Every kitchen tells a story. It’s an intimate setting that reveals the most pivotal moments of people and their loved ones for the best or the worst. Home kitchens are the backdrops of sitcoms, domestic thrillers, and, of course, romance films. One director and screenwriter who knows how to use a home kitchen to her advantage is Nancy Meyers, whose heartfelt romance and family-focused filmography includes works such as “The Parent Trap” (1998). Her most beloved kitchen set might just be from “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003), a rom-com starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton.
The story takes place in a coastal beachside home befitting the wealthy protagonists as they realize their feelings for each other, and it didn’t take long for fans to fall in love with the scenery. The kitchen in “Something’s Gotta Give” exudes an elegance that looks effortless, consisting of a white color scheme with black accents. Simple, rectangular shapes give the space a sense of order, from the windows to the subway tile lining the backsplash. Clear cabinetry docked with white dinnerware shows that everything in the home is orderly and intentional, contrasting the passionate messiness of the movie’s plot.
A romantic kitchen that embraces quiet luxury
Nancy Meyers’ film sets have a timeless charm, and the “Something’s Gotta Give” kitchen concept was truly ahead of its time. The film was released in 2003 as an early herald of the white kitchen, when the idea of luxury at the time was a moody warm-palette Tuscan kitchen with ornate woodwork and beige walls. The white kitchen wasn’t obtrusive; rather, it was breezy and filled with natural light. This interior style wasn’t trying to prove itself — it was comfortable in its affluence, much like the successful women in Meyers’ stories.
Nancy Meyers herself has a kitchen remarkably similar to the one from “Something’s Gotta Give,” and celebrities, such as Travis Barker and Tyra Banks, have used similar concepts in their home kitchens. The scheme goes beyond rectangular white woodwork with black countertops — the horseshoe layout itself is a symbol of upper-class aesthetics. In the center of the spacious “Something’s Gotta Give” kitchen is a giant island with a built-in dishwasher and second sink that operates as a workspace or place for guests to fix a plate of food — it’s hospitable. This configuration is meant to be somewhere people can spend a lot of time cooking, chatting, or anything in between. So if you’re considering a kitchen remodel, make sure to take a page from Meyers’ book (script?) for inspiration.
