Scott Storey is the Big Brother production designer in charge of putting together the house’s look and feel every season since he joined the the team there in season six.
Currently in partnership with Overstock.com, Scott is promoting a series of “inspired by Big Brother” products on their site. Overstock reached out with a chance to pose a few questions to Scott in exchange for letting you all know about what they’re offering on their site.
Every preseason we all get excited to see what the Houseguests will call “home” for the next three months so this was a fun opportunity to find out how it all comes together each season.
Big Brother Network: Where does the annual design process begin for each new season? Does CBS give you a theme and you work from that or do you pose a series of ideas?
Scott Storey: Each year in April I meet with the executive producers (Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan) and pitch them a few concepts. At this point I just have rough ideas and some verbal explanations-mostly a name for the theme. Some examples have been “Tokyo Pop”, “1964 Worlds’ Fair”, “Through the Looking Glass” or this year’s theme-“Urban Treehouse”.
I explain what each of these concepts might feel like and they choose one. At that point the design team (Art Director Scott Welborn and Set Decorator Alexis Karpf) start working on design boards in my studio. The boards have samples of fabric, colors, sketches of furniture and other visual cues that expand on the concept.
I also do some computer 3D models showing some of the construction details. However, the design is very fluid and grows during the set build.
Big Brother Network: When it comes to the ever undesirable, by nature, Have-Not room, is that also your design?
Scott Storey: The Have-Not-Room, just like all of the house, is my concept and design. It’s always fun to think of that room. Last season was my favorite HNR, the “flying coach on a red-eye”. I just hate having to sleep in a plane.
This year all of the rooms are elements (earth, wind, fire, water) so ice felt like a natural concept.
Alexis Karpf, the set decorator, really ran with that room this year. You can’t see it on television, but we had the temperature set to 58 degrees in that room, it was very uncomfortable.
Big Brother Network: Excluding the current season, which past season of Big Brother was your favorite to design and create?
Scott Storey: What is my favorite house… hmmm. That is a tough question. I know it sounds like a cop-out, but I “love all my children equally.” The house is sometimes like child.
When I start I am very excited, then about 4 weeks into the project I am so worried that it looks like a mess, flash forward a couple of more weeks and it all pulls together. Last year was a house that I could have lived in, this year is very fun.
“Through the Looking Glass” was really fun (I like the big room and the small room). The winter season was fun, with the log cabin front of house. They are all so different.
Now Scott has a question for you: Which past house design have you liked the most? Share your thoughts below and he’ll see what you have to say!
Read the rest of Scott Storey’s bio at Overstock. See what Big Brother inspired furnishings are available at Overstock.
Want to know how Scott put this season’s BB16 house design together? Read his interview with Big Brother Access.
Interesting – Thanks, Matt.
You’re welcome. Thanks for checking it out.
Any past season design favorites to share?
I don’ t remember all of them, but like James, I remember BB14 and remember that I like it a lot.
Love the whole Alice in Wonderland theme throughout the entire house + competitions during BB8. Super unique.
If Scott is so proud of his work in the BB house, then why are the HGs allowed to be so messy? It is so messy, IMO it is disrespectful to Scott. I have suggested that BB drop the Have Not and do something along the lines of cleaning house chores. Maybe offer Overstock items as prizes.
I guess the one that I always remember the decor was Alice in wonderland.
I’m sorry to say but I don’t like this seasons house design.I’m always excited to see the new design but was let down this time.And the bee hive room is awful.Usually that room looks so comfy and nice but this year it looks like some wood blocks with a thin pad on them.Scott,sorry but not liking this seasons design.
Which season was “Through the Looking Glass”
Season 8.
Season 8
Very interesting article! Does he have any power to change the layout of the house? and would he change it if he could?
I like BB14’s Tokyo Pop house design. The interiors suited the upbeat aura resonating from the cast at the time.
I liked them all! Like everyone else I’m always excited to see the new design. My biggest question is “Why in the world is their only 1 toilet?” I came from a big family (only 6 all the time) with a couple of cousins spending the night all the time. 1 bathroom was bad especially when dad went in. With that many people it would be cause for murder the 1st cpl weeks.