If you take a look at the best romantic comedies of the last few decades, you’ll find they were all made with similar ingredients. The recipe is as follows: a love story, first and foremost; an iconic soundtrack of songs by Steve Tyrell, Hanz Zimmer, and the like; an ensemble cast; and of course, a perfectly curated home with interiors that stand the test of time.
These homes have won over the hearts of millions with their aspirational-meets-accessible sensibility. Some of these properties may be a bit out of reach for the average viewer, but the interiors belie a lived-in quality that allows you to imagine yourself there. These homes are always elegant and comfortable, never sleek and modern. They feature cluttered desks and overflowing nightstands. They have book shelves filled to the brim with novels, skirted sofas covered in pillows, a bounty of table lamps, and kitchen counters covered in bowls of seasonal produce. And if you can see yourself in a protagonist’s house, perhaps you can easily insert yourself into their love story as well? One can dream.
We decided to put these homes head to head to see which is the most quintessentially “rom-com.” Our list is made up of on-screen dwellings that we all know and love. From Nancy Meyers favorites to Nora Ephron classics, keep reading as we rank our top seven romantic dwellings that remain a source of inspiration for film lovers around the world.
#7: The Wedding Planner
Romantic comedies were in their prime in the early 2000s, and the San Francisco apartment of Mary Fiore (Jennifer Lopez) in the 2001 film The Wedding Planner set the bar for what a good rom-com home should be. The historic one bedroom was neat and tidy, while still feeling warm and inviting. From the glow of table lamps and taper candles to the working fireplace (with a marble mantle, of course), the wedding planner’s abode had a feminine sensibility that is hard to beat. However, what really earned Fiore’s home a spot on our list was the iconic TV tray scene, where the wedding planner herself—wearing a crisp white button down and perfect denim—beautifully plates her take-out dinner, pours herself a glass of white wine, and sits down on her skirted striped sofa to watch Antiques Roadshow. It doesn’t get more rom-com than that.
#6: When Harry Met Sally
