#221 Baker Street

[J.P.]

A very long interview with Arwel Wyn Jones - still have to read it all.

 

https://mid0nz.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/arwel-wyn-jones/

[Boton]

How fun that this thread popped to the top!  Here's my chance to resurrect old discussions....   :D

 

 

What I find interesting about that door (besides the frosted glass) is that many fanfic writers seem to forget that door exists and have Sherlock use the hallway door whenever he uses the loo right after being in his bedroom.  

 

I used to live in an apartment with two bedrooms and one bath; the bath had two doors, one into the hallway and one into the master bedroom, just like 221B.  I habitually used the hallway door and never the master bedroom door.  So maybe Sherlock's the same?

 

 

If you live in the UK or possibly Europe (but definitely not the USA), you can actually request and get a FREE sample of the Navarre wallpaper.  Now I just need to find someone in the UK to get it and send it to me.

 

http://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us/products/zoffany/navarre/42986

 

It may not be to everyone's taste, but I'm still considering repapering my foyer in that wallpaper.  I have high enough ceilings that I think the large scale would be beautiful in there.  The only thing that ever holds me back is that anyone who recognizes the wallpaper is going to seriously recognize the wallpaper and think I'm doing it purely for fangirl reasons.  In reality, it would only be for about 49% percent fangirl reasons, tops.

 

ETA:  sfmpco and others, if you are looking for a sample, you can order one here:

 

http://www.selectwallpaper.co.uk/store/zoffany/nureyev/zoffany-navarre-dark-chocolate-znup05003/prod_42996.html

 

I ordered one because, seriously, I'm thinking about redoing the foyer.  No kidding.  

[J.P.]

You could hang a shield with: SAY NO WORD ABOUT THE WALLPAPER! on your door :D

[sfmpco]

A very long interview with Arwel Wyn Jones - still have to read it all.

 

https://mid0nz.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/arwel-wyn-jones/

 

Wow!  I love it!  Loved the link also within the interview to Sherlock's books....

[Carol the Dabbler]

What I find interesting about that door (besides the frosted glass) is that many fanfic writers seem to forget that door exists and have Sherlock use the hallway door whenever he uses the loo right after being in his bedroom.

 

I used to live in an apartment with two bedrooms and one bath; the bath had two doors, one into the hallway and one into the master bedroom, just like 221B.  I habitually used the hallway door and never the master bedroom door.  So maybe Sherlock's the same?

 

Maybe the only place in the bathroom where there's room for his laundry hamper is right in front of the glass door -- so he can't use that door?

 

[Boton]

You could hang a shield with: SAY NO WORD ABOUT THE WALLPAPER! on your door :D

 

I think my mental justification is going to run something like this:

 

1.  Most people will not recognize the wallpaper as being from Sherlock, and it has the right feel to go with the vintage of the house, so they will think I'm being period-specific more than anything else.

 

2.  A few people will have watched Sherlock but will think the wallpaper on the show is actually black and white, so the fade from teal behind the chocolate will confuse them, and they won't recognize it.

 

3.  A very few will be serious Sherlockians.  They will think I'm cool. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

In my experience, hardly anyone recognizes the pattern.  I have a pendant with just one of those flower-things on it, and have been complimented by Sherlock fans -- who thought it was pretty but did not recognize it.

 

[sfmpco]

In my experience, hardly anyone recognizes the pattern.  I have a pendant with just one of those flower-things on it, and have been complimented by Sherlock fans -- who thought it was pretty but did not recognize it.

 

For shame!  They saw but did not observe!

[sfmpco]

How fun that this thread popped to the top!  Here's my chance to resurrect old discussions....   :D

 

 

ETA:  sfmpco and others, if you are looking for a sample, you can order one here:

 

http://www.selectwallpaper.co.uk/store/zoffany/nureyev/zoffany-navarre-dark-chocolate-znup05003/prod_42996.html

 

I ordered one because, seriously, I'm thinking about redoing the foyer.  No kidding.  

 

I got sent a free sample of the wallpaper back in October, and I still need to get it framed.  I keep forgetting about that.  Out of sight, out of mind.  I have thought of doing one wall in my bedroom with it, but I'll have to see.  

[J.P.]

Well, the Neverending Story about Creative Recycling:

[Arcadia]

It took me some time to make the connection, because I got lost for awhile there admiring Youngbatch....

[sfmpco]

It's weird but although I know the layout of 221B, I nevertheless sometimes get it confused in my brain by which walls have been removed for a different camera angle.  Does anyone else get things a bit topsy turvy like that at times?

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hey, I bet that does explain some of my confusions. Thanks! Now I don't have to feel like an idiot -- I can just blame the director!

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I have to remind myself that the sofa and chairs are across from each other with the windows on the wall in between the 2.  I keep wanting to put the sofa equivalent to being where the windows are because the door is on an angled wall.  The sitting room is essentially a hexagon shape while being mostly rectangular because of the short angled wall with the door.  Thank you Arwel for that bit of brain teaser.

[Arcadia]

It's weird but although I know the layout of 221B, I nevertheless sometimes get it confused in my brain by which walls have been removed for a different camera angle.  Does anyone else get things a bit topsy turvy like that at times?

 

Ohhhhh, yes. I don't even try, I'm that bad.

[Shane]

Hi there,

I am working on a graphics project that maps out various locations of fictional and historical locations in London including 221B Baker Street and Doctor Jekyll's Laboratory among other things. The project will draw up elevations of several famous spots along with diagrams of building floor plans etc.

 

I've seen many illustrations of what 221B Baker Street might have looked like inside and several photos of the facade of the building used in the BBC series along with the Museum in London. Now I've not had the opportunity to read any of Doyle's stories and am not sure how he describes the flat on paper, but the exterior design of the building in most visual adaptations have the building looking very similar in all cases much like what is seen on the BBC series.

 

The main thing I can't really wrap my head around is why would the number on the exterior door of the building read 221B? I have a feeling TV, movies, and video games do this to make it easily recognizable but it doesn't make sense to me. I would imagine that the front door would just say 221 then inside would be separate doors to each of the respective units of 221 that would be A,B, and C.

 

In the BBC series it appears you access A&B from the front door that has the 221B sign, you don't really see how to get into 221C other than the scene of Sherlock bursting in to find the shoes, I assume it was accessed through the same main entry, but it doesn't make sense to me.

 

I'm hoping the better read Holmes fans can point out exactly how this was layed-out per Doyle's intentions vs. how the adaptations have portrayed it. It just doesn't make sense in my mind for the doors on Baker St run 219, 221B, 223 to me.

 

Thanks for any help! I appreciate it.

[Carol the Dabbler]

You're not alone in your opinions, Shane! In fact, Messrs Moffat and Gatiss (otherwise known as Moftiss) mentioned in their audio commentary to one of the episodes that it makes absolutely no sense for the front door to say 221B -- but they couldn't bring themselves to mark it in any other way, because the movies have always done it that way.

 

The access to 221C (other than a sort of "sunken balcony") is indeed through the front door. You walk in and head back toward Mrs. Hudson's kitchen, and there's a (locked) door to the stairwell on your left.

 

If you haven't checked out the floor plans linked to earlier in this thread, I recommend that you do so now. They were drawn up by a fan, based on the Sherlock set, and appear to be pretty accurate.

[Arcadia]

I assume the thread Carol is referring to is the similarly named #221 Baker Street, here: http://www.sherlockforum.com/forum/topic/2278-221-baker-street/. The links she describes are on page one.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Carol the Dabbler
Oops -- was on my cell phone, so didn't notice that this was a new thread. Since Shane is talking about the whole house, just as the original thread does, I have now merged the two threads.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Here's a link to the 221B floor plan.  There used to be views from other angles as well, but I don't seem to have access to them at present (apparently because I'm not a pixiv member).

[Arcadia]

I'm glad you added that note because I couldn't figure out how the heck my post ended up here! I didn't dare try a merge myself, I'm still getting accustomed to moving..... (Actually, I just realized I don't know how, period. :d I know there's a button around here somewhere!)

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm glad you added that note because I couldn't figure out how the heck my post ended up here! I didn't dare try a merge myself, I'm still getting accustomed to moving..... (Actually, I just realized I don't know how, period. :D I know there's a button around here somewhere!)

 

I've replied to you in the staff forum.

[Shane]

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't want to post my query in the BBC board since my question was about the flat in general. 

 

Anyway, would if be considered blasphemy if I omitted "B" from the front door of the building? I'm curious how Doyle described it in A Study in Scarlet as I assume he provided a description of the building in the book. I guess I need to read it lol.

[Carol the Dabbler]

... would if be considered blasphemy if I omitted "B" from the front door of the building? I'm curious how Doyle described it in A Study in Scarlet as I assume he provided a description of the building in the book. I guess I need to read it lol.

I don't offhand recall Conan Doyle describing the door. I'm reasonably certain that he mentioned the door now and then, but only in passing (like maybe "he opened the door"). Since his stories were being published in an English magazine, he presumably assumed that his readers would "see" the sort of London house they were familiar with, and of course the house number would be on the door. He presumably also assumed that his readers understood that the house was #221, and that the "B" referred specifically to the first flat above street level.

 

Next question would be, did Sidney Paget ever include the front door in his illustrations?

 

As for your own version of the door, omitting the "B" would certainly be nontraditional, but I (for one) would not call it sacrilege.

[sfmpco]

Not sure exactly if this goes here, but here is a collection of the newspaper covers shown in Sherlock.

 

http://cumbercougars.tumblr.com/post/145923051299/rox712-the-newspapers-at-the-sherlocked-props

[J.P.]

CumberCougars