Mia’s Purple Pad in ‘Love Actually’ Is The Ultimate Source of Y2K Decor Nostalgia

In 2003, the Pantone color report included the hues of Hollyhock, Polignac, Dull Gold, and Frost Gray. It was the year too love actually– a holiday rom-com with an incredible cast – hit theaters. These two things are combined in the film through the apartment of Mia (played by Heike Makatsch), the secretary who has a crush on her boss, Harry (Alan Rickman). In the next two decades love actually would become a Christmas classic watched and rewatched by people around the world each season. What draws me in with every re-watch is not only the romantic storylines, but also the early childhood style that is evident throughout the film – not just in the clothes (hello to Keira Knightley’s newsboy cap) but also in the interior design.

We see a unique period in design reflected in the various houses in the film. ’90s minimalism, perfectly portrayed in Daniel’s (Liam Neeson) and Sam’s (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) sleek, cold modern kitchens, was on the way out, giving way to a softer (often cluttered) aesthetic, like Juliet (Keira Knightley). ) and Peter’s (Chiwetel Ejiofor) newlywed home. But my personal favorite is Mia’s place. In her spaces at the seedy end of Wandsworth, she embodies the design aesthetic of the 2000s, creating a time capsule of Y2K design.

She’s probably one of the most hated characters in the movie because she’s partly responsible for making Karen (Emma Thompson) cry in her beige and brown British bedroom and how How DARE you make her cry. But apart from her part in the house demolition, Mia’s place is amazing. She lives next door to Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) and her family in a terraced house that is very typically British. The implied grandeur of the home leads Define Home’s lead designer, Casey Scheuerell, to believe she may still be in her childhood bedroom of the family home. “The 2000s left cool modernity in favor of home comforts with the use of color and softer, collected furniture, eventually evolving into what we know as shabby chic.” It’s also worth noting that the UK at this time just emerged from a recession and the rise of home makeover shows inspired people to personalize their homes in a cheaper way. “So mum feels inspired to paint her hallway a cozy, soft yellow over the weekend,” seen as she opened the door to the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant). “Mia updates her room with a sensual lilac palette to express her personality in an accessible way – color and accessories.”