BRILLIANT OR BAD TASTE? Director Roland Emmerich's Knightsbridge Townhouse

Known for his blockbuster films, "Independence Day" with Will Smith, "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson and his most recent endeavor "10,000 B.C.", director Roland Emmerich told his interior designer John Teall of Flux Interiors to make his house "as non-frumpy as possible", adding "when the neighbors peek in, they might want to call the police or something." I think he's definitely achieved that look! Love it or hate, the place certainly has no shortage of "conversation pieces".

German born Emmerich was told that his Knightsbridge, London neighborhood had a reputation for being "staid". All that changes when you enter the front door.

The walls of his office are painted with chalkboard paint. The chair was formally used by a military dentist.

The master bedroom mural was inspired by Chinese propaganda posters.

The "English" bedroom include Charles and Diana sitting in the fireplace.

Here, a coffee table features a diorama of the JFK assassination.

The door in the dining room is a replica of one in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow. It's made of wood with a metal finish.

Artist James Gemmill painted the striking murals throughout the house.

In the library sits an American vs. Arab chess set.

And under the staircase? A statue of Pope John Paul II reading his own obituary.

A birdcage designed to look like the White House sits in the terrace hallway - along with a Rodin-style statue of Arnold Schwarzenegger as "The Thinker".

The guest bedroom features a headboard made from the wing of an airplane.

Roof-top terrace with skylights over the living room includes a chair made in Ghana out of Shell Oil drums.
Photos by Jonathan Player and Gavin Jackson for The New York Times

For more on another artist accused of bad taste....Photographer Tierney Gearon

21 comments:

Robin said...

This guy has, um, an intereting sense of humor. At first I thought the pope was sitting on the loo.

Robin said...

PS - Independence Day was Will Smith, not Tom Cruise. Sorry, the trivia geek in me couldn't help herself.

Murray said...

I agree with Robin, totally thought the Pope was on the "loo". I admire that it's so decisively decorated...I'd have to say brilliant, but maybe because I'm in a good mood.

Marie Louise said...

Robin - I'm older than you and my mind is going. I got mixed up with War of the Worlds. If you think I'm paying you for proofreading, forget it! Although I do think you and your mom should open your own business ;-)

heidi said...

would LOVE to be a guest in the airplane wing bed!

Decor Fellow: James Saavedra said...

thanks for your wonderful comment- :)

Gill - That British Woman said...

sorry its all in bad taste if you ask me. That to my mind is not a home, its a showplace/gallery of his work......however each to their own.....

Gill in Canada

Lydee said...

what an interesting sense of humor. I have to admire his sense of individuality even though his sense of style is slightly repulsive to me. It certainly does make for interesting conversation.

High Desert Diva said...

I could do without the JFK diorama and the statue of the Pope, but I like the quirkiness of the rest of it.

littlebyrd said...

Never a dull moment at his house! Very interesting for sure.

Camille said...

Wow! I love some of it..roof-top terrace, dining area, red room. We just watched 10,000BC last night as a matter of fact and were grateful we didn't go to the movies to see it. Like his rooms, some of his movies are hits and some are just horrible.

Unknown said...

Hmmm, there certainly are some very interesting elements. However, I was turned off right away by the zebra. Decorating with dead animals is def not my style. I am too much of an animal lover.

Annie

Sabina said...

Thought the Pope was on the loo for a second there. Great post!!

katiedid said...

It'll definitley get the neighbors talking...and wasn't that his request? Lots of humor here...maybe not to everyone's taste...but what is? I like alot of it!

Anonymous said...

I think the dinnigroom is stunning, beautiful table and the rest of the house well....I LOVE IT!

Love the humor and the small details.

Fifi Flowers said...

Very interesting... I enjoyed this post! Who do you think Diana is pointing at? hmmmm

Mary-Laure said...

Oh please PLEASE tell me that zebra is not a "real" stuffed animal. Or I'll cry.

Here, There, Elsewhere... and more said...

I think he's living out some kind of fantasy in each room/corner of his house...why not, he's obviously got an extremely fertile imagination - it takes allsorts to make our world..!
Personally, I'm quite, quite happy to live where I do..:)

Two Tall Girls said...

Interesting. I'd love to hear the designer talk about working out these ideas.

hello gorgeous said...

I think it's very interesting - hate the JFK diorama but love the Di - but that's the point of art, right? To evoke a real response. I also don't think it's especially livable, but to each his own.

My daughter wanted to paint her entire bedroom with chalkboard paint - she's visionary.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Pen Pen said...

I'd be afraid to wake up here and think I'm still in my nightmare!

"It's never too late to be who you might have been." --George Eliot