Emmy winner Gene Serdena SDSA speaks with the massively talented duo, Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson SDSA and Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA, about their carefully curated sets that give a finely balanced visual context to the time and place of this tragic, notorious true tale.



Watch the video, you can’t help but be riveted by the conversation and the sets!
And below, catch a glimpse of the key homes depicted...There’s so much more!
Excerpts...

Host Gene Serdena SDSA notes, “Given the gravity of the story, I was concerned that the sets might get caught in some of the more anachronistic tropes of the period, the’80s in particular...What I found instead was a highly cinematic approach to the storytelling. I was so deeply impressed, and right away I was struck by the restraint that was shown.”

“The design and the decoration had kind of a quiet poetry about it that I so appreciated. It was a truly faithful representation of the period...and it was like the gloss of the home of the Menendez family matched with the brutality of the murders, it was just so spot on, such fine work in telling this infamous and tragic story.”

Elm Drive, Beverly Hills...

Elm Drive, Dining Room. Courtesy of Netflix.

Re: Choices and parameters:
 “The color palette always is such a strong jumping off point for us,”  Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA imparts. “The color blue came from Ryan (Creator, Showrunner Ryan Murphy), so we were using that to give parameters. We used the color blocking that they did In the ‘80s, but in a contained way, so it wouldn't get too campy or over the top.”

Elm Drive, Dining Room, reverse. Courtesy of Netflix.

Production Designer Mathew Flood Ferguson SDSA recalls, “When Melissa showed me the dining room set that she had found, complete with étagère, the color of the wood was so perfect with the wallpaper and with the blue that she chose for the chairs and the carpet I had chosen. It just really worked. Sometimes...as you're moving along (on several sets at once)...when things come together sort of fluidly and naturally, it's such a great moment. I was super-pleased with the dining room set, because I think it really tied it all in.”

Gene agrees, “Yes, I love that moment when you discover a particular piece that is a cause for inspiration. I know that absolutely happens with set decoration and design, where you have a moment of inspiration and realize, 'This is telling our story. This is so perfect.' And I feel like you guys must have had a lot of those moments in this job.”

There is abundantly more on the video, this is just a snippet!
Below is a brief gallery of a few more sets that give insight into the family, and one peek at a corner of the Chateau Marmont suite!

The video has clips and myriad other sets that help tell the story, while Gene continues to explore details and anecdotes with Melissa and Matthew about the making of this impactful series.

Elm Drive, Foyer. Courtesy of Netflix.

Elm Drive, TV room/Murder room. Courtesy of Netflix.

Elm Drive, TV room/Murder room. Courtesy of Netflix.

Calabasas, CA house...

Menendez family’s Calabasas house, before they moved to Beverly Hills. Courtesy of Netflix.

New Jersey home...

Menendez family home in New Jersey in the 1960s. Courtesy of Netflix. [You’ll see the boys’ rooms on the video.]

Live Entertainment offices, Beverly Hills...

Live Entertainment, Conference room + inset, CEO Jose Menendez’s office. Courtesy of Netflix.

Live Entertainment, Waiting Area. Courtesy of Netflix.

Chateau Marmont, Beverly Hills...

Chateau Marmont, Beverly Hills – Dominic Dunne’s suite, his “home” for the duration of the trial. Courtesy of Netflix.

Editor’s note:
Set Decorator Melissa Licht SDSA would like to acknowledge the SDSA Business members who have been invaluable in their support, expertise and resources.  She gives an extra shoutout to Warner Bros. Upholstery for handling all of the reupholstery for this production, as well as “Thank You” to: Warner Bros. Property | Universal Studios Property | HSG/Hollywood Studio Gallery | HCA/ Hollywood Cinema Arts | Practical Props | Little Bohemia Rentals | Objects | Sandy Rose Floral | Town and Country | and Chairish/Chairish.com

Melissa would also like to give special recognition and “Thank You” to her crew: Lead Jeff Murff; Coordinator Marisa Perez; Buyers Ashley Rice, Karen Riemenschneider and Rhonda Elliot; PA Lauren Trail; Draper Regina Henderson; OnSet Giovanni Aurilia; Set dressers Scott Collins, Donny Elliot, Kris Luna, Keara Birmingham, Kristen Granados, Dave Mitchell, Cris Progar and Paul Duchemin.