Some filmmakers use furniture the way others use lighting or costumes: as a storytelling weapon. A well-placed armchair can reveal a character’s ego, a sculptural lamp can hint at an entire emotional arc. And then, there are directors who go all-in, treating design brands like part of the cast.
The second you start paying attention, you’ll notice how often a luxury sofa or an iconic chair slips into the frame as naturally as an actor. Sometimes it’s intentional flexing, sometimes it’s pure world-building, but it always says something. These directors prove that furniture isn’t just set dressing, it’s language, and that’s exactly why their sets stay in your head long after the credits roll.
1. Luca Guadagnino
Guadagnino treats interiors like emotional landscapes, and his films are basically moodboards for modern Italian design, as he mixes vintage finds and high-end pieces. If you are interested in this unusual combination, take a look at:
Call Me By Your Name
A Bigger Splash
Suspiria (2018)
2. Paolo Sorrentino
Sorrentino’s worlds are glossy and theatrical. They are filled with furniture that looks like it came straight from a Milan showroom, amplifying the eccentricities and excesses of his characters. To get an idea of the luxury created by Sorrentino, you can watch:
The Great Beauty
Youth
The New Pope (series)
3. Nancy Meyers
Meyers is practically the patron saint of cinematic interiors. Her films are famous for cozy-luxury spaces that feel lived-in but highly curated. Expect to see custom sofas and New England–style cabinetry. She doesn’t just build sets; she creates aspirational lifestyles. Here are some of her movies that you can watch to get an idea:
The Holiday
It’s Complicated
Something’s Gotta Give
4. Wes Anderson
Although Anderson doesn’t chase traditional luxury, his love for mid-century design and quirky vintage pieces is unmistakable. Expect Arne Jacobsen chairs, colour-blocked sofas, and custom-built props inspired by 1960s modernism. The sets of these three movies feel like a curated design capsule seen through a pastel filter:
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Asteroid City
5. Stanley Kubrick
Kubrick embraced futuristic furniture long before it became popular. In 2001: A Space Odyssey you can spot radical pieces by designers like Olivier Mourgue, such as the Djinn chair. In Eyes Wide Shut, the Manhattan interiors feature modern Italian furniture with minimal lines and high-end materials. You can see how Kubrick’s designs disrupt the viewer’s comfort zone in:
A Clockwork Orange
2001: A Space Odyssey
Eyes Wide Shut
6. Ridley Scott
From sci-fi to drama, Scott’s sets often include contemporary furniture, especially Italian luxury brands. His interiors balance cold precision with high-end glamour. You can totally see this in two of his movies:
House of Gucci
The Counselor
7. Denis Villeneuve
Villeneuve favors a restrained, architectural aesthetic for his films, using minimalist pieces and Scandinavian silhouettes. This simplicity is evident in his movies such as:
Enemy
Arrival
Sicario
