Sunday, October 7, 2012

Shell Cottage - Harry Potter

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Harry Potter is a series that created a remarkable and fully-absorbing new fantasy world for our generation.  The films took the visuals written by J.K. Rowling and made them manifest in incredible ways.  There could hardly be a film series with a wider plethora of Domythic locales.  One of my own favorites, however, is a simple house that was only featured for a brief time in one of the films: Shell Cottage, from the last Harry Potter film.  This house by the sea was where Dobby was buried and Harry found new courage to face the road ahead.

In the epic tome coffee table book, Harry Potter: Page to Screen, there is a section on the locations from Harry Potter.  Shell Cottage, however, only receives a one-page mention with no real photographs.



So what was I to do but to get out the DVD and take the best screen caps I could of this amazing little magical cottage by the sea?

A beautiful shot of the location of Shell Cottage.  I could get used to those views, couldn't you?

Also, of course, Dobby: (sad face)




Olivander recovers in one of the two rooms upstairs.


I love the way the stone or sand of the walls has shells embedded into it in a tile mosaic pattern.



Harry and Ron sit in the dining room area on the ground floor.  Again, more shell mosaics are embedded into the walls, and the diamond pane window is actually diamond-shaped.


Luna (my favorite character) lingers in the hallway/entrance.  It looks like more shells and items from the sea are embedded into the walls, almost like fossils.  A set of windchimes made from shells is next to her.


Oh that *kitchen*.  Give me a kitchen like that, and maybe I'd actually cook...


A zoomed-out image of Luna also shows the living room area of the cottage.  There's another enormous diamond-shaped window, and also a diamond-shaped window in the front door.


The goblin Griphook sits in the second upstairs bedroom at Shell Cottage. 


I don't know if I'd rather look at the windowsill or the view out the window if I was staying here...


Another view of the house from the front door shows that the kitchen is straight back, with a cozy table to eat.  A strange small slitted window is in the living room area.  The kitchen appears to be almost like a greenhouse with windows all around.  I can't imagine it would keep the place very cool on a hot summer day, but it sure would be cheery.


One more view of Ollivander's room, showing how some of the walls are left rougher, and others have a more smooth finish. 



So what was your favorite set from Harry Potter?  Or spot in Hogwarts?  I love Shell Cottage, but my favorite is still the Griffindor Common Room...

5 comments:

  1. I believe this property went some way to inspire Harry Potter's shell cottage

    http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/a-la-ronde/

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  2. I really want my living room to be the Gryffindor Common Room!

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  3. Shell Cottage is my most favourite location in HP, next to the Burrow, of course!

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  4. I hope to do a post on the Burrow too! Have to collect more images.

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