The set of Only Murders in the Building with sources for wallpaper, furniture and art from the show

Have you caught the bug yet?

Today, I’m sharing my series-obsession: Only Murders in the Building. It’s a classic, who-done-it, with the comedic twist you would expect from producers, and stars of the show, Martin Short and Steve Martin. Alongside them is Selena Gomez who plays the part of an old soul, in the body of a sarcastic, millennial, who’s struggling to find her way to adulthood. And, although I wasn't initially sure about adding her to the already-legendary cast, the chemistry between the three of them is brilliant. Gomez takes on an almost-parent-role with her stoic, grounded personality, over the gullible, overly optimistic and charismatic qualities of Short and Martin’s characters. The gang is brought together by their mutual interest in solving the mystery of the latest murder in their building. And, in case you are wondering…how can you have a new murder in the same building, season after season? This show doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a bit ridiculous, but has enough dramatic touchstones to keep it from feeling like it belongs solely in the comedy genre. Expect twists and turns, to laugh when you least expect it, and to be amazed at the guest appearances from actors like, Amy Schumer, Paul Rudd, Sting, Meryl Streep, and Shirley MacClaine, just to scratch the surface (I mean…who would say no to an invitation from these producers??)! It’s not hard to see why the show already has a cult-like following.

only murders in the building *photo credit: disney*

Touring the Set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’

So let’s talk about why we are really here. What initially lured me into this show - a genre I admittedly, am not typically drawn to, was THE SET! Hot damn, it is fine. There are so many great designs in each characters abode, but for today, I’m going to focus on my favorite: the apartment of Charles Haden-Savage.

the set of only murders in the building Photo by Barbara Nitke/Hulu

Savages apartment- set in an early 20th century building named, The Arconia, - was designed by Curt Beech to reflect the style of a semi-retired, older man, who appreciates fine furniture, and has a good eye for art. Intrigued? Oh friend, it’s good…

the foyer wallpaper from only murders in the building image source

What do you get when you put peg-legged furniture and edgy art into an elegant, pre-war apartment in New York City? Magic! Although the apartment boosts architectural features like tray ceilings and a traditional foyer, it is filled with modern furnishings. In my opinion, this is the secret sauce to interesting design: it’s unexpected, and breathes soul into a space. What makes this mash-up work, is the carefully considered scale of each piece. Often times, mid-mod pieces can feel too “light-weight” in large spaces, particularly with lofty ceilings, such as C. Savages historic apartment. But, these pieces fit the size of the room perfectly. It just goes to show, you can have any style of furniture you like - no matter the architecture of your house - if the scale and furniture arrangement are well executed.

living room set from only murders in the building Photo by Barbara Nitke/Hulu

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Stepping into the kitchen, you are really wowed by the use of color and pattern. And, how it manages to not feel overwhelming at all. This is really challenging to do in an open-concept and Beech nailed it. In an open concept, you can define separate spaces with bold color and pattern selections, by using complimentary colors, neutral furnishings and a common color-thread, like we see in the flooring. In the kitchen, the geometric floors have a little bit of all the colors and I think this is what is providing a good base under everything else. I also think the hits of black give some familiarity - a chance for your eyes to rest on a ubiquitous theme.

the kitchen from only murders in the building set Photo by Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

And this perfectly selected color of green looks so good with the warm gray walls and navy sight-lines into the living room.

kitchen set from only murders in the building image source

So my mind has been whirling with the answer to all of our burning questions…How do I get that look in my house??

I’ve gone deeeeeep into my catalogs of resources for this one. Some of these were actually really hard to find. Others, are one-of-a-kind or vintage, so I am sharing similar items to get that Charles-Haden Savage-feel.

sources from the set of Only Murders in the Building

I’ll admit, I’m not big on text art, but I have loved this one since the pilot episode. ‘Nice, hot vegetables’ is a piece that makes you ask questions and offers no answers. It feels fun for a kitchen, and the colors fit right into this room.

the kitchen from only murders in the building Photo by Barbara Nitke/Hulu

You can find a good dupe here

nice hot vegetables, art from only murders in the building

Stepping into the foyer, we have another excellent mash-up: a traditional chandelier hangs over a penny tiled floor and is separated by a bold, geometric wallpaper

the entry wallpaper from only murders in the building Photo by Barbara Nitke/Hulu

This wallpaper is great for an entryway, but for a fun surprise - one that feels maybe less committal - try it inside a closet!

Walls Republic Bold 3 dimensional cube yellow wallpaper from Only murders in the building

Living room

The living room is filled with an eclectic mix of furniture, set against warm gray walls and an amazing, navy built-in.

A fun, mixed metal, spider-arm chandelier hangs over an Italian, post-modern, marble coffee table.

This chandelier is such a cool piece. I’m definitely ear-marking this one for future use!

Alan Mizrahi Art Deco Marsden 6 arm Chandelier in black and gold

Since the coffee table is vintage, I have sourced a few that will give you that similar vibe. I like the use of antique, traditional occasional chairs near the more modern coffee table, as done in Savages living room.

This piece offers up a gorgeous marble top with space for storage on the second tier…

Not a square-shape, but I really like the asymmetric style that gives it that post-modern look. This one also feels very high-end/designer-worthy to me, like something that actually looks vintage, but isn’t.

I really like the thick top on this one. No frills, just a solid, versatile coffee table that can fit right into a minimalist or eclectic esthetic.

square marble and wood Bellamy coffee table by Four Hands

Another asymmetric rectangle for the win. That wood grain…swoon!

morro rectangular coffee table by williams sonoma

This one must be topped with stacks of designer books, and a huge vase of flowers. A travertine coffee table feels very organic-modern, which I like for a living room (and can we talk about how it hides little finger prints - yes!).

square post modern travertine coffee table

The mirror in the living room of Only murders in the building is such a captivating shape, even in its simplicity. (Side note: a card/cocktail table like this is super smart for larger living rooms, as it gives you more areas to entertain)

only murders in the building mirror in living room by McGee and Co Oslo mirror

The art behind the sofa is another fun piece. I like that it can be appreciated from a distance and feels mysterious, yet bold.

Here is a similar option…

Only Murders in the building inspired art

The peg-legged, vintage sofa in Savages living room has been reupholstered in Paul Smith fabric which is where a lot of the colors for the apartment were pulled from.

I can’t let you scroll any further without commenting on the built-in cubbies, and how the shelves and stiles were designed to not extend all the way to each other in some areas. This just feels very rebellious to me. I want more.

sofa from only murders in the building image source

If you truly want to match the spirit of this room, a vintage statement piece, like this sofa (one-of-a-kind, also in Paul Smith fabric) is going to hit a home run 100% of the time. Seriously, it almost doesn’t matter what else is going on in the room because it’s THE COOLEST and I want you to put a record on when I’m sitting here.

Mid-century modern sofa in Paul Smith fabric

This is an outdoor sofa, but there’s nothing to say you can’t use it inside (great hack for kids, actually). Really fun colors to work from and I would be interested to see how this would work in a banquette-dining situation.

Blu Dot 9 yard Outdoor 72” armless patio sofa in Sunbrella Stripe

These fun Paul Smith throw pillows will give you some of that color/pattern flavor without the commitment.

Paul Smith Ottoman Stripe Pillow - Herman Miller Store

In the breakfast area, we see an orange wallpaper that helps define this space as separate from the kitchen. The wallpaper is continued onto the window valences, which is a genius way of bringing the wallpaper onto the window wall.

Behind the table, framed LP record covers offer a graphic black and white pop. Flanking the art are a pair of 1960s Hans Agne Jakobsson pole sconces - a very rare find.

The modern black tulip table is surrounded by steel cantilever chairs from the 1970s upholstered in gray fabric.

cast from only murders in the building image source

Get the Look…

The light fixture over the breakfast table is a black and brass, sculptural chandelier which, although new, adds to the space-age, retro-mod decor with ease.

black and gold mid-century modern two-tier chandelier, light fixture from only murders in the building

To get a similar look to the wall sconces, I have a couple of great options. These are new, so there won’t be any issues with old wiring.

Rafaela Swing Adjustable Modern Wall Sconce Stilnovo Style Wall Fixture

These are pictured in white shades but the seller says they accept customization requests, so could be a great look-alike for the price!

Brass Wall Sconces Pair Brass Articulating pole lights

The dining chairs on the set of Only Murders in the Building are another great 1970s find. You just aren’t going to get this look with a new set, so I’m offering up a few great vintage options in the cantilever steel style. Keep in mind, the upholstery is something that can be changed. What you are investing in is the base of the chair.

mid-century modern cantilever tubular steel dining chairs, set of 4

1970s Daystrom Canilever Chairs, set of 4

These are a flat brass bar, so a little different, but just too good.

1970s flat bar brass plated set of six dining chairs by Brueton

And I like this chocolate brown leather option for versatility.

Brueton Leather and Stainless Cantilvered chairs, set of 8

An actual vintage set of Provocative Percussion albums, like the one from Savages dining room. Jump on this one quick as there is only one!

Josef Albers Pervasive Percussion vinyl record album art set of 4, art from only murders in the building

Now let’s talk about the kitchen flooring from Only Murders in the Building. It’s a stained wood tile that feels like a more quality take on 1970s linoleum. I am already imagining all the ways I could incorporate this tile into my client projects!

I love how imperfect this tile looks and I have a feeling it would look even better with age and wear.

kitchen floor tile from only murders in the building

Love the use of texture on the sides of this tabletop - the same table from the set!

Songhai round dining table, dining table from only murders in the building

I get giddy around this time of year because it means it’s almost time for my favorite show, which aaaaalso reminds me it is almost Fall. As the weather get’s cooler, there’s nothing I like more than curling up with a blanket, some grocery-dip (inside joke from the show) and Only Murders.

You can catch the 4th season of Only Murders in the building beginning August 27th on Hulu. I’m hoping to see more of Charles Haden Savage’s apartment…maybe a bedroom? A bathroom?

I’m actually thinking this would make for a really fun theme party, so a friend and I are going to start a weekly watch-party complete with retro cocktails and games! Are we nerding out yet?? (YES)