Posted on 19 Comments

You’ve Got Mail • Kathleen Kelly’s Living Room Analysis

After so many requests, I finally bring you an analysis of You’ve Got Mail. With Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, the movie dates from 1996 when internet romance was still something very new. Who would guess we would end up swiping forever on Tinder? No, no, things were way slower, romantic a mysterious on those times.

The characters of the movie are very interesting and fun, but for me the best part of the movie is the visual. Kathleen Kelly brownstone house in NY is the coziest home in the universe, it’s been more than 20 years and we are still talking about it! Her store, The Shop Around the Corner, is a paradise of books, cute toys and lovely sparkling decorations. The way NY in the end of the 90s is captured is so captivating, the city looks so lovely and full of life. The “Starbucks” aura and Joe Fox apartment are also very on point. Seriously, filmmaker Nancy Meyers is a genius for style.

If you never watched this film stop and go watch. My analysis has lots of spoilers and revels the plot – just a warning!

But now lets get to action. Today we are going to focus on Kathleen Kelly Living Room and a tiny bit of her other rooms. The movie starts with the camera flying from outside to the inside of her house showing an overview of the space.

Looking from the window to the inside of Kathleen’s place

From the first scene you can get a glimpse of how cozy is this place. The colours are warm and harmonic, the wide door moldings have a soft and pleasant texture and all objects feels purposely mismatched in a casual, effortless vibe. This scene is already a masterpiece of composition. Notice how many planes you can see at the same time:

  • The outdoor curtains
  • The home office corner on the left
  • The washroom on the right
  • The piano room and living room behind the office
  • The entry hall light coming from the washroom window
  • The building on the other side of the street (through the window)

Lovely introduction! Now let’s check some details

Bookshelves on the home office, in the back the piano and living room

On this side of the apartment you can see this lovely cube bookshelf, Kathleen’s desk , her piano and the living room. Notice how the books are not organized, there are piles in all directions and no shelf is perfectly tidy. Everything here is intentional and this “messiness” creates the feeling of a well lived place, specially close to the desk. You get the impression that Kathleen actually reads a lot and check those books all the time.

Kathleen writes an email in her cozy desk, surrounded by books everywhere.

Above, a better view of the home office . The wooden desk and wicked magazine stand add to the warmth of the space. Notice the frame with a round in the middle – that’s actually a framed crochet dolly! Other frames around the house have lots of vintage botanical illustration. All these small details helps build Kathleen Kelly character: she is a warm person who treasure family mementos and values her history.

This bookshelf is built around the washroom and faces the piano room.

Here is another floor to ceiling bookshelf! It’s probably normal for a bookstore owner, but seriously, that’s a lot of books! Here you can see more objects and the decoration team tried to reinforce a few messages:

  • Kathleen’s love for daisies: the vase and the frames feature her favorite flower
  • Her longing for romance, symbolized by objects in pairs. Here you can see this pair of frames but her whole apartment is full of objects in pairs: table lamps, frames, candlesticks and even a painting with a couple of swans. I find this just a genius idea coming from the filmmakers!
A better view on the living room, with cube bookshelves and a floral comfy sofa

Here you have a better look on the living room and bit more of her bookshelf on this side. Again objects in pairs – notice the frames on the wall and candlesticks on the bookshelf. This sofa is an invitation to get cozy, isn’t it? I just adore this print and all the lovely cushions. The mismatched chairs give a lot of personality and bring contrast and value to the space. On the shelves some more amazing decisions from the filmmakers: here the books are more organized since they are a bit farther from the desk and you can notice a picture on the top left, that’s probably Kathleen’s enchanting mother.

When Joe Fox visits Kathleen you can get a quick glimpse of her living room

When you get to the last corner of her living room: Surprise! Another book shelf! This time it’s a smaller one, slightly less crowded and decorated with objects. Joe Fox brought some daisies for Kathleen and the green of the leaves stands out on this warm and blush frame.

So we crossed the whole living room, from window to window. Now lets get back and take a quick peak on the other corners.

Kathleen runs to check if Frank is really going away

Above, on the left you see the bookshelf that surrounds the washroom and behind it, a bit of her bedroom furniture. On the right you see her desk, the TV (she can watch it from her bed) and a bay window with another sofa. This window faces the street and is the one we “used” to get inside her house in the first scene. All spaces are integrated, except the washroom and the kitchen.

Don’t miss the details, like the pairs of pictures on the wall, or pair of objects on the shelves. I adore her desk chair and the curtains, so delicate! Also notice the lovely vintage furniture with green details, absolutely charming!

Kathleen falls in her bed after a disappointing date

Here a quick peak on her bedroom. Her bedsheets and bed cover changes throughout the movie, reflecting changes in her own life. The quilt adds to the Kathleen’s love of history and family mementos. You can see the pair of table lamps on the dresser and the painting above her bed is actually a pair of swans (you can see better in the next picture).

Kathleen and Frank watch an embarrassing TV interview

Above, the couple of swans in whole glory! Speaking about pairs, notice how her nightstand lamps are mismatched. This is to symbolize how Kathleen and Frank were not made for each other, her love life is not in perfect balance yet.

Kathleen’s love for daisies is in the first scene of the movie, before she even speaks

Should we talk about the bed linens? Throughout the movie they are are so inviting I could write another post just about her bedroom and linings, seriously! But not today! Our goal was just the living room, I’m already getting distracted!

Still we can get a very quick peak on the other spaces, above the dining room (taken with Frank’s electric typewriters), the lovely kitchen, a glimpse of the washroom and the entry hall with the amazing stained glass window. By the way, guess what is in the painting on the entry wall? Tip – it’s also a sculpture in the kitchen window. Yes you guessed right, a swan!

If you like this movie you might enjoy the products I designed based on this story. Click to visit!

So what do you think about all this? Would you like to live in a place like that? Do you like this aesthetics? Let me know what you think in the comments!

Pin this!

Image Credits: Warner Bros Pictures

Director: Norah Ephron

Set Decoration: Susan Bode and Ellen Christiansen

Posted on Leave a comment

8 good habits for working from home

With one year of experience since the pandemic started, we should be all expert in the art of working from home.

But I feel there is always something we can improve and new tricks to be efficient are always welcome. Do you feel the same?

Here I share my good habits for working from home, I hope to hear from yours too!

1. Start the night before

Would you like to have a peaceful morning?

Start the day before:

  • Choose your clothes
  • Plan what tasks you will accomplish the next day

Waking up in the morning knowing exactly what to do gives me great peace of mind and motivation to start working.

Image: Anna Shvets

2. Get dressed and ready

Are you tired of running crazy when you have to an unexpected video call?

Stop embarrassing yourself:

  • Fix your hair and face first thing in the morning
  • Dress something comfortable but professional

When I dress professionally I feel my whole day is more productive and I love being ready in case I need to run a last minute errand or call someone on video

Image: Cottonbro

3. Clean your workspace

Got your work papers mixed with your bills and shopping lists again?

Do one thing at a time:

  • File the papers you already finished working with
  • Have a separate pile for papers not related to work

When my desk is clean and organized I don’t waste time time searching for anything. I like to clean and file papers as soon as I finish each task.

Image: Michael Burrows

4. Avoid being interrupted

Can’t focus on anything while working from home?

Stop stopping for everything:

  • If possible, ask your family to don’t enter in the room where you are working
  • Turn off notifications from all your apps

If everything fails and you still keep getting interrupted, try to do the “hard work” very early in the morning, before everybody wakes up

Image: Lascot Studio

5. Follow a schedule

Don’t have time to start or time to end your work?

Work smart, not hard:

  • Divide your day into blocks of tasks
  • Don’t stay on social media during your “production time” block!

Booking blocks of tasks is the best way to make sure I’m focused and I won’t skip important obligations

Image: Anete Lusina

6. Have a decent lunch

Are you eating in front of your computer or mobile?

Take a break to eat healthy:

  • Make a beautiful plate and look at your food instead of looking at a screen
  • Enjoy every bite and think about nutrition

Spending the whole day seated and eating from a box in front of the screen is the fastest way to lose energy and get stressed. It’s good to pause for eating!

Image: Valeria Boltneva

7. Connect with your online community

Do you spend days without talking to a human being?

Keep in touch with reality:

  • Video call friends from your industry and catch up
  • Interact with other professionals and increase your network online

While it’s nicer meeting colleagues for a coffee in person, online meetings are a true necessity during these pandemic times, don’t get isolated from your industry.

Image: Ivan Samkov

8. Know when to stop

Do you feel guilty when you are not producing?

Even machines need maintenance time!

  • Finish your work on a decent time, organize for next day and let it go
  • Plan relaxing and fun activities for your weekend.

If I’m productive in my “productive blocks” I feel I earned the right to rest and I relax guilty free. However not always we are productive and that’s ok! Relax now and organize better for tomorrow.

Image: Sam Lion

I hope you are having a great time in your home office. I love working from home and I feel I’m getting better at it! My main tips are:

  • Start the night before
  • Get dressed and ready
  • Clean your workspace
  • Avoid being interrupted
  • Follow a schedule
  • Have a decent lunch
  • Connect with your online community
  • Know when to stop

How about you? Tell me a tip on the comments!