Logistically, as scripts kept coming out, we were discovering more rooms in the loft. It needed to feel big, but not extravagant, and I wanted Nadia's reset point to be as far away from the front door as possible. As she starts learning about how she can and can't leave the loft, her route through the space changes. As such, the space is actually designed as a set of concentric paths, with the largest arc being through all the rooms, and the shortest being straight down the hallway to the front door. Another subtle nod to the nested doll. As Nadia learns that leaving the loft through the front door quickly leads to death, she discovers a different route down the fire escape. We wanted this space to have a “choose-your-own adventure” or video game vibe, with lots of options for Nadia to take.

On the character of the loft, I had tons of reference images that were narrowed down with Jessica Petruccelli, our stellar Set Decorator. It had to feel like an artist lived here, and perhaps that she had inherited it from a relative. For some reason, I knew that blue didn't belong in this world, so we focused on really dark greens in the bathroom (to contrast with Natasha's hair) and deep reds for the hallways. The main spaces are lighter so that the artwork, furniture, and lighting really stands out. John Cox our Art Director, led a top-notch scenic team to add all the layers and scratches and history to the space. And Jessica was able to source so many unique items and real New York art pieces. Natasha also helped us with the artwork, through her own extensive friend network. It was truly a collaborative effort, and my guidance was really about keeping it magical, unconventional, dense, and at times, almost ugly. That's why you believe it as a real place.