As the characters in Netflix’s wildly popular horror series, The Haunting of Hill House, experience hauntings that seem to defy logic, their environment plays an important role. The house at the center of the story personifies architectural uncertainty, and its skewed proportions seem to embody evil itself.
Theodora and Eleanor can comfort one another by pointing out the house’s odd angles, wall shapes, and walls that seem just a fraction off.
1. The Red Room
The Red Room is perhaps the most important element of Hill House, made by the Hill House Design team. It’s also the key to understanding how the entire show works. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the house is incredibly intelligent. It knows the desires and vulnerabilities of its victims, and it uses these to manipulate them. It also has the ability to alter itself in order to match its victims, both as children and adults.
This is made obvious when Olivia, an ESPer who has fallen under the seduction of Hill House, manages to open the ominous Red Room door. She then brings in Luke, Nell, and Abigail, the daughter of the home’s caretakers, for a deadly tea party where she serves them poisoned tea. It’s only after the Crains leave that they realize the dead girl’s presence in their home, and that they’re all doomed to be stuck in the house forever.
The other main purpose of the Red Room is to provide each child with their own personal space. Throughout the show, each child finds themselves in their own version of the room, even though the house is aware that they are in there. This is because the room disguises itself according to each child’s needs. It presents itself as a solitary retreat for Olivia, a reading room for Nell, a treehouse for Luke, and so on.
It’s only after the final episode that the audience realizes that the Red Room is actually a portal between the human world and Hill House. This is what makes the house so terrifying, and it’s why its residents are doomed to be haunted for all eternity.
As for the design of the Red Room, Farrell wanted it to feel as if it was a real part of the house, but he also had to keep it subtle enough that viewers didn’t automatically recognize it as such. The trick was to build the room on a stage, which allowed him to use a more conventional approach to set design than normal—but also one that still added immense visual depth to the show.
For Farrell, the best way to achieve this was to build the room out of wood rather than steel or concrete. “It was really a matter of scale,” he says. “It was like Xanadu, but on a grander scale.” The end result is a stunning piece of set design that feels authentic and terrifying at the same time. It’s a feat that no viewer will want to miss. Watch the full series on Netflix now.
2. The Staircase
The eerily empty house of Hill House serves as more than just a backdrop for the story of Eleanor, Luke, and Theodora Crane; it is a character in its own right. As the characters wander through the nooks and crannies of the mansion, they are often trapped in concentric rooms, disoriented by oblique angles, or made nervous by irrational door openings and shutting of their own accord. Whether it is the dreaded Red Room or the eerie hallways of the basement, the enigmatic house constantly reconfigures itself to test the characters’ abilities and to keep them at bay.
While the exterior of the Hill House is a rambling jumble of Victorian style, the interior is meticulously detailed with dark wood panelling and bespoke furniture. The interior design of the home echoes a movement called the Arts and Crafts, which rejected mass-production and instead celebrated traditional craftsmanship. The rooms also speak to a sense of individualism, with Eleanor’s office adorned with flouncy botanical prints and Theodora’s bedroom replete with richly painted portraits in heavy frames.
Like the mind, Hill House is complex and mysterious. The show’s production designer Patricio Farrell explains that the design of the set was intended to reflect this complexity. He sought to build a layered set where every element and room feels like it is connected to another, much like the way in which the psyche works.
To achieve this effect, Farrell used a variety of techniques and perspectives. A key tool was the use of a birds-eye view. A technique popularized by Alfred Hitchcock, the approach creates a dizzying effect as it zooms up or down on the inside of a space. The resulting images are both unnerving and beautiful, and it’s an approach that was used throughout the series to great effect.
The oblique angle of the windows and doors of Hill House are another visual trick. The angled walls and ceilings are not only disorienting, but they serve to create the illusion that there is more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. The oblique angles also serve to highlight the strangely misaligned furniture and architecture of the house, further adding to the feeling that there is something wrong with the place.
In addition to oblique angles and geometric shapes, the production design team used light and shadow to add depth and tension to the sets. As Farrell explains, “I wanted the lighting to feel ominous and moody without being too heavy-handed. I think we did a good job of that.” The lighting was also key for creating the sense of an insanity that accompanies some of the ghosts. In particular, the ghost that tries to grab Eleanor in the kitchen is a perfect example of how the production designers’ attention to detail can make the supernatural seem more realistic and believable.
3. The Foyer
Foyers are an important transitional space that sets the tone for the rest of your home. Proper lighting and foyer decor can help create a warm welcome for visitors, while also adding functionality to the space. Foyers are typically located near the front door and serve as a convenient spot for hanging coats, storing shoes or kicking off your high heels. They can even be used to display a table lamp, plants and other decorative elements.
While Foyers have been around for centuries, they became particularly popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were especially popular in ornate styles of homes, like Victorians and Tudors, while simpler types of houses — such as bungalows and ranches — often lacked them. Today, Foyers are still a significant feature in many homes. They can be found in apartment buildings, traditional homes and even some condominiums. Foyers are also sometimes called entry halls, vestibules or entryways.
When designing Hill House, production designer Mike Flanagan sought to replicate the eerie atmosphere of Shirley Jackson’s novel with the use of shadowy, dark wood panelling, and richly painted portraits. In addition to the building’s dark exterior, his team also created a moody dining room and a library that offers a stark contrast with its bright family drawing rooms. The use of darker colors and bespoke furniture also reflects the Arts and Crafts movement, which promoted individualism and rejected mass-produced, machine-made goods.
While building an entire house on stage comes at a cost, it also gives the show immense visual depth that can’t be replicated with a miniature set. As a result, it’s easy to see why it’s an award-winning series that continues to attract viewers year after year.
The Box also allows visitors to get a fuller understanding of the complex history and conservation conundrums surrounding the house. An onsite exhibition explains the house’s unique features, while an augmented reality app and virtual tour explore its various rooms.
A few other ways you can make your foyer feel more welcoming:
Hanging a mirror can add the illusion of more space, while also making it easier for guests to check their appearance before leaving the house. Adding hooks for hats and scarves can keep the floor clear of clutter, while a bench can offer seating for last-minute check-ins. Lastly, decorating the foyer with vases and houseplants can help bring the outside in and create a welcoming vibe. If your foyer is lacking in storage, add a shoe bench or a small chest for extra storage. It’s also important to maintain the area with routine cleaning and maintenance. Touch up any scratches or scuff marks on the floors, and keep light fixtures clean and free of dust. Having these simple touches in your foyer will ensure that your home is always looking its best.
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