In honor of the Academy Awards, which airs this Sunday on ABC, we wanted to feature some of our favorite set designs from the recent batch of Oscar-nominated movies. With a little help from our friends at Architectural Digest here are some of this year’s best backdrops.

The Artist- The black and white just adds to the drama.

Photo via Architectural Digest

Hugo- The sets were almost as magical as the movie.

Photo via Architectural Digest

Midnight in Paris- We almost felt like we were time-traveling with Gil to Paris in the 1920s.

Photo via Architectural Digest

To see more set designs visit architecturaldigest.com. You can also check out the backdrop of George Clooney’s The Descendants, which we featured last month.

Last night The Descendants took home two Golden Globe awards, one for Best Motion Picture – Drama and the other for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for George Clooney. The Descendants tells the story of Matt King, played by George Clooney, who must come to terms with his wife’s betrayal, while she lays comatose in a hospital bed. A parallel storyline in the movie, that entwines with his wife’s affair, is a decision he must make on whether to sell his family shares in 25,000 acres of pristine land on the island of Kaua’i.

Hawaii plays an important part in this film and it’s beauty and poverty are both highlighted. We had a chance to experience the beauty of Hawaii, especially the island of  Kauai, while we remodeled the home of South Park’s Trey Parker. The scenery captured by director Alexander Payne reminds us of our time in this most magical and mystical place.

Take a look at our Kauai home below.

Trilogy Partners

The home on the Wailua River in Hawaii was haphazardly remodeled after nearly being destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Azaya Design and Trilogy Partners joined together to take on this extensive design and build project. The living room had been redecorated in 2007 but it felt a bit dark and separate from the rest of the home. The room needed brightening and more of a traditional island feel. Removing a wall between this living space and the kitchen made a dramatic difference. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Living Room Before Remodel

The entry to the home was to the side of the living room. There was nothing dramatic or welcoming about it. It, too, needed to be refreshed.

Entry Before Remodel

Ridge Beams and Rafters create a Balinese feel. Koa wood paneling was removed to brighten the room. Koa wood was also removed from the soffits to “lift” the ceiling.

Living Room, left and entry, to the right. The walls were plastered with American Clay plaster and the original Koa wood floors were refinished to beautiful effect.

Double doors spread wide. A gate (to the left) separates the entry vestibule from the outside.

Balinese wall carvings are actually fountains. The floor features broken “Sea Grass” stone tile from Arizona Tile and a river pattern of ebony stone.

All five spaces, Kitchen, Living Room, Tatami Dining Area, Entry, and Lanai all merge into one fabulous space.

More Kauai Before and After posts to follow. Visit the Kauai Remodel Gallery for more great photos of this fantastic project. Design by Azaya Design and Trilogy Partners.