The production design team received highly detailed directions from Leonard in order to prevent the Red Room from resembling a tacky dungeon. This is the chamber where the brooding millionaire Christian Grey satisfies his craving for unconventional boudoir activities, for those who are new to the Fifty Shades phenomenon.
Producer Dana Brunetti explains, “In fact, she had these things meticulously prepared. Our production designers were provided with sketches of them that she personally possessed.”
The design team, headed by husband and wife Sandy and David, who were not inexperienced in this area, worked on Pulp Fiction, which features a memorable character known as the gimp, who is into bondage. Erika, David says, was able to doodle a little on a piece of paper that was half-eleven and eight. This is where the spanking bench would be, and this is where the sofa would be used.
“It was much more sophisticated to expect anyone to be led through the internet,” says Grey Christian, “like wealthy clients who have met with dominatrices and dominants – experts. The Wascos knew that they would have a different version of it and that everyone could read the book interview.” Sandy adds, “We had to have ‘It,’ says David. “We really anguished over the fact that most people knew The Wascos’ Red Room. They knew that the Red Room would be the most challenging set.”
The bed they used was leather, not with sheets because they slept on the floor. David explains, “We ended up using real leather with shoe tacks, two inches apart.” The design team consultants learned these useful tips from spending a lot of time kneeling on the leather floor.
It was quite beautiful. It was more typical to see woods rather than other materials, with brown burls and brown leathers. The equipment was built with brown in mind, making it stable and of high quality, which Sandy desired. She wanted it to have a stronger connection to something she would never forget when she saw it. She always mentioned Kubrick movies as something she never wanted to forget. She also mentioned that she had strong feelings about the finishes the designers told her about. Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director, was in charge of the layout room, and Leonard was in charge if she needed any assistance.
The soft ropes were extremely dyed red and ordered to be had. The beds and horse saddle chair were custom-made and shipped from England. Most of the furniture implements, including the custom-made stirrups, were made and ended up beautifully bespoke, according to David. The items we made seem equally unusual and very beautiful. If we talk about the designers’ way of making the equipment, the room where floggings take place might be called an odd-sounding “pretty” place.