Take A Virtual Tour Of Iconic TV Homes With Marina Coates

Ever wondered what it would be like to step into the homes of your favorite TV families? Fans of classic television have long dreamed of visiting iconic sets like the Brady Bunch house or the Petrie residence from The Dick Van Dyke Show. Thanks to HGTV's A Very Brady Renovation, we got a peek into one of these legendary spaces. But what about the other timeless homes from shows like I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, or even Bewitched? Now, you can take a virtual guided tour through these beloved spaces and more, including Samantha and Darrin Stephens' enchanting home from Bewitched.

Meet the Mastermind Behind These Virtual Tours

Enter Marina Coates, the creative force behind MockingbirdLane.design. Marina's journey into the world of architecture began when her kids were all grown up, and she decided to pursue her passion by earning a degree in the field. Freelancing from home allowed her the flexibility to balance work and life, though it also meant dealing with periods of slower activity. Initially, Marina considered sending out samples of her work to developers to drum up more business. But then, she had an even better idea.

In an exclusive interview, Marina shares her inspiration: "For some reason, I thought to myself, 'Wouldn't it be amazing to walk through the house from The Dick Van Dyke Show?' It was something I'd always wanted to do, and now I had the skills to make it happen. So, I built it virtually and walked through it. I was hooked immediately and just kept going, one house after another. That was about two years ago." Marina's passion for recreating these iconic spaces has clearly taken off.

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Bringing Movie and TV Designs to Life

Over the past couple of years, Marina has showcased her incredible work on two YouTube channels. First, there's Cinematically Inspired Design, where she takes design secrets from cinema and applies them to real-life interiors, offering viewers fresh ideas for their own homes. Then, there's Behind the Scenes, where Marina provides computer-generated tours of homes from TV and movies, giving fans a chance to explore these legendary spaces as if they were there in person.

Creating these virtual tours isn't as simple as saying, "I want to walk through the house from The Dick Van Dyke Show." Marina explains, "It’s definitely a process. I start by obsessively watching episodes, paying attention to every detail of the house and looking for specific views that I need to recreate. I usually begin sketching on paper before moving to the computer. When I finish, if all four walls connect properly, I know I’m on the right track. There are standard measurements that help, like a main door being three feet wide or a bathtub being five feet long. These guidelines allow me to get the dimensions pretty close."

Perfecting the Art of Virtual Homebuilding