Designed by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, founders of AD100 firm Roman and Williams, the original Owens house was constructed from scratch on San Juan Island in Washington and torn down immediately after filming. Architecturally, the home draws heavily from the late-19th-century Queen Anne style, known for its eclecticism, ornate craftsmanship, and irregular forms, making it an anomaly in its fictional New England town. The melange of design influences, from 19th-century Victorian to ’90s design trends, are also palpable in the interiors, which were constructed on soundstages in LA and which Standefer described to AD as a “cabinet of curiosities.”
For the sequel, Burton wanted to conjure the same ethos—all in one location. But when he obtained the original plans, he discovered that the interior floor plan didn’t physically fit within the exterior. After repeatedly rewatching the film and cross-referencing screen grabs with surviving plans, he redrafted the house from scratch, placing its rooms on one interconnected ground floor so Bier could follow characters through the space in 360 degrees.
The house under construction at Leavesden Studios.
Courtesy of Warner Bros
Built over 12 weeks on the backlot at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, England, followed by three weeks of dressing, the set functions as a real house complete with a garden with real plants. “What I really like about the interior-exterior set is that we can actually look out the window and see the view outside,” Burton says.
Inside, the kitchen, the emotional heart of the first film, was among the most meticulous recreations. It resurrects the large central farmhouse table on which the sisters bring Gillian’s boyfriend back to life in the first movie—their first joint attempt at hard magic—along with the original British-style stove tucked into an alcove and cabinetry with turned legs. “Every major life event happens in this kitchen in the first film and the second film,” Bullock says. “And in life, right?” Kidman adds.