Cher Horowitz sparked envy not only for her extensive wardrobe. Her grand home, full of Tuscan charm on the Beverly Hills beat made us all gawk at the screen.
The Horowitz’s are something of a modern Medici family (minus the self-deification) and the mix of neoclassical interiors and neutrals paired with bold maximalist prints and deep wood tones make their house speak to an array of design styles.
We break down the glorious interiors that characterise the Clueless house and how to make your house look like 90s Californian money on a tight budget.
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Cher’s Walk-in-wardrobe in Clueless was and is Every Girl’s Dream
Although we’re sad that the outfit generator never materialised (app developers, you still have time), it’s an eclectic mix of Georgian bar windows, minimalist colourways, Rococo gilded furniture and bold, 70s prints.
The zebra print (or any animal print for that matter) is very main character of her. As the movie reminds us every minute, Cher has a strong sense of self and isn’t prone to being pressured to be anything she’s not. The accent chair aligns with this—she is a zebra in the zoo called high school, refusing to assimilate and being adored for it. Purple Flamingo stock a great Zebra French chair dupe for £309.99. If you’re looking to spend even less for the look, it’s worth finding a French style (Bergere or fauteuil) on eBay or upcycling an armchair you own and doing some DIY upholstery. For this, you’ll need a staple gun, upholstery spray and most importantly, the zebra print fabric.
We can’t talk about Cher’s dresser without talking about the french gilded furniture. The gold is bold but very chic and also proves that glam style isn’t just a rich girl cosplay. Cher’s full body mirror is still so in—while most of us don’t have walk-in-wardrobes, we do have bedrooms, stair landings and corridors that an antique gold full body mirror would add character to. If you have a mirror in this style but want to add gold accents or refinish the piece, you can freshen it up with some Rub ‘n buff in European Gold or Antique Gold for the look.
Cher’s Dad’s Bedroom is Practically Palatial
We must start with the bed. From upholstery to gilding, the canopy bed is aggressively Italianate. With grand valances, this is a bed fit for a king. A brand that does carved canopy bed reproductions at an affordable price is Lock Stock and Barrel Furniture. The closest offering they have is their half tester beds—I think the Walnut offering is stunning for that 90s wealth look. At almost £2.5k, it seems expensive but relative to the close to £8k options out there, it’s a good investment for the look.
The use of stone in statues and lighting adds an earthy and Roman ring. Perch and Parrow’s Apollo sculpture is close to the original look but costs much less by acheiving the stone look with resin.
The choice of paint colour is a nod to the style. The salmon pink looks plaster-like but not too much like clay and it’s flat and matt. A great colour match is Dulux’s Apricot Crush. It’s washable and still matt, so you don’t need to worry about little ones or pets ruining the vibe.
The Clueless Entrance Hall & Grand Staircase
Rewatching Clueless, I must admit I didn’t care much for Cher and Josh’s kiss. However, even if it were Mr Hall and Miss Geist, it had to be right on that spot, centre of the grand staircase landing. This for me, this is the money shot of the whole film.
Wrought iron accents on the balcony railing, a black gloss bannisters and stair treads. To save the scene from leaning lifeless and grey, in come the Areca palm plants, arranged beautifully in the shot. It gives us the message that this moment is paradise. Romeo and Juliet could’ve only wished to have an ending like this.
While Areca palm plants are expensive to buy, there are many realistic and large artificial options on the market. This 6ft artificial Areca palm tree from Amazon is great value with little to no maintenance (bar the occassional dusting).
Although custom ironwork is not cheap, You can purchase a set of five black wrought iron spindles for £56.99. The black bannisters can be acheived with a lick of black gloss paint. If you love the idea of black stair treads but are renting, why not cover them in a black vinyl? This matt black vinyl has a gorgeous wood grain.
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