Rugs and movies. A bit too disjointed for your taste? It shouldn't be.
It is the goal of every movie (or should be the goal at least) to create a world for the viewers to immerse themselves in. Whether it be a comedy, mystery show set in a mansion (think "Clue"), or an extravagant flick during the Victorian era (like Keira's "The Duchess"), or even a simple comedy about two best buds ("I Love you, Man"), the set design is key in bringing out the message or establishing the premise.
For example, in "I Love You, Man", it was quintessential to the movie to show Jason Segel's laidback bachelor lifestyle vis-a-vis Paul Rudd's more domesticated outlook in life. The decor in Jason Segel's garage turned bachelor's pad / band practice room was accurate, as was Paul Rudd's more "homey" space. Could you imagine seeing an expensive oriental rug or a China vase in Jason's pad? On the opposite end of the spectrum, a cozy kitchen area rug on Paul's space would have been quite appropriate.
In period flicks, the importance of set design grows exponentially. It is almost unforgivable, for instance, to see a modern-era piece of furniture in what should have taken place in the 18th century. When the inaccuracy is blatant, it takes away a piece of the movie experience from the viewers. The devil is, as they say, in the details.
The next time you catch a movie, or have a DVD night, try to be more observant about these details - the paintings and posters that adorn the walls, those silly looking figurines, the pristine kitchen, the silverware, the design on the contemporary area rugs, even the color of the ceiling, and you will find yourself almost being transported away from reality and whisked into a vivid world.
