A Snapshot of Roland Emmerich’s World
By Never teh BrideDirector Roland Emmerich bought a house in the Knightsbridge district of London, only to find out that his new ‘hood was a little staid for his tastes. Presumably to ensure that he wasn’t unduly influenced by the relative conservatism of his neighbors, he (according to a slideshow in the NY Times) “instructed the designer, John Teall, of Flux Interiors, to make it so that ‘when the neighbors peek in, they might want to call the police or something.’ A taxidermy zebra faces the living room, which reflects his predilection for art with a political edge.”
Ooh, cheeky. I rather like the dolls in the fireplace.
The table is an Iraqi missile. Nearby you can see a chess set modeled on prominent American and Arab personages and things. Think Saddam Hussein, an exploding World Trade Center, and an oil rig.
Pope John Paul II is apparently amused by the contents of his own obits. I tell you truly, I wouldn’t want to walk by this waxwork at night.
Each piece of glass set into the floor is one of the skylights that lets light into the living room. I wouldn’t recommend wearing a skirt to Emmerich’s next garden party.
I like everything except for the pope under the stairs. What say you?
August 16th, 2008 at 9:23 am
How wonderfully irreverent! I agree about the pope. Maybe replace it with a little devil or a hydra.
August 17th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I hate this. I am all for black humor, eccentricity, playfulness, and cutting edge design but this is just unsophisticated and morbid and offensive just for the sake of being offensive, to me. If I peeked in, I would not want to call the police. I would just feel grateful that I was not friends with the owner or designer, similar to how I would feel if I saw a person wearing a Adolf Hitler: European Tour! t-shirt.
Sorry.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I think for most of it, I prefer the concept over the actual design, but I want that fireplace setup.
Considering how many people get wildly startled by the Jean-Luc Picard standee we keep in our living room, I think the pope under the stairs might induce heart attack. Wouldn’t stop me from doing something very like it, but I do think it’s important to remember to have 911 on speed dial just in case if you choose to replicate that motif.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:10 am
I love all of it but the missile table. But then, I have a lamp my grandfather made out of bomb parts in WWII, so I guess I’ve already checked that box.
There’s a house down the street that has a statue of Rod Serling, life-size, looking out the basement window, and you should SEE the double-takes as people walk by.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
The gay pleasure palace near my house in Memphis was on the market for over a year (may still be for sale, I don’t know). I have to suspect that the life-sized Uncle Fester in the basement — the one that spoke and had moving eyes — might have had something to do with the owner’s inability to sell. Quirky is fine, but you don’t want people wondering how many bodies are buried under the shed in the back yard.
August 25th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Uncle Fester would have been a major selling point for me.
Then again, when I was a kid it was my ambition to live in the Addam’s Family mansion. I wanted to sharpen the fence with Gomez.
I admit, though, that it might not be for everybody. If I were looking to sell, I would probably tone down some of the more quirky aspects of my decorating style.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I WANT UNCLE FESTER! Is it still for sale?
August 28th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Fester fetishists?!
September 4th, 2008 at 3:02 am
I say that Roland has really crazy humor and apparently he won’t stop before anything.
Basically, you can find there everything which people never talk about or they just leave such pictures for their imagination. A recesion? Perhaps for some people, for the others, some mumbo jumbo not worthy their attention. (But it definitely made laugh 