Hot off the Golden Globe win for Best Television Series – Drama and Best Actor – Television Series Drama for Brian Cox, HBO series Succession is the talk of the town. And as impressive as the acting and intense storylines from the series are the incredibly detailed sets.
The series follows the story of the wealthy fictional Roy family who run a media empire called Waystar Royco. Patriarch Logan Roy (Cox) is getting older and looking to appease his investors and customers with an announcement of who will succeed him when he decides to step down. But he is having trouble finding a suitable candidate among his four children, each of whom he deems incapable of taking over for differing reasons.
As we watch the rich, entitled family navigate the trials and tribulations of running a global media empire and deal with struggles involving greed and power, we can’t help but marvel at the many homes where they plot and scheme against one another. Here are some details you might have missed, or didn’t know, about the many opulent Roy residences featured on the series.
Logan’s Summer Home Was Built For Henry Ford’s Grandson
The real location of Logan Roy’s summer home is actually in the Hamptons and it was an estate built for Henry Ford’s grandson in the 1960s. It was selected, according to production designer Stephen Carter, because it reflected what he believed Roy’s “new-money” tastes might be like at that time.
It was also chosen given the vast open outdoor area where the kids could have their scenes discussing how to move forward with the family business. The home is actually among the most expensive in New York, having recently been listed for $145 million.
Hungary Home
The new home Logan got in Hungary for his team to enjoy during their company hunting trip (the one where he refused to pay for work because dead animals were found in the chimney) actually influenced the decision to set the episode in Hungary. It is actually the Otto Kahn Mansion, also called Oheka Castle, in Long Island, which is typically used as a hotel or event space.
To emphasize the dark plotlines of the episode, the portraits and paintings that are usually on the walls were replaced by fake early 19th-century taxidermy.
Logan Roy’s Apartment Has Awesome Views
Logan Roy’s primary residence, his Fifth Avenue apartment, has incredible views of both the Metropolitan Museum and Central Park. To accomplish this, filming takes place in a residential tower on Billionaires Row, the name given to ultra-luxury residential skyscrapers found on the southern end of Central Park in Manhattan.
Carter has said that he was influenced by the apartments of Edgar and Charles Bronfman, members of the Canadian-Jewish family behind the Seagram brand who are ranked among the wealthiest families in the world. Their actual apartments are located nearby where Logan’s apartment would be.
Logan’s Office Has A Nod to the Military
While Logan Roy never served in the military, his office, which many might consider another “home” to him considering how much time he spends there, has some clever nods to it. There’s a wrought-iron stairway that leads to a second floor. It includes wrought-iron gold-tipped arrows and a handrail that Carter describes as “a culmination of fascist eras.” to architectualdigest.com
The idea was to show that while the greedy and often considered evil Logan never actually served his country in the military, he did have an appreciation for it.
Logan’s Office Has a View of the Empire State Building
Logan Roy’s massive corner office was chosen for its amazing view of the Empire State Building. Because of course the big boss would have a mesmerizing view from the office where he runs the show.
The actual location of the set is on a soundstage and includes a build-out of some vacant spots at the World Trade Centers 4 and 7. And while the reflections from the glass proved challenging for shooting, custom LED lighting helped during those intense in-office scenes.
The Living Room Was Inspired by the Murdochs
While many draw similarities between the stories in the series about the Roy family and the wealthy Murdoch family, inspiration even reached into the look and feel of the Roy homes. Set decorator George DeTitta Jr. says he did some research online of the Murdoch media offices to get inspiration for how to design the Roy homes.
The result was the inclusion of things like mid-century-modern desks, funky lamps, and unique furniture you see in areas like the Roy living room.
The Rug is the Real Owner’s Piece
While the set decorators changed many of the furniture and paintings in the summer home to better reflect what they feel Logan might have chosen, some original items remained. One such item is the striking white and navy rug that is shown in the den of the home where Logan has a heart to heart with his ambitious daughter Shiv.
The mansion itself has 20 rooms and measures a massive 20,000 square feet in size. A palette of whites and blues was used to match perfectly with the gorgeous rug.
Shiv Has a View of the Brooklyn Bridge
Another absolutely stunning property on the show is the home owned by Shiv and her fiancé-turned-husband Tom. The beautiful, open-concept, three-story apartment has a perfect view of the Brooklyn Bridge, in case you hadn’t noticed.
While not many scenes take place in that home, it’s clearly far bigger and more opulent then any single working couple might ever need. But such is the life of the wealthy Roy family who all live in excess simply because they don’t know any other life.
Each Roy Family Member Has a Preferred Color Scheme
You might not have noticed, but if you look at the homes of each of the members of the Roy family, you will notice that they each have their own preferred color scheme. With Logan, it’s very muted creams, golds and beiges that reflect simplicity and wealth. With Shiv, it’s sand. Kendall, the troubled addict son, seems to love charcoal, which was even found in his rental penthouse.
Roman, the wild child among the group, opts for silvers while Connor, the eldest son who prefers not to be involved in the family business, has a ranch with a terra cotta color scheme.
Marcia Gives Logan a Middle Finger With a Yacht Detail
In the final episodes of season two, Marcia, Logan’s wife, is furious with him and has seemingly left. But she made her anger known. She refitted a staircase on the family yacht, where the Roys are hanging out to determine their next steps, with a staircase that looks like a golden tree. The idea is to signify the presumed fall of their empire.
In a scene where Shiv and Tom notice the staircase, Shiv remarks that the redecoration was unnecessary and says it was like Marcia’s version of cutting up Logan’s ties. In their world, bitter women don’t throw your clothes on the lawn or smash your car window: they build lavishly symbolic staircases.