Drew Designs The Drew Barrymore Show Set

Drew loves design. So when the opportunity came to design The Drew Barrymore Show studio in the historical CBS broadcast building - Drew wanted in! From the main set elements to the tiniest details, they all were shaped with love by Drew.

THE PILOT

In January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Drew started working with 513 set designers Tom Lenz and Mel Lovric to create the set for the pilot episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. The two designers got to know Drew well, including visits to her apartment to observe Drew's personal sense of style and taste and the unique energy in her spaces! Drew chose every design element of the pilot's studio - down to the last detail - including the artwork, the wallpaper, the carpet, the paint colors, and the furniture! Based on their observations of Drew's style and taste, the designers presented options for Drew collaborated with designers on the choice of the host chair, carpet, and textures of the set - concepts the designers curated to match Drew’s style. (Check out what the studio looked like during the pilot episode in The Making Of)!

Let's celebrate life together! - Drew

KITCHEN

After filming the pilot episode, Drew worked with designers to come up with what is now called "The Kitchen!" The kitchen space on set was purposefully created to feel different from the typical, polished, television-ready studio kitchen studio. It was important to Drew that "The Kitchen" felt lived in, timeless, and helps to tell the story of Drew's love for creating, making, and designing. Like a home kitchen, The Drew Barrymore Show kitchen serves as a multi-purpose space -- used for cooking, crafting, and making things in the home with family and friends that visit the show! The design aesthetic is layered and modern yet has a classic lived-in, old-world European charm. Old school and new school. Drew wanted the kitchen space to illustrate to her love of cooking, bringing family and friends together, and having an honest and real relationship with food in today’s world.

To keep The Kitchen feeling as warm, home-y, and organic as possible, the designers balanced rough and modern design lines with traditional textures. The greenhouse and the large kitchen window behind the kitchen area highlights Drew's love of plants, flowers, and nature and gives the kitchen a "homegrown" atmosphere -- perfect for learning and growing with lessons in The Kitchen.

DREW'S NEWS

For the Drew’s News set, Drew wanted to honor the tradition of the CBS Broadcast Studio where the show takes place. A self-proclaimed "News Junkie," Drew wants to pay homage to the CBS Evening News of the 60s and 70s, which was shot in the same building, when Walter Cronkite reigned as the trusted name in American news. The designers gathered visual references from the era as inspiration and paired those with the wall of monitors and the clock set pieces.

From the beginning, Drew wanted the Drew's News segment to be lighthearted and bring joy to viewers in the morning, rather than starting the day off with dire news stories. Since Drew has hosted SNL multiple times, she loved the idea of having a giant desk in the studio, a la Weekend Update, where guests will join her to help discuss the news of the day! Can't wait to see who makes their way behind the desk with Drew!

The designers used some serious old school inspo to create the Drew's News space, but also made sure it still had Drew’s chic & elevated sense of style.

GALLERY WALL

The designers worked with Drew on the pilot where she had chosen all of the artwork, so when it came time to designing the show’s studio, they had a sense of the style of artwork she was drawn to - which is abstract expressionism. Drew wanted to mix both classic and modern art for a true curated gallery wall feel. The designers curated a plan of around 10 art pieces within the set that matched the style of the set and Drew’s inspirations. After that, Drew and the designers narrowed down the options. Finally, the design team created their own unique, oversized versions of the art pieces with oversize canvas style art frames for the modern walls, to framed by illuminated, black arches in the studio. We could stare at that art for hours!

THE SET

The whole set features Drew's personal touches! Each architectural detail and finish on the set was discussed at length and meticulously worked through with Drew. Drew and the designers chose the signature Drew Yellow paint color for the studio. What better way to celebrate life than with a yellow-themed space!

The designers thrifted pre-owned furniture (or as we like to call it, "pre-loved") on Craiglist and other second-hand websites! The swivel chairs on set were found on a Craigslist NJ listing. Drew and the creative team loved the style of the Craigslist chairs and the idea of being able to repurpose something old with love and personal touches for the set! Together with Drew, designers gave the chairs a makeover with new fabric and even upholstery details!

Now that all the design details have been brought to life in the studio, we hope that The Drew Barrymore Show feels like home to you. We can't wait to celebrate life with all of you!