Sumptuous style on a shoestring

Press, 19 July 1988, Page 11

Sumptuous style on a shoestring

The sumptuous, stylish wood and leather chairs in the “Gloss” bar look Italian and wickedly expensive.

They are Italian and wickedly expensive — but they will cost Television New Zealand very little. Production designer Sandra Arnet explains that with her modest budget the only way she can obtain such lavish props for “Gloss” is by doing deals with importers, or selling the pieces after the show is over.

Arnet sets the glamorous “Gloss” look by mixing real props with imitations made up by TVNZ’s design department. “I actually designed the whole bar set around those chairs,” says Arnet. “That’s often the way I do it. I see something I love and it sparks an idea.” The tables, which appear to match the Italian chairs, are actually made of customwood, and so is the bar itself, while what appear to be expensive floor tiles are simply painted board. Getting a convincing look requires ingenuity and expertise in a variety of finishing techniques. The burr-walnut effect in the bar and on the wood

panelling in the dining room is created with a mix of paint and vinegar applied with halves of raw potato.

“The trick,” says Arnet, “is to put in the right number of perfect pieces to attract attention and become the focus of the room. If you do it right, the viewer won’t notice the inferior stuff.”“But you have to know exactly what you can get away with and why — or you can end up with a mess.” Design department staff have spent months combing auction houses and antiques shops to pick up furnishings and paintings for the Redfern family mansion.

“This dining table is beautiful — it’s the genuine article,” Arnet points out, “but I got a bargain on the candelabra. It was dirt cheap in a fire sale, and we resilvered it. Now it looks perfect!” Negotiating deals with manufacturers of wallcoverings, furniture, and carpets has been an essential part of building the “Gloss” illusion. “We’d have 10 or 15 thousand dollars worth of crockery on loan and more than 100,000 dollars worth of furniture,” Arnet

says. “Luckily, many firms are delighted to be associated with the production.” Arnet is responsible for the over-all design of the production, and this means overseeing art directors, a props buyer, standby props, costume design, wardrobe continuity, and the make-up artists. “Mine is not a job where you can sit back and say, ‘lt’s done!’ There’s constant building, checking and alteration while shooting is underway.” The workload is increased by the cramped conditions at Browns Bay Studio, which is too small to have all the sets erected at once. “It’s a bit of a nightmare out here,” says Arnet. “We are like sardines in a can.” This means hectic set changing between scenes — and when she takes a turn at art directing on set Arnet gets her hands dirty. “It certainly isn’t all glamour,” she smiles as she lugs a piece of timber across the bar and picks up a heavy-duty broom to sweep out the bar. “Gloss” screens tonight at 9 on Two.