Why is it that I can literally watch this show anytime it’s on even though I’ve seen the episode (any episode) at least 7 times already? Friends is the ultimate veg-out tv show for me. If there’s nothing else to watch, I watch Friends.  If my husband is away for the the night, I watch Friends.  If I just watched a scary show or movie, I have to watch an episode of Friends. If I have nothing left to give after a long day or week and my brain power is utterly depleted, Friends it is. 

Anyone with me on this?

I remember the days when Friends was actually airing in its earlier seasons and I wasn’t even ALLOWED to watch it because it was inappropriate and I was too young. Now, at the age of 29, I know every line, am able use Friends puns in daily conversation, relate episodes to just about any life experience I go through, and I have made my husband fall in love with the show as well.  While I know so many of my peers can relate to me on this, the thing that makes me laugh lately is how much as an interior decorator, I find myself looking at the sets and appreciating all the interior decor involved in a show that I feel was aesthetically ahead of its time.

The fact that this show’s pilot episode aired 23 years ago and I’m attracted to the set’s design elements today in 2017, is pretty remarkable. It wasn’t even a “classic” design style.  It was quirky and weird and eclectic, but it all works. And today, you can put this look together without much work at all because all of these pieces are, on their own, quite classic and timeless indeed.

While the sets changed several times throughout the seasons, I pulled together a few “Monica’s Apartment Staples” if you are interested in getting this look in your own home.

“Jouets” Poster – Amazon  //   Sofa – Brooke Sofa, One Kings Lane  //  Area Rug – Wayfair  //    Armchair- PB Air Collection, Pottery Barn  //  Coffee Table-  Indonesian Colonial Coffee Table (From Colonial Times–> see what I did there?), One King’s Lane  //  Drapes – Pottery Barn   //  Sideboard- Wayfair

As for that purple wall color, I probably would not advise this color to anyone, especially for a living room.  But should you be so bold, a close match would be this Heather Plum  by Benjamin Moore.

Personally, I would probably go with something in the white and cream family, but hey, I’m not a 1990’s twenty-something living in the Village in New York City.

Just for fun, and because I have a love for floor plans, I had to include this pretty fantastic floor plan of the two main apartments from the show.

It’s crazy (and kinda cool) the stuff that fans have made and created to try to figure out all of the details of this show. This article explains all about how none of these characters actually would have made enough money to live in these spaces in New York City. I’m guessing they would not have been able to afford some of these furniture pieces as well…

Let’s be real though. We watch the show because its entertaining and hilarious. And now you can watch with fresh eyes as you appreciate the design aesthetic and that it still comes across “in-style” years and years after production. Well done, set designers, well done.