Is the Practical Magic house real? Inside the movie’s most enchanting location
The Practical Magic house is not real. However, its cliffside location, Victorian architecture, and lush gardens have fascinated audiences for decades. While the house was never a real home, the narrative of its construction, filming locations, and ongoing legacy is an engrossing voyage into cinematic magic.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The Practical Magic house is not a real home that you may visit. It was a temporary set designed for the film.
- The charming New England-style town depicted in the film is Coupeville, Washington, a historic seaport on Whidbey Island.
- Because the interior and the exterior were distinct sets, there is no official floor plan, but fans created their own based on the film.
Is the Practical Magic house real?
The famous Practical Magic house was a movie set constructed especially for the movie and then taken down. It was set on the San Juan Islands of Washington State, close to Coupeville, where most exterior scenes were filmed. The house itself is not a permanent, actual building. Here is a breakdown of the house and its locations.
Practical Magic house exterior construction
The house's exterior was an architectural shell constructed on San Juan Island in Washington state, with its wrap-around porch and ocean view. Production designers Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer from the Roman and Williams business created the design.
The home's unique appearance was inspired by late nineteenth-century scrollwork, East Coast lighthouses, and Victorian architecture. The grounds' construction and landscaping took around six months to complete.
Source: Twitter
A look into the Practical Magic house interior design
While the exterior was shot in Washington, the inside scenes were filmed in a Los Angeles set. The set designers meticulously constructed the interiors, particularly the famed kitchen and conservatory, to feel lived-in and historically accurate.
They filled the area with antiques, props, and flea market treasures to create the atmosphere of a home handed down through generations. The kitchen and conservatory scenes were well-constructed, inspiring numerous real-life kitchens.
According to Realtor, Robin Standefer told AD that the kitchen had become an obsession for them and director Dunne.
We always had an obsession with those massive, remarkable English kitchens and were so inspired to create one of those.
Does the Practical Magic house have a floor plan?
Unlike an actual house, the Practical Magic house did not have a conventional floor plan since it was not a real, functional house. The façade was a bluff-style structure, while all the inner rooms were individual sets made in a Los Angeles soundstage.
Source: Facebook
However, due to the enormous popularity of the home's architecture, plans and layouts of the set have been accessible online, frequently shared by fans who have carefully replicated the house for dollhouses, personal projects, or even in video games.
These fan-created floor plans are based on what is shown in the film and provide a comprehensive look at the flow of the set design, even if they are not for an actual, code-compliant structure.
Practical Magic house demolition
The house, being a temporary building, was not designed for long-term use. When filming was concluded, it was demolished, and the land was returned to its former state.
Practical Magic setting: The real-life home of the magic
Practical Magic is set on a fictitious island in New England; however, the acclaimed movie was mostly shot in Washington state. Coupeville, Washington, served as the setting for the Owens sisters and their aunts' New England town.
With its picturesque streets and coastline, the historic seaport town on Whidbey Island served as an excellent background for the community scenes.
Many of the town's structures were utilised as filming locations, including a local tavern renamed The Catch and Fry and a bakery that became Sally's business, Verbena Botanicals.
Source: Facebook
Where is the Practical Magic house located?
The exterior scenes of the Practical Magic mansion were built on San Juan Island in Washington State, and the interior shots were captured on a set in Los Angeles, California.
Can you visit the house from Practical Magic?
You cannot visit the house from Practical Magic because it was not a permanent abode. It was a temporary set created specifically for the film and demolished once production ended.
What style of house is in Practical Magic?
Practical Magic's house is a Victorian-style residence, but a fictionalised and romanticised rendition of the architectural style. The production designers, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, drew inspiration from traditional Victorian buildings and added their touches to create a distinct and captivating house.
The Practical Magic house is not a real residence. Despite its lovely and unforgettable appearance on screen, the enchanting Victorian home was a temporary set created just for the film. This cinematic masterpiece exemplifies the power of production design by showcasing how a temporary structure can become an everlasting icon.
Yen.com.gh recently published an article featuring the locations where Bad Sisters was filmed. The film was shot in various locales in Ireland, including Malahide, Howth, Donabate, and Skerries in County Dublin.
The Bad Sisters filming locations are as complex and emotive as the story itself. From Howth's jagged cliffs to Donabate's peaceful beaches, each Irish town has its distinct feel. Read the article to learn more.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
