Are You An Iris Or An Amanda?

Recently I was flipping through the channels and immediately stopped on The Holiday as one is oft to do. When I first saw this movie, I fell in love for many reasons. One, it was the first time I really got that Jude Law was sexy as hell. Apparently, he was before that, but I hadn’t noticed. Two, I already loved Jack Black but was pleasantly surprised to see him as a leading man love interest. What a treat. And three, the sets. As with all Nancy Meyers movies, the sets are sheer perfection. Both the Los Angeles and England sets reflect the characters masterfully.

Amanda, the successful yet stressed out and neurotic movie trailer producer played by Cameron Diaz, lives in a gorgeous, albeit somewhat sterile, Los Angeles home that is clutter-free and pristine. No patterns and no color, all business, just like Amanda. Iris, on the other hand, lives in a tiny country cottage in the Cotswolds full of antiques, precious floral patterns, squishy roll-armed sofas, and Suzanis. It’s sweet, collected, and overly romantic, just like Iris, who pines for Jasper, the jerk who cheated on her and is now marrying someone else. Each home defines the character just as our own personalities define our style.

Let’s start with Amanda. I love a limited color palette and the use of rich browns instead of stark black as a juxtaposition to the crisp white. That, plus slipcovers, natural fibers, and lots of texture, make the room feel very California. It’s a perfect balance of classic and cozy. It’s not too pulled together and not too sloppy. There is a lot of pairing happening, which I’m totally here for. But by keeping the fabrics consistent, a cohesive look is created. Smart all the way around. And the textures are abundant here - a wool rug, the mohair throw, linen and denim fabrics, wood, and stone. It’s all covered except leather, which I would normally like, but don’t miss seeing here. This room is controlled and deliberate, just like Amanda.

Now, Iris, on the other hand, is just the opposite. Her home is filled with things she has collected over time and throughout her travels. Nothing is precious or pedigreed. There is very little rhyme or reason to it except a thread of red running through it. Altogether, there is a romantic feel, with florals and velvets, rattan, vintage rugs, slipcovers, and Suzanis. Lean into the rounded, softer look with an English roll-armed sofa in a ticking stripe, a tufted ottoman in crushed velvet, and two slightly different chairs with wildly different fabrics. Tuck a loveseat under the window and bring it all together with a woven rug.

So, my question for you is which are you, Amanda or Iris? Both are spectacular and interesting and complicated and lovely, so there is no correct answer. For me, I fall somewhere in the middle. Which, of course, isn’t one of the options. I love the controlled pairings of Amanda, but I love the collected feel of Iris. In my make believer world, I’d have a little of both.