Design Files: Chicest Room of the Week

5 Parisian decor lessons we can take away from an iconic 1966 film

May 12, 2025

Not a day goes by where I don’t think of France, particularly Paris. When I’m feeling blue, nostalgic, or need inspiration, I love watching films that feature this romantic, magical and historic city. On the top of my list is the classic Audrey Hepburn film, How to Steal a Million. When it comes to style, few films rival the aesthetic brilliance of this 1966 film. While most remember the film for Hepburn’s iconic Givenchy wardrobe (her black lace Givenchy dress sold at auction for $600,000) and Peter O’Toole’s blue-eyed charm, it’s the interiors that take center stage. Opulent, art-soaked, and unmistakably Parisian…the French aesthetic of the home and film is the true star.

Set in the world of high art and high society, the film’s decor offers a visual narrative just as rich as the plot itself: layers of legacy and taste, all wrapped in gilded frames and velvet fabric.

Here are 5 takeaway decor concepts from the film that you can incorporate in your home to recreate a timeless, Parisian aesthetic with modern elements. Scroll all the way to the bottom for links to items that can achieve this style and make you feel like you’re living your best Parisian life.

The Paris Townhome Fantasy, Perfected

The Bonnet family’s home, a grand hôtel particulier on the Right Bank, isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a character. The space oozes quiet wealth: walls paneled in cream and gold, fireplaces flanked by sculptures, and salon-style art hung to perfection. The design plays with duality. Masculine wood-paneled rooms soften under crystal chandeliers, while formal spaces are made approachable with lived-in flourishes like stacks of books or a casually draped throw. Trailing lush curtains also add to the Parisian flair. When I recently moved into our home, I took notes from this film on pairing the old wooden floors with large crystal chandeliers. It creates such a beautiful contrast and looks more natural to the home than the hideous linen sconces that were all over the ceilings. A simple change like this can make a room look so much more elegant.

Art as Atmosphere

Art is everything in this quintessential Parisian dwelling. The film orbits around a forged statue and the elite world of museums and collectors, so naturally the interiors reflect that obsession. Oil paintings are everywhere, styled by the set creators so incredibly well, they look like they have always belonged on those walls. There are some serious cues we can take home from the design of this home and the art….the style of art, how it’s framed, placed and even the various sizes, as well as the use of busts and tapestries. Even the sculpture pedestals and antique frames feel like part of the architecture. Incorporating art into your home is something the French excel at and the film creators got right.

Light Is the Luxury

A huge decor NO NO for me is bright overhead lights, turned all the way up. I get so uncomfortable in rooms like that. It’s honestly just not chic. One of How to Steal a Million’s most underrated design elements is the lighting. Mood-lit sconces, shaded lamps, and candlelit corners bathe the space in golden softness and a beautiful glow. It’s pure romance. Nothing overhead, nothing too exposed. The lighting in this film makes everything and everyone look just a little more expensive. My opinion is that it also makes people feel more comfortable when the light isn’t all the way bright. I don’t know about you, but if the flood lights are on I feel like my face is being examined. And the older I get, the less I want bright lights….they do not set the mood and are not glamorous.

Time-Traveled Taste

What makes the interiors of this film so timeless and so replicable, is the balance. Beneath the gilding and antique finishes, there are subtle nods to the mid-century modern era: low-profile armchairs, sculptural accent tables, polished bar carts.

Think: Jean-Michel Frank meets 18th-century Paris. Clean silhouettes against ornate moldings. Soft geometry next to carved wood. A room can feel layered and lived in. Elegant but not overdone. There is so much beauty in blending eras with care. It’s that exact tension that makes the interiors feel not like a museum… but like a home.

How to Steal the Look

To channel the film’s decor in your own space:

Mix heirloom-style furniture with a single sculptural modern piece
Use wall art as architecture
Layer soft lighting: sconces, shaded lamps, candles
Choose luxe finishes: velvet, brass, marble, ormolu
And above all, let your space feel lived in. Curated but warm, stylish and as though the furniture and curios and art have been there for some time (even if they just arrived yesterday)

How to Steal a Million is more than a heist film. It’s a design philosophy. A reminder that elegance can be playful, legacy can be lived in, and Paris will always be the blueprint for beautiful rooms.

Here are links to items I found online that can help you achieve this classic Parisian aesthetic:

Antique Strawberry Fruit Bowl Still Life Painting in Ornate Gold Gilt Frame