Inside the Layered Set Design of Netflix’s East of Eden

Netflix’s new limited series East of Eden, an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s famed 1952 novel, follows Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, the main antagonist of the story. The multi-generational tale stretches from 1874 to 1917, and this particular iteration includes no shortage of sumptuous design inspiration. Galerie spoke to production designer Grant Major to find out what inspired the decoration of the East of Eden sets, where the furnishings were sourced from, and how set design adds to the overall storytelling. 

When looking for inspiration for the set design of East of Eden, Major turned to a variety of sources. Naturally, the primary function of the many sets was to “express the time, the place and the drama of the story.” For the Trask farm in Connecticut, for example, a saltbox house fit the mold, so Major looked at photographs of historic homes in the area and selected the most eye-catching details that would look best on screen. 

And while the series was filmed in New Zealand, there happened to be similar landscapes and structures that fit the look of Connecticut during this time period. Locations included a historic Auckland mansion known as Alberton for Cathy’s early family home, another historic dwelling known as Highwick that portrays Mr. Edward’s office and a wedding venue towards the end of episode two, and a semi-derelict mansion in Auckland that serves as a brothel reception lounge and later, a business. 

“Production design works in the service of enhancing narrative aspects of the drama,” explains Major. As such, “color, textures, materials, furnishings and other details were all carefully chosen.” 

Additional design inspiration came from contemporary architecture and decoration styles of the time, as seen in the high Victorian aesthetic of Faye’s boudoir, Art Nouveau works in Cathy’s Boston apartment, and Craftsman decor in the yellow Salinas house. “The passage of time is a big part of our design brief, and we were careful to track and introduce these technologies as they arrive,” adds Major. 

When it came to furnishing these fictional interiors, set decorator Amber Richards paid a visit to Hollywood to select pieces that weren’t easily found in New Zealand. This included period beds, furniture, refrigerators, lighting, and more from antique shops and antiquarian collectors. These finds were then shipped to New Zealand in a 40-foot container. 

And because a script can only share so much detail, Major did turn to the novel East of Eden “for intricate descriptions of the characters, environments, and landscapes that shaped the design choices for the television series.” And although there is a 1955 film adaptation of the novel, Major sought to create his own version by interpreting the work as accurately as possible without trying to emulate prior iterations.