May 01,2022

How Miranda Priestly, Carrie Bradshaw, Edna Mode, and Mugatu Would Decorate Their Homes

by David Stewart

Welcome to UnReal Estate , where we take characters from pop culture and reimagine their fantasy spaces into homes fit for the “real world. “

Carrie Bradshaw is to her closet as Miranda Priestly is to her sleek office at Runway magazine—their spaces are as iconic as the clothes we love to see them wear. We’ve come to associate them with their distinct styles, whether it’s Carrie’s irreverent fashion looks and cozy-meets-boho apartment, or Miranda’s power suits and ritzy New York City townhouse.

But a lot’s changed since they, in addition to “The Incredibles”‘ Edna Mode and “Zoolander”‘s Mugatu first hit screens. Homes look different, decor styles have evolved, and all of that makes us wonder: How would they design and decorate their homes in 2019?

So we’re dreaming up how those four classic characters—Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Priestly, Edna Mode, and Mugatu—would design their homes today:

Carrie Bradshaw

Carrie Bradshaw might spend her days writing about dating and relationships, but she is a bonafide fashion person. (Don’t believe us? Just think about her massive apartment and closet.) And modern-day Carrie’s home would reflect that, down to every detail.

“Carrie’s 2019 space would be eclectic with hints of glam, a total influencer vibe,” says Alessandra Wood, interior design expert and vice president of style at Modsy .

As a total trendsetter, we have no doubt that Carrie would embrace all the latest trends. Her walls would still be painted a soothing light gray, but she’d update her furniture and accessories to resemble the latest and greatest looks. Her wrought-iron bed frame would be accompanied by a curved nightstand, she’d adopt the globe light phenomenon , and she’ll add a velvet sofa to her living space.

“She’d incorporate a Souk rug and warm it up with art and decor, perhaps even a bold colored sofa,” Wood says. “Carrie’s look would have little touches of gold accents to represent glam aesthetics.”

Decluttering your space may be all the rage in 2019, but Carrie has no plans to KonMari her closet. Instead, she’ll even incorporate her closet into her home decor by hanging up a hat or adding some Manolos to her shelf.

With all this talk about interior design, we couldn’t help but wonder (sorry, we had to) what Carrie would do about her iconic desk. In our opinion, the glam girl would keep it simple with a mid-century desk and an Eames side chair .

Miranda Priestly

As the resident ice queen of Runway magazine, the “Devil Wears Prada” character is known for her killer taste and instinct on forward-thinking fashion trends. But while it’s Miranda’s job to set the latest and greatest trends, don’t expect her to put fads at the forefront.

“Her home wouldn’t scream 2019 trends, but rather would be a classic, always in style space,” says Wood.

Our prediction? Miranda would level up on luxury by taking cues from a five-star Parisian hotel. Her bedroom would be decked out with a delicate, off-white toile wallpaper —and she might even coat her ceiling in the same print. But don’t worry: The wallpaper won’t upstage her massive king bed, complete with cloud-like white sheets and a massive wooden headboard .

Miranda rules the fashion world, so she’ll give her space the royal treatment with gilded frames, a chandelier , and sweet accent mirror . But don’t write this space off as “stuffy”: Priestly will add a trendy touch to her space with a textured area rug .

This editor-in-chief is constantly on the go, so while she won’t have a formal desk, her bedroom will feature a velvet wingback chair where she’ll pore over proofs for the upcoming issue. Miranda’s place will have a lot of design moments; however, her home will be worthy of its own photoshoot. (Let’s be honest, it probably will grace the glossy pages of Runway .)

“Everything would have a specific place and purpose and would feel pulled together perfectly,” Wood shares.

That’s all.

Edna Mode

The pint-sized designer might’ve made us laugh in “The Incredibles” , but her taste is no joking matter. With a sleek bob and all-black ensemble, Edna is a bonafide minimalist—so her space would follow suit.

“Edna’s style is iconic, minimalist design,” Wood says. “I think Edna might buy an architectural masterpiece in Palm Springs.”

You know those super streamlined, sleek spaces you only see in magazines? That would be Edna’s space. With a great eye for the finer things and a love of mid-century retro vibes, Edna would fill her space with iconic design pieces such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich’s Barcelona chair , an Arco lamp from FLOS , as well as Le Corbusier’s LC2 sofa . Even her bud vases and throw pillows would be sculptural pieces of art. As Edna said it herself, “It will be bold. Dramatic! Heroic!”

“Edna’s look would be about creating an iconic space filled with prized designs, as each of her fashion pieces is an icon in itself,” Wood adds.

To keep her aesthetics on point, Edna would have a Murphy bed so her sleeping quarters wouldn’t kill her design vibe.

Minimalism might be the name of the game—her space will boast a neutral palette and clean hardwood floors—but her space isn’t completely devoid of any color. Edna will warm up the space with moss green and dusty blue accents, plus strategically placed accent art.

Mugatu

As “Zoolander”‘s Mugatu proves, even villains can have some great style.

“Mugatu is pure evil,” Wood says. “While minimalism is the standard design look for villains, I think Mugatu might steer away from such a conventional and expected look. Mugatu is colorful, bold, and, of course, fashion-forward.”

Mugatu’s space will be a mix of traditional modern pieces and bold design. Most villains opt for a neutral color palette; however, Mugatu will go big with a bright red accent wall. Chances are, he’d deck his walls with artworks of (who else?) himself. We can totally picture a Lichtenstein-inspired portrait taking center stage.

The space will also strike a perfect balance by juxtaposing a faux fur shag rug and Medusa lamp with Arne Jacobsen’s Egg chair . While there’s no question that Mugatu is up to no good, he does have a sense of humor. In fact, he’d probably be a huge fan of Jonathan Adler’s cheeky pill-motif decor and the Memphis revival.

“He’d probably invest in actual Memphis pieces such as the Tawaraya Bed from 1981 that takes the shape of a boxing ring,” Wood predicts. “This collector’s piece would be a statement in his home.”

But as any good villain knows, an evil plan doesn’t rest. Mugatu will give his bedroom the perfect finishing touch with a compact espresso bar . Of course, no foamy lattes; we know that’s a hard pass.

  • David Stewart
  • May 01,2022

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