Refreshing the Look of 19th-Century Dramas - The Designer Behind "The Buccaneers" Discusses Innovative Approaches to Historical Set Design
In a fresh take on period drama, Apple TV+'s *The Buccaneers* redefines the visual language of the genre by blending a maximalist, saturated colour palette with historically grounded elements that both support and narrate the story emotionally and visually.
Unlike traditional muted period dramas, *The Buccaneers* embraces bold, rich colours and a layering of details that create dynamic, emotionally resonant spaces rather than just static backdrops. The set design, masterminded by Markéta Kořínková, uses bright saturated colours and maximalist interiors to evoke the warmth, chaos, and social vibrancy of the characters’ environments, especially in domestic settings.
Colour and maximalism play key roles in the set design. The colour usage evolves to reflect deeper character journeys and moods, enhanced by lighting choices like soft light and a balance of light and shadow to reflect narrative contrasts and emotional complexity in season two.
Historical references are deeply embedded but creatively reimagined. Props such as Victorian newspapers are crafted with a deliberate hybrid aesthetic, mixing authentic Victorian fonts and illustrations with modern tabloid-style layouts. This creates a unique blend of Victorian decorum and contemporary boldness that enriches the storytelling by making even minor set details narratively meaningful.
Architectural filming locations were chosen to reflect authentic historical influences but with artistic license to support the story’s settings. For instance, Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula was used for its Venetian-influenced look, which fits the fictional Mediterranean setting in season two. The set design and makeup combine period accuracy with playful modern elements, grounded in historical inspiration but freshened for a contemporary audience.
These choices make the periods feel vibrant, lived-in, and emotionally charged. They challenge staid conventions of period drama set design by embracing maximalism, colour as emotion, and historical detail with contemporary reinterpretation to deepen the narrative experience.
From the dreamy beach wedding marquee in The Buccaneers to the Dowager Duchess's private quarters and Theo's dark oak-filled rooms, each set serves the story and the characters, highlighting cultural contrasts between Americans and English without feeling forced. The set design of *The Buccaneers* is a testament to the show's commitment to delivering a visually stunning and emotionally engaging period drama.
- The set design of The Buccaneers incorporates bold, rich colors and maximalist interiors to create dynamic, emotionally resonant spaces that serve as more than just static backdrops for the story.
- The use of bright saturated colors in the set design evolves to reflect deeper character journeys and moods, with lighting choices enhancing the narrative contrasts and emotional complexity.
- In the set design, historical references are deeply embedded but creatively reimagined, such as Victoria newspapers crafted with a hybrid aesthetic, mixing authentic Victorian fonts and illustrations with modern tabloid-style layouts.
- The architectural filming locations were chosen to reflect authentic historical influences, but with artistic license to support the story’s settings, like Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula for its Venetian-influenced look in season two.
- The maximalist decor, texture, and art choices seen in the sets of The Buccaneers make the periods feel vibrant, lived-in, and emotionally charged, challenging staid conventions of period drama set design.
- The interior design of The Buccaneers reflects a fresh take on period drama, blending a maximalist, saturated color palette with historically grounded elements to support and narrate the story emotionally and visually.
- From the dreamy beach wedding marquee to the Dowager Duchess's private quarters and Theo's dark oak-filled rooms, each set in The Buccaneers reflects a commitment to delivering a visually stunning and emotionally engaging period drama, highlighting cultural contrasts between Americans and English without feeling forced.
