Interior Decoration plays an important role in the show to flesh out the characterization of the inhabitants of Stars Hollow, Hartford, Yale, and elsewhere.
About[]
What living spaces each character chooses, and how they choose to furnish and decorate it gives insight into their personality. In most cases, these elements merely remains in the background, but often they are directly commented upon.
Lorelai[]
- Main article: Lorelai's House
Lorelai likes kitschy items, but also maintains a comfortable space. Form outweighs function in many cases, as when her blue, fuzzy alarm clock turns out to be unreliable on Rory's first day at Chilton.[1]
In another instance Emily asks Lorelai where are the elegant candlesticks she gave her, and Lorelai informs her she returned them and bought a monkey lamp instead, which Emily considers pornographic.[2]
Rory[]
Rory keeps her room tidy, and has some stuffed animals decorating the bed, including Colonel Clucker.[3] She's packed her books into as many makeshift bookcases she could think of, which include her dresser and below her bed.[4] Rory's wall is plastered with pictures of countries she wishes to visit someday and Harvard, later Yale, paraphernalia.
Lane[]
Lane's bedroom at her mother's house epitomizes the double-life she is forced to live by her strict mother, Mrs. Kim. On the surface, she is an obedient Korean girl, but her closet hides her American teenager side, complete with red lights and a disco ball[5], and secret panels built into the floorboards hide her CDs.
The Gilmore Mansion[]
- Main article: The Gilmore House
Meticulously cleaned, well-furnished, and uncomfortable, Emily's house's interior is structured, orderly and symmetric.
- While preparing for Rory's birthday party, Emily is insistent that the decorating staff keep the candles exactly six inches apart.[6]
Luke[]
- Main article: Luke's Apartment
Luke lives above his diner and his space, at first, does not incorporate any planned design. Rachel does inform Lorelai, though, that Luke himself picked out his floral drapes.[7] Once Jess comes to live with Luke in his office-turned-apartment[8], Luke decides to expand the place by purchasing the building next door to the diner[9] (which later fosters a precarious situation as Luke becomes Taylor Doose's landlord[10]). April further improves matters after a trip to Target.