Using second-hand finds to create "clinical but tasteful" spaces reflective of protagonist Marianne Sheridan's family life drove the set design of hit series Normal People, says production designer Lucy van Lonkhuyzen.
Van Lonkhuyzen aimed to create a sense of realism when designing the show, which is set in the small, fictional town of Carricklea in Sligo, Ireland and later in Dublin.
Making the sets look "lived-in" was one of Van Lonkhuyzen's main objectives in production design, which she achieved by sourcing all props and details second-hand, from online marketplace Gumtree as well as charity, antique and vintage shops.
"Finding these things is completely down to chance," the designer told Dezeen. "That's why I hoard!" "I hate to work with anything new," she continued. "So I didn't want to go to any big, major furniture places. I don't do it and I never will."
"I wanted every set to be unique, and for the viewer to see that character in that set. I wanted everything on screen to look the best it possibly could be without looking like a set."
Top image and above: The Sheridan house in Sligo. Images by Suzie Lavelle.
The 12-part production, which first aired in the UK in April 2020, is an adaptation of the best-selling book Normal People by Sally Rooney.
Along with finding the right props from second-hand sources, the main challenge for Van Lonkhuyzen was forming the sets from the limited visual prompt...