Director Sam Esmail’s Netflix film, Leave the World Behind, brings Rumaan Alam’s novel to life in a gorgeous vacation rental on Long Island’s North Shore. The story follows Amanda Sanford (played by Julia Roberts), her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke), and their two teenage children as they escape the hustle of the city for a quiet weekend retreat. Their peaceful getaway takes a dark turn when homeowner G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la Herrold) arrive unexpectedly, fleeing a mysterious blackout in Manhattan.
The 5,200-square-foot modern farmhouse, known as The Open Corner House, is located in Old Westbury NY. It was designed by architect John Patrick Winberry of The Up Studio.
Leave The World Behind Entry
The stairs are a focal point of the home. According to architect Jeffrey Ramirez, “The custom steel stair we designed in the foyer is the first thing guests see when they enter.”
The 5,200-square-foot L-shaped house is designed to capture sunlight.
Leave The World Behind Bedroom
The stormy seascape wallpaper adds a sense of drama and intrigue. The design is available here. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the waves on the wallpaper get fiercer as the tension builds.
Leave The World Behind Living Room
The large wall painting changes over the course of the movie to symbolize the increasing chaos and disorder.
Set decorator David Schlesinger Knives Out hired art curator Racquel Chevremont to find paintings that evoked a sense of doom.
Leave The World Behind Basement
The basement was created specifically for the movie. “The ceiling is very low in there, it’s a very cramped space,” set decorator David Schlesinger told Architectural Digest.
Leave The World Behind Kitchen
The living, kitchen, and dining areas all flow into one another, complemented by lots of marble, natural wood, leather, and metal hardware.
Leave The World Behind Pool
Leave The World Behind Apartment
According to a Reddit user, there is a color theme in the film that moves from blue, to red, to white. Blue symbolizes uncertainty, red truth or revelation, and white acceptance.
