So. I was determined not to read Twilight last year when everyone was going on and on about it. I’m not really into Young Adult novels or vampires. But I finally decided I might as well see what all the fuss was about. Fast-forward two months later and I had read all four books in the series, seen the movie, and bought the soundtrack. Please don’t judge me.
I thought it would be fun to feature photos of Bella’s modest home in Forks, Washington, and the contemporary, light-filled house Edward’s family lives in.
Bella’s House
Bella Swan–seriously, that’s her name–has moved from Arizona to live with her father Charlie, the police chief of a small town in Washington where it rains all day, every day (Kristen Stewart and Billy Burke).
Upstairs hallway and bath:
Entry hall and stairs:
Kitchen:
From the kitchen, looking into the living room:
As I’m sure you know, even if you haven’t read the books or seen the movie yourself, Bella falls in love with one of the vampires who goes to her new high school. At first he is tempted to kill her, but he restrains himself. And good thing, too, because he soon realizes he’s in love with her.
Here Edward (played by Robert Pattinson) and Charlie wait for Bella to come downstairs:
Edward Cullen’s House
When I read the books, I couldn’t wait to see the movie because I wanted to see Edward’s house. I like the movie version of the house, although it isn’t how I imagined from the book’s description:
“The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned.”
Inside, however, it was described as being surprisingly contemporary:
“It was very bright, very open, and very large. This must have originally been several rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create one wide space. The back, south-facing wall had been entirely replaced with glass…. The walls, the high-beamed ceilings, the wooden floors, and the thick carpets were all varying shades of white.”
Edward brings Bella home to meet his vampire family. But don’t worry–they call themselves “vegetarian vampires” because they try really hard not to eat people.
Edward’s family uses the kitchen for the first time to prepare dinner for Bella as a “Welcome to the family” gesture:
We only get this little peek into the next room, which I assume is the living room:
Jasper hangs back, worried that he’ll find the smell of human blood too tempting. I don’t understand this because he goes to the high school every day and is surrounded by humans then, right? Let’s just say this is the kind of movie/book you can’t think too hard about or all the logic begins to unravel.
I got a kick out of the wall of graduation caps. They have “matriculated many times,” as Edward explains, so it’s sort of an inside joke with the family. (They’re all eternally teenagers, you see. But why they bother going through high school again and again, I have no idea. Get a job already!)
Edward’s bedroom, which is really just a room, since there is no bed. Apparently vampires don’t sleep. Like, ever. At least not in the “Twilight” series.
He tries to get her to dance with him to Debussy, but she says, “Um, I can’t dance.” He throws her on his back and leaps out of the open door with her instead. We get this little glimpse of the side of the house as he jumps to the nearest tree:
Later, Edward plays “Bella’s Lullaby,” a song he has composed for her. Instead of a real room in the Cullen house, they appear to be hanging out in a ’90s music video.
The Cullens are really into cars. I mean, really into them. Here’s their garage:
Edward watches his brothers and sisters go, as they take Bella and run (a non-vegetarian vampire is after her–long story):
Final scene, at Bella’s prom. They’re dancing in the gazebo, back together again, safe and sound, and all is right with the world…or is it? (Dun-dun-dunnnn! Cue the sequel, New Moon, filming now.)
For those of you who can’t get enough of the books, you have to visit author Stephenie Meyer’s website to read the rough draft she posted of a novel she started called Midnight Sun, which is basically Twilight from Edward’s point of view.
UPDATE: I found photos of the actual houses used for the Cullens in both Twilight and New Moon (different houses were used for the movies). You can see them in these posts:
“Twilight” Revisited: the Contemporary Home Used for the Cullens
You Can Buy Edward Cullen’s House House from New Moon
