Step inside the Brady home. This is what you would have seen when you walked in the front door - if there had been a fourth wall. The Brady Bunch actors themselves never got to see it quite like this. But, if it were a real home, this is how it would have played out. And, if you're like me, I want to imagine it was a real home.
This was a fun tweet to wake up to one morning. Maureen had "walked" through the home on this website and was sweet enough to leave a comment about it.
If you're an avid fan and want to see what the exterior of the home would look like, if it matched the interior, this link will take you to a post showing you in detail. https://www.mockingbirdlane.design/blog/the-brady-home-a-house-of-lies
There's a reason this all looks so familiar, feels so homey, so comfortable. A lot of us spent a great deal of time in this living room, even if it was through a TV screen. Oh, how I would love to see this home built in real life. As production continues on, you will get to see all of the rooms remodeled. But, I think I could slip into this home just as it is here.
We know they had a TV on that mythical 4th wall, but as for the rest of what might have been there, I could only guess. I'm assuming there might be a china hutch, since the dining room table is right next to it.
As I was building this TV home, as with the other TV homes I've done, I grew to appreciate it so much more. There was a lot more going on than I had ever noticed from just watching the show. The main staircase was amazing. And they also had brick steps that led down to the living room and up to the den and staircase. Stone and brick were applied around the home on various walls. The set designers knew what they were doing. It all plays out in perfect harmony. Kind of like the Silver Platters. As a nod to that episode -where the Brady kids formed a singing group and called themselves the Silver Platters- I just had to throw in a stack of silver platters in the china hutch.
Mike's den. The perfect den for an architect. Except for maybe the wall that opens up into the living room. With six kids, I'm sure there was a great deal of noise, and those wooden shutters wouldn't exactly deafen the sound. But, Mike was, first and foremost, a dad, so he welcomed intrusions most of the time. Today, Mike Brady would most certainly have a computer in there to do his drafting. But, we'll save that for the remodel later on.
There was room for all six kids around the kitchen table, a door to the patio - which we rarely got to see - and a brick oven. I don't ever remember seeing them use the brick oven, though. Notice that the cabinets are a dark solid wood on the upper cupboards, but the fronts of the base cabinets had an olive green finish. One of the many details I hadn't noticed until I started the 3D modeling.
This is a view that Alice probably got to see a lot, but we never did. We often saw her in the kitchen cooking a meal for the whole clan. Later on in the series, we were able to see Alice's bedroom in an episode. It's just off of the kitchen, back by the laundry room. You can see it in this overhead view of the Brady home. You'll also notice I gave her a bathroom, because I figured she could use one. And I added an extra half bath behind the staircase wall, since there are none on the main floor.
Curious what the home would look like, if the exterior matched what was going on inside of the home? This link will take you to a post about that very thing. https://www.mockingbirdlane.design/blog/the-brady-home-a-house-of-lies
Here are some more views we rarely got to see:
Oh no! Is that the cursed tiki idol on the shelf? Hope Greg isn't surfing today.
I just finished making the video walk-through tour, like I have done for the other TV homes, so you can feel like you're walking around inside of the real home. Hope you enjoye your time walking around the Brady home. I know I did. Then scroll on down to see the upstairs and the remodel!
You've toured the main floor now - but, wait! There's more. Let's go upstairs and see all the bedrooms.
In this view above, of the boys' room, I added the 4th wall that we never got to see. It looks out over the backyard. In at least one episode we got to see this window from the backyard, but never from the interior of the boys' room. Just to orient you - the blue door goes to the bathroom they shared with the girls.
Here is the room Marcia, Jan and Cindy shared. I always loved this girls' room. I went ahead and added the back wall that we seldom got to see, with the window looking over the backyard. I think this is a perfect arrangement for a room with 3 girls. The shared bathroom is another story - 6 kids in one bathroom - I don't think that would work very well in real life. But, I still loved the whole layout.
Until I modeled this home on the computer, I had no idea that the girls' bedroom was so much larger than the boys'. I wanted to give the kids a toilet, I really did, but discovered there just isn't room for one. Well, there is plenty of room - this is a huge bathroom - but I would have to reconfigure the walls to the point that it wouldn't really represent what we were shown on TV. But, if any of you ever build this home, there is plenty of space for a toilet in there. So, don't let that stop you.
For Mike and Carol's Bedroom, I had to look at a lot of images from the show to catch what exactly was going on in the space between the bed and the bathroom. I've included a couple overhead views below to help you understand the layout. Granted, I had to guess what most of the bathroom portion looked like. In some episodes we see the bathroom sinks and cabinet. But, I added a shower, bathtub and toilet. What surprised me the most as I reviewed episodes is that there appears to be a dressing area between the bed and the bathroom. Pretty elaborate set up! Another area I had never noticed on the show was Carol's nook for her vanity, where she does her hair and makeup. You'll see it in the image above next to the closet.
You'll notice that there is a pair of sliding doors. This shows up in at least one episode. So, apparently they must have had a deck off of their master bedroom. Also, there is an episode where Mike Brady is sitting at a desk in the spot you see above - near the sliding doors. That was new to me too, until I did a little research. This is really a spectacular master bedroom. They even had twin closets. Although in some episodes the closet nearest the bathroom is not there. Below is another overhead view to give you a different perspective.
I have always loved the Brady home, but never gave the master bedroom much thought, until I started modeling it. Then, I realized just how interesting the set up is. I hope you enjoy these views. Maybe it will give some of you ideas for how you want to lay out your master bedroom, if you happen to be building your own home.
When I was done with the 2nd floor rooms, I discovered a sad truth. There is no way that the second floor could possibly fit over the main floor and still have things where they are supposed to be. Another childhood myth busted. I still LOVE this home though! All the parts.
I had so many requests to show the attic, I finally grabbed my feather duster and headed up there. Remember the fight over who would get the attic room? Who do you think deserved it? Greg or Marcia? And, do you think there was a toilet back there with that sink? We may never know.
On Twitter, I asked people who they thought deserved the attic bedroom - Greg or Marcia? And, I got this fun reply.
I decided to add a touch of authenticity to Greg's groovy attic bedroom in the video tour below. See if you can spot it. Wait for it. Wait for it.
About a bajillion people requested a tour of Alice's room. So, this one's for you. I threw in a couple special items from the show, see if you can spot them. There were a few different versions of the laundry room on the show - they couldn't co-exist with what we were shown of Alice's room, so I had to morph them into one.
And, now - because so many asked for it, here is the Brady's backyard. How may Easter eggs can you find? There's one at the very beginning of the tour - blink and you'll miss it. Hint: It has to do with Peter.
Would you like to see what the Brady home would look like, if the exterior matched what was going on inside? Here's a link to find out - but, warning, it's not for the faint of heart!
https://www.mockingbirdlane.design/blog/the-brady-home-a-house-of-lies
The Brady home all dressed up for the holidays.
And now the remodel that took place at the Brady Bunch house since we last saw them in the 70's.
Below you'll see the original kitchen again, this time from a head-on view. And below that image you'll see the newly remodeled Brady kitchen from the same view. I love the back splash. It reminds me so much of the whole 70's/Brady Bunch vibe, but with a new, modern twist. I used Wildflower Blue Note Marble tile by Tile Bar, but I colored the center of the daisies golden yellow. I am receiving absolutely no compensation from anyone. I just researched online until I found the perfect "Brady-inspired" back splash tile. I predict that 70's design will be coming back with a vengeance and a twist!
The remodel is in full swing. Here is Mike and Carol Brady's Master Bedroom after the remodel. I've listed the materials used in this remodel but again, I am receiving no compensation for these. I used the photographer's work in exchange for crediting him.
And, in case you forgot during all this scrolling, here's the original Master Bedroom.
Below is the remodel of the girls' bedroom. I had so much fun with this one!
Well, the last room in the Brady home remodel is finished - the boys' room.
A big shout out to the Series Set Decoration crew, led by Anthony Nealis who went on to do work for Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. Thank you for helping create a home we all wished we could live in.
When you're done with the Brady home, if you want to see the other famous TV homes on this site, head over to the home page. https://www.mockingbirdlane.design/
Are you interested in finding similar furnishings for your home today of those in the original Brady home? Then, check out below my "Where can I find something like that?" page.
* I have received no compensation for the call outs on these furnishings. I simply went online and found items that were similar to those shown in the home.
