emotion or hint at a backstory.

This is very similar to what we do in interior design. We create spaces that look good and tell a story about who we are, what we value, and how we want to live.

Production design is a big business that accounts for 10% - 15% of a film's budget. In the past two decades, we’ve seen a steady increase in these budgets as filmmakers strive for more immersive and realistic worlds.

Storytelling through production design

Why is this important? When we talk about storytelling in film, the script, the actors, and the cinematography often steal the spotlight. But the sets and spaces - the production design - play an equally important role.

They set the tone, build the world, and sometimes even become characters in their own right. For instance, let us consider the set design for The Brutalist. This film is set in post-WWII America and tells the story of László Tóth, a Hungarian architect and holocaust survivor.

The production design captures the essence of mid-20th-century life and post-war architecture while presenting the themes of resilience and struggle faced by lower classes and immigrants. The film's settings are monumental, with each scene designed to enhance the narrative.

The stark nature of Brutalist architecture reflects the cold, harsh realities of the characters’ lives, but also hints at a deeper beauty in resilience. This duality is a powerful storytelling tool.

By incorporating elements of light and shadow, texture and contrast, the production design immerses us into its world and invites us to feel the emotions that the characters experience.

Production design techniques

Here are a few strategies that production designers use to tell a story:

The use of colour

Colours set the mood. Warm tones might evoke comfort or nostalgia, while cool tones can create feelings of detachment or melancholy. In films like Wicked, vibrant colours transform familiar settings into dreamlike landscapes. As interior designers, we often use similar techniques - choosing a colour palette that tells a story or creates a certain atmosphere.

Textures and materials

Texture is a silent communicator. The roughness of concrete, the softness of velvet, or the glistening of polished metal. These details can tell a story about the setting and its inhabitants. The Brutalist uses the tactile quality of concrete to reflect the gritty reality of its narrative. Interior designers can borrow this idea by selecting materials that look good and convey a particular emotion or historical context.

Lighting and shadow

Lighting in film sets the time of day, highlights important areas, and creates drama. Production designers use lighting to enhance the mood and focus the viewer’s attention on specific details. For instance, in Nosferatu, the interplay of shadow and light deepens the gothic atmosphere, making every corner of the set feel alive with mystery. This is a lesson for interior design too - how you light a room can change how the space feels and how the story unfolds.

Scale and proportion

The size of a space can be a narrative device. Grand, sprawling sets can evoke awe or insignificance, while small, cramped spaces might suggest intimacy or confinement. Dune: Part Two uses scale to emphasize the enormity of its futuristic world. When we design interiors, thinking about scale and proportion can help us create spaces that feel either open and airy or cosy and intimate, depending on the story we want to tell.

Attention to detail

It’s often the small details that make the biggest impact. Production designers are masters at weaving in subtle details that add depth to the narrative. In Conclave, every piece of furniture and every decorative element in the recreated Vatican interiors tells a part of the story. As interior designers, we know that details - like a well-chosen piece of art or a unique piece of furniture - can elevate a room and speak volumes about our personal story or style.

The brutalist story behind the design

Let’s circle back to The Brutalist. This film is a standout example of how production design can be both a narrative force and a piece of art. As an interior designer, I see many parallels between the film’s design and the principles we follow in our work.

The Brutalist film is set against a backdrop of post-war society. Brutalism as an architectural style emerged post-WWII when there was a strong need for practical, affordable, and durable construction amidst widespread destruction and economic challenges.

On the other hand, Brutalism also reflected a philosophical shift in architecture: a desire to create buildings that were authentic in their materials and construction. In the U.S., where this film is set, Brutalism was particularly popular for government buildings, educational institutions, and public housing projects from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Its use of raw and unfinished materials like concrete was intended to reflect honesty and transparency in public architecture. The film uses the unpolished beauty of this style to convey hope, struggle, and the immigrant experience.

The film’s sets are monumental and deliberate. They use heavy, robust forms to speak of a past that is both harsh and beautiful. The design evokes a sense of permanence and resilience, mirroring the characters’ journeys and the societal changes they endure.

For instance, the vast, concrete corridors and imposing facades in the film are not just physical spaces - they are symbols. They represent the challenges faced by those who live in a world rebuilt from the ruins of war.

The production design reflects the characters’ inner lives - filled with strength, vulnerability, and enduring hope.

Production design techniques in The Brutalist

Let’s break down some of the specific techniques used in The Brutalist, and how they can be adapted to interior design:

Emphasis on raw materials

The film features raw concrete, exposed steel, and the minimalist aesthetic typical of the brutalist style. This choice is intentional. Firstly, it is a film about a brutalist-style architect. Secondly, it speaks of honesty and authenticity, qualities many of us strive for in our design work.

In interior design, using raw materials like reclaimed wood, exposed brick, or concrete accents can create a space that feels genuine and grounded. It tells a story of sustainability, history, and craftsmanship.

Monumentality

The sets in The Brutalist often play with scale to create a sense of awe and gravity. Large, open spaces with high ceilings can make viewers feel both small and uplifted, reminding them of the grandeur of human achievement in the face of adversity.

In our homes, playing with scale, like incorporating oversized furniture pieces or large-scale art, can create dramatic focal points that enhance the narrative of our space.

Historical references

The production design in this film is rich with historical cues. The architecture and decor reference the era, invoking a sense of nostalgia and continuity in the present. As interior designers, we can borrow this approach by integrating vintage pieces or historical design elements into modern settings.

This mix of old and new can create layers of meaning and connect the past with the present in a tangible way.

Functional aesthetics

Every element in The Brutalist’s design serves a practical and aesthetic purpose. The spaces are designed to be lived in, not just admired. This dual approach - where beauty meets function - is something we all strive for in interior design.

Whether it’s a stylish yet comfortable sofa or a modern and practical kitchen, the idea is to create spaces that tell a story while serving everyday needs.

Mood through lighting

Lighting is used masterfully to define the atmosphere. Soft, diffused light in intimate settings contrasts with bold, dramatic lighting in more imposing spaces. Understanding how light shapes a room is key.

Using different light sources allows us to sculpt our spaces and highlight the features that best tell our personal story.

Production design vs. interior design: A shared narrative

In film, every set is a canvas that supports the narrative. The production design is there to give the audience a visual shortcut into the world of the story. Think about it: when you look at a film set, you immediately pick up clues about the characters and the plot from the surroundings.

The worn-out furniture in a character’s apartment, the meticulous recreation of a historical palace, or the futuristic look of a spaceship. All these details speak volumes without a single word being uttered.

Films like The Brutalist use their production design to add layers of meaning. The rugged, imposing environments echo the internal struggles of the characters. In Conclave, the recreated interiors of the Vatican are not only breathtakingly realistic but also reinforce the gravity of the papal election process.

Each film uses design to support the story in its unique way.

The technique of creating interior spaces is similar. We choose colours, materials, and layouts that tell a story about us. Our spaces become an extension of our personalities.

A room with vintage furniture and warm lighting might evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort. A sleek, modern space with clean lines might speak to innovation and minimalism.

In both cases, whether on the big screen or in your living room, the goal is to create an environment that resonates with the audience or the inhabitants.

The major difference is that in film, the space is temporary and created for the story. In interior design, the space is lived in every day. But, the principles remain the same: design is about connecting with people on an emotional level.

Wrapping up

As we come to the end of this exploration, I hope you’ve seen how film production design can inspire our interior design projects. The 2025 Oscars best production design nominees are great examples of this idea. Each film shows us that every element plays a role in storytelling.

For me, The Brutalist is especially inspiring. Its use of raw materials, monumental scale, and honest, historical touches remind us that beauty lies in the authenticity of design.

It tells a story of struggle, resilience, and hope - a narrative that can easily be woven into the fabric of our daily lives through thoughtful interior design.

The beauty of this cross-pollination between film and interior design is that it reminds us of the limitless possibilities of creativity. We can borrow film production techniques to transform our spaces into experiences.

I hope this gives you a renewed sense of inspiration, ready to apply these ideas in your creative work. Whether reimagining a single room or an entire space, you are the director of your narrative.

Let the art of storytelling guide your design decisions. After all, every space has a story waiting to be told.

This article is a friendly exploration of how the magic of film production design, as showcased at the 2025 Oscars, can inspire our everyday interiors. By looking at films like The Brutalist and others, we see that good design is about creating experiences that resonate with us.

I hope this piece encourages you to think of your next project as a chance to tell your unique story. If you would like to discuss how we can help you achieve that, I encourage you to schedule a FREE online consultation with me here.

Catch up with our latest blogs

Watch Inside the Set as Set Decorator Patricia Cuccia SDSA and Production Designer Judy Becker discuss their thought process behind The Brutalist production design.

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