Growing up, I was raised on television. Many evenings were spent watching characters such as Cliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show and I was captivated by the comical antics of The Brady Bunch. Today I still find myself drawn to television because it allows me to build a relationship with the characters. As I watch these shows I tend to note things like home furnishings, architectural styles and floor plan layouts.
Today you can easily find floor plans to build houses that look exactly like the ones you’ve seen in your favorite television shows and movies. Everything from the San Fernando Brady Bunch house to The Cosby Show’s Manhattan dwelling can be found online. Designers are even making sketches for layouts of modern shows like Two and a Half Men, The Simpsons and How I Met Your Mother, classic suburban homes from I Love Lucy, Bewitched, Happy Days and The Golden Girls to sprawling mansions from Dallas and Dynasty.
4222 Clinton Way was the (fictitious) address of Bob and Carol Brady and their six children. Today the actual 2,500 square foot home is still standing in the San Fernando Valley and is a private residence. For similar homes view The House Designers collection of two-story house plans and split-level floor plans.
Located in the San Fernando Valley, this home is generally a quiet landmark, in part because its appearance has been altered from what appeared on TV. The split-level San Fernando Valley home was the home of The Brady Bunch. What might throw you off is the absence of a second floor. When they found the home they loved the middle class California feeling but the constructed set was that of a roomy two-story dwelling. Production designers came to the rescue by attaching a fake window to give the house the appearance of a second story.
Animated series have a following all their own. For example, the immensely popular animated TV show The Simpsons has a house plan designed after it. In Henderson, Nevada there is a house that was designed to closely mimic that of The Simpsons. The designers viewed dozens of episodes but it became apparent that the cartoon house couldn’t actually be structurally sound. The finished house however, meets all building codes.
The homes our favorite fictional characters live in do exist, at least on the exterior level, but there could soon be a string of houses who’s exteriors also look just like the ones from your favorite movies or television shows. All that’s needed is a bit of architectural knowledge, a similar house plan and keen sense of interior design.
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Christine Cooney
Christine has over a decade of experience as a house plan and floor plan expert. Outside of providing her expertise to customers to help them find and build their dream homes, her passion and knowledge of the home building industry allows Christine to guide families and builders through all of the important steps from finding plans to building custom homes that meet the expectations of today’s new home owner. Christine’s years of knowledge of the diverse trends and needs of the modern homeowner has made her into an authoritative and trusted voice in the online house plan community.