How To Bring Rivals Style Into Your Home

Did you tune in to the latest season of Rivals? We still have some time before season 2 part 2 lands on screens (and even longer still for the recently greenlit season 3), but in the meantime, you can bring Rutshire to your living room in other ways. From chintzy bedrooms and scumbled kitchen walls to Pepto Bismol-pink pool houses, the interiors in Rivals are both nostalgic and refreshingly new compared to the minimalist styles that have remained on-trend over the last decade. And with the show only rising in popularity, we can expect to see more 1980s-inspired interiors tricks making their way into modern homes. So, what are you waiting for? Pour a glass of Babycham, put your feet up and let the interior design experts tell you how to bring Rivals glamour home.

Why We’re All Gushing Over 1980s Interiors

Jilly Cooper’s decade-defying bonkbuster has been luring in audiences – both reader and streamer – for the better part of 40 years. And while the author’s novels drew us in with dramatic plotlines, naughty characters and cheeky smut, the recently adapted TV show adds a fresh layer: visual cinematics. Not only can we visualise the Jillyverse, now we can see it in all its raunchy glory.

And the backdrop for the drama? Some of the biggest interior design trends from the 1980s – blazing pastels, ruffled taffeta, floral wallpaper, rattan furniture, tropical plants and, naturally, country house maximalism (this is Rutshire, after all). It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but seeing them onscreen once more is a reminder of why we loved the decade’s bold interiors. 

Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara and Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

‘I think a large part of the appeal is the sense of nostalgia,’ says interior designer Sean Symington. ‘In a time that can often feel uncertain, people are naturally drawn to interiors that feel comforting, familiar, and lived-in. The homes in Rivals aren’t overly curated or minimal; they’re layered with personality and full of character. They feel like real homes that have evolved over time reflecting the people who live in them.’

It’s this level of personality – the construction of spaces that feel liveable – that seals the deal. ‘There’s an unapologetic sense of personality when it comes to the 1980s,’ adds Georgia Metcalfe, founder and Creative Director at French Bedroom. ‘The interiors feel layered, lived-in and deeply individual, with an abundance of pattern, stripe, rich colours, antiques and collected objects. 

‘There is a confidence to the decoration that feels refreshing, in contrast to the pared-back Scandi-inspired minimalism we’ve seen dominate interiors for so long,’ she adds. ‘I particularly love the way the spaces embrace classic country house glamour – floral fabrics, dark woods, decorative details and luxurious textures such as damasks all combine to create rooms that feel both elegant and inviting. They’re nostalgic without feeling outdated, which is what makes them so compelling.’

Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson and David Tennant as Tony Baddingham in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

Who Designed The Sets & Interiors On Rivals?

The man behind the explosion of bright colour, chintzy patterns and country estate regalia is production designer Dominic Hyman, who has worked on the sets and interiors of Rivals across seasons 1 and 2. 

Hyman, whose work as an art director and production designer spans Paddington 2, Christopher Robin and The Witcher, told C&TH that he felt ‘very lucky [to work on Rivals] because I was very much alive and doing stuff in the 1980s. I was a teenager at the time, and I just remember it so well. The things we did on the show come from lived experience – as well as photographs, slides and videos.

‘It’s in living memory for some of us – a lot of us – which means we have a bit of pressure to get it right, since people remember it so well,’ he continues. ‘But that’s also the beauty of something “recently” period – you can have fun with it, leave those easter eggs and triggers there that make audiences nostalgic and feel like they’re back in a room from 40 years ago. We wanted people to suddenly remember that VCR player, that telephone, that car, that television – or maybe a specific pattern on the drapes or cushions. That chintz!

‘We’re throwing these callbacks out there and letting people find them, and the responses have been really delightful. It was a real privilege to be able to do that, and to have such a good team to do it with, who also understood the importance of accuracy.’ To find out more about Dominic’s work on season 2, read our full interview.

Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

Expert Tips For Nailing The Rivals Look At Home

Layer Patterns With Confidence

‘The Rivals aesthetic embraces abundance,’ emphasises Georgia. ‘Florals, chintz, stripes and botanical prints can happily coexist when united by a complementary colour palette.’

Chintz is something the show’s production designer also insists on having. ‘Don’t be afraid to embrace it,’ he tells C&TH. For the ultimate chintzy look, he references Monica Baddingham’s maximalist bedroom: ‘It’s a chintz on chintz paradise.

‘We started with the wallpaper – a floral print with lovely little posies – and from there, we could build on top with chintz. Our main thing was Colefax and Fowler fabrics, also in floral patterns, on the curtains, the bed cover, the headboard and the drape behind the headboard. It’s just chintz on chintz. And it’s so true to the period.’

When introducing these prints into your own home, Georgia’s top tip is to build up the look with textiles: ‘Layer patterned cushions, upholstered pieces and decorative accessories to create a look that feels richly personal and entirely unapologetic.’

Claire Rushbrook as Monica Baddingham and David Tennant as Tony Baddingham in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

Create A Collected Home

Aside from being layered in prints and patterns, many of the spaces in Rivals are layered with antiques, knickknacks and objects that have been collected throughout the characters’ lives. This makes the most successful Rivals look one that feels curated and lived in, says Sean. ‘It’s the layering and how personal everything feels,’ he emphasises. ‘Each space reflects the character who lives there, so nothing feels generic or overly styled. I love this idea of “stuff”:  books, crockery, pots and pans on display. It creates that nesting, cocoon-like feeling and makes a home feel lived in and full of life, rather than set dressed.’

To recreate the look, he suggests ‘buying pieces you love on your travels, collecting art from places you visit, and bringing things into your home that tell your story. Avoid big box stores and buying full furniture suites; instead, opt for vintage and antique pieces that build character over time.’

Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

Don’t Be Afraid Of Colour

Just like pattern, colour plays a huge part in the Rivals look. ‘The show has a huge visual impact, thanks to the colour of its costumes, sets and decorations,’ says Katie Glaister, founder of interior architectural and design studio, K&H Design. ‘The cinematography and high-octane colour immerses us in that world and keeps us on the edge of our seat. Just look at Bella Vista – the psychedelic brilliance of the facade, the magi-mix of yellows inside and the pink pool house – every space makes its own strong impression.’

More thematic colour schemes can help pull this off – with decorative additions in the room helping to balance the palette. Thinking back on the pool house, for example, which Dominic says he wanted to ‘feel like a Las Vegas funeral parlor. That was my reference for it. We painted the lounges and the dining furniture in a mint green that kicked off the pink walls – and then, of course, there’s the overwhelmingly glorious foliage: the banana palms, the kentias, the birds of paradise. It’s all there.’

Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones in Rivals Season 2 (c) Disney/Robert Viglasky Photography

Introduce Nostalgic Details

It wouldn’t be an 80s interior without some period furniture. For this, you’ll need to check out the secondhand interiors market. ‘Go antiquing, thrift and buy what you love rather than what’s mass market,’ says Sean. ‘Start collecting pieces over time and mix different eras together. For example, an 80s-style chair reupholstered in a more contemporary fabric alongside antique and mid-century pieces – that will give your space that Rivals charm without feeling costume-y or dated.’

But if you want to go all-in, don’t pull any punches. A fun place to start, says Dominic, is the kitchen. Looking back at the Stratton kitchen from season 2, the production designer describes it as something that ‘feels like it came out of a catalogue, as if Sarah had this idea of blue scumble glazed walls like the Mediterranean, Casa Pupo china lemons (very 80s), and yellow drapes just to hit off the blue perfectly.’ Although he adds that ‘Sarah can’t cook, never intended to cook… it’s a kitchen that’s never used’ – so it might be best to take these design notes with a pinch of salt.

Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton and Oliver Chris as James Vereker in Rivals season 2 (c) Disney

Focus On Texture & Finishing Touches

And don’t skip out on the details. ‘Tassels, fringe trims, swagged curtains, pelmets, pleated lampshades, ruffled table skirts, velvet upholstery – these are all features from the era that can easily transform a room from simply beautiful to truly atmospheric,’ says Georgia. ‘Layering tactile materials adds depth, and easily evokes the decorative grandeur of stately homes. It gives each space a sense of occasion. These finishing touches are what make a room feel truly layered and lived in.’

Have Fun With It

‘If there’s one thing to take away from the interiors in Rivals, it’s that decorating should be personal and enjoyable,’ emphasises Georgia. ‘The aesthetic is rooted in nostalgia, but not in a way that feels stuck in the past. Instead, it celebrates collecting meaningful pieces, embracing strong colour and bold patterns, and creating a home that reflects who you are. The beauty of nostalgic interiors is that they’re not about following strict design rules; they’re about surrounding yourself with the things you love. Have fun with it, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.’