Inside 'Open Door', the Architectural Digest Hit on Sling Freestream

'Open Door' opened its doors to explain how the series is made. Read our interview and watch with Architectural Digest on Sling Freestream.

Architectural Digest on Sling Freestream swings open the gates to give viewers an intimate look at some of the most stunning homes on the planet. Perhaps the best example of their programming is the show Open Door, an up-close-and-personal tour of celebrities' homes, courtesy of the stars who live there (think MTV’s Cribs , but classier and without the lying). We were curious about the logistics of filming at the domiciles of the most famous people in the world, so we emailed Lisa Romagnoli – Senior Director, Programming & Creative Development at Architectural Digest & Condé Nast Traveler – to get a behind-the-scenes account of how the show is produced. Check out her answers below, along with a live stream of the Architectural Digest channel on Sling Freestream.

To watch Architectural Digest and hundreds of other channels for free without a subscription, use the link at the bottom of this page to launch the Sling browser or app, or visit the Sling Freestream page to create your free account.

https://watch.sling.com/1/network/ARCHITECT/watch?embed=true

Sling TV - What’s the selection process for talent in this series? Do you reach out to the celebrities or do they pitch you?

Lisa Romagnoli - There are a few ways we select talent for Open Door. The Architectural Digest editors and The Talent Group have extensive relationships with interior designers around the world, and those designers will often let us know when they are working on celebrity homes who they think would be open to sharing the space. And then, yes, sometimes a celebrity's team will reach out to us. We always look at scout photos before confirming a booking, because of course it's not only about the talent, it's also about their space, and we love showcasing the most interesting and beautiful homes we can.

Have there been any homes that stood out to you over the years, in terms of their unique architecture or design?

Off the top of my head, I personally love Troye Sivan's house in Melbourne. This year's David Harbour and Lily Allen Brooklyn brownstone was incredible - such a fabulous and bold approach. Other notable ones would be Lenny Kravitz's Brazilian Compound, both of Cara Delevigne's LA homes, and of course Emma Chamberlain's home is a fan favorite.

Which celebrity had the biggest contrast between your perception of them and the style of their home?

I don't know if there are many homes that felt like a contrast to a talent's persona, from my perspective at least. Possibly the contrast in styles from David Harbour's first home when he was still single to his shared home with Lily Allen. The other one that comes to mind is Robert Downey Jr.'s home - he's such a massive star, and the home was much more comfortable and homey than I might have guessed for someone of his stature.

Whose home was most closely aligned with your idea of who they are?

I think most of the home styles are aligned with their owners, which feels right. If I had to pick one, probably Jessica Alba best matched my perception of her.

For those of us who want to live like celebrities, what are the most common design features or elements that the average person could incorporate into their home?

Well if you want to point to products, I'd say a Frame TV or hidden projectors. Bold patterned wallpaper is something that the average person could take on in their own space. Also I've noticed celebrity homes often feature multiple light sources, not just overhead lighting - sconces, table and floor lamps, candles and accent lighting. You can curate the feel of a room when you're working with more sources of light, and it's also more flattering for people.

Do you feel like you learn something about each celebrity after seeing their home? If so, what would it be?

I don't think it's one specific thing you learn, rather you get a better understanding of a celebrity through a completely new lens. By seeing what colors and textures they surround themselves with, how they describe spending time in each room, it all paints a more detailed picture of the celebrity. Also, seeing them in their own home, they're more at ease, and that casual atmosphere allows them to share details about their lives that would never come up in a junket interview.

If you personally could trade homes with any celebrity who has been on the show, who would it be?

I'd have to go with either Dakota Johnson or Troye Sivan... but I live in NYC so I'd need the house moved here. I'd also happily live in David Harbour's old loft if it's still available.

Watch a two-hour block of Open Door Tuesdays from 5-7pm ET on Architectural Digest!

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