The Shawshank Redemption

This somewhat bleak dining room is inspired by the movie The Shawshank Redemption. I wanted to challenge myself with a theme that seemed slightly impossible. Who would want a dining room based off a prison movie? Well, I'm not sure I succeeded considering this room doesn't really look anything like a stark prison in the 1940s but it does look livable, if gray and brown tones are your sort of thing.

The first piece I chose was the French poetry rug because the French novel The Count of Monte Cristo is mentioned in the film as well as having a very similar theme (man escapes after being falsely imprisoned). Next I selected the Rita Hayworth print because the title of the novella the movie is based on is called "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" also *SPOILER ALERT* the hole through which Andy escapes is covered with a Rita Hayworth poster.

The table and chairs were chosen because they are rustic like I imagine 1940s prison cafeteria furniture would look like, if they were more stylized of course.The wire basket in the center of the table is there because when I think prison I think fences and when I think fences I think barbed wire. If this were an actual room I would put vibrant red apples in the basket in order to cheer the place up a bit. I chose the pebble dinnerware because the character Andy has a rock collection. And the vintage keys are there because they remind me of jailer's keys hanging on the wall just out of reach from the prisoners.

In the movie the corrupt warden has a sampler hanging in his office that reads "His Judgement Cometh and that Right Soon..." It's hard to see but the sampler I included says "What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?" because I thought room needed a little levity and whimsy.


I think the one bare lightbulb fixture adds to the no-frills prison vibe. The crow sculpture and the bird cupboard were selected because in the film the character Brooks has a pet crow named Jake. It's hard to tell but the curtains are gray and white striped which is supposed to represent striped prison uniforms (even though they aren't featured in the movie) and prison cell bars. Lastly I included the cage wine bottle holder because it looks like a little jail cell...for wine.

Paint color is Gray Mirage by Benjamin Moore which I think makes my fourth or fifth gray room. I promise I will lay off the gray for awhile!

Resources:

Bewick Cupboard ($3,998) from Anthropologie
Le Poeme Rug (8x10 - $490) from Ballard Designs
Rita Hayworth poster ($29.99) from Movie Goods
Distressed Wood Frame ($29.70) from FrameUSA.com
Metropolitan Chair ($139) from CB2
Modern Farm Dining Table ($599) from West Elm
Handmade Oval Wire Basket ($34) from Wisteria 
Pebble Dinnerware ($51.80 - $79.80) from Z Gallerie
Vintage Keys set of 7 ($19) from Pottery Barn
Hokey Pokey embroidered sampler ($15) from Etsy
Burnside Pendant light ($114) from Rejuvenation
Primitive Iron Crow Sculpture ($29.99) from The HomeCraft Cottage
Thomas O'Brien Striped Linen Sheers ($24.99 - $29.99) from Target
Metal Wine Cage ($199) from Restoration Hardware