Iconic Homes of Books and Movies

Our favourite books and movies wouldn’t be so magical without the dream homes that heroes and heroines reside in. In today’s C&G blog, we reflect on the iconic homes central to our favourite books and films.

The Great Gatsby’s Plush Palace

Whether the manse in the movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby was as you’d imagined it or not, it was an undeniably magnificent ‘pile’. Gatsby’s dream party pad hosted opulent gatherings for which his character became infamous – and Luhrmann’s fountain-fronted mansion was certainly worthy of being leading man Mr. DiCaprio’s residence.

The Help’s White House

The quintessentially southern homes featured in The Help by Kathryn Stockett were sun-bright and nostalgic. The pearly white homes seemed the perfect place for key characters to share a yarn - from winter nights snuggled ‘round the fire to sunny summer afternoons sipping lemonade on the porch in a rocking chair.

Edward Scissorhands’ Creepy Gothic Mansion

This romantic and uber-dark fantasy movie from 1990 told the tale of Edward Scissorhands and his playful, creepy mansion as imagined by Tim Burton. Design aficionados and movie buffs will certainly find themselves looking beyond the scare factor of the darkly comic story, instead focusing on the detailed construction of the fantastic gothic surrounds that made up Edwards’ home.

The Parent Trap’s Californian Vineyard

Aside from making every teen and tween from the early 1990s wish they had a long lost identical twin, one half of Lindsay Lohan’s character Hallie Parker in The Parent Trap enjoyed the finer things in life – including the gorgeous Napa Valley vineyard home. Spanish-inspired in its design, the magnificent property left little to be desired.

Sleeping Beauty’s Pink Castle

Now better associated with the image of Disneyland’s theme park empire, Sleeping Beauty’s castle remains an iconic piece of fairytale real estate. Its pastel pink exterior, princess perfect design and secluded tower would certainly offer you peace and quiet from noisy neighbours. We’d say it’s the perfect place for a nap!

The Secret Garden’s Misselthwaite Manor

Far from the ‘low maintenance courtyard’ yearned for in today’s real estate market, The Secret Garden painted a picture of tranquility – albeit high maintenance tranquility! The setting of this nursery favourite is a foreboding property named Misselthwaite Manor - a rural home found in Yorkshire, England. Its isolation was a mark of its exclusivity – in today’s real estate jargon it would likely be typified a ‘renovator’s dream’ or ‘divine fixer-upper’.

Which famous fictional properties are writ large in your memory from books and cinema? From The Brady Bunch’s split-level home to the brick veneer court inhabited by everybody’s favourite Neighbours – iconic real estate holds a special place in many popular tales.