Half Man Production Designer Emer O’Sullivan on Designing Richard Gadd’s HBO Drama

Presented by HBO Max | For Your Consideration – HALF MAN – Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)Production Designer Emer O’Sullivan joins Decorating Pages to discuss the production design of the HBO/BBC limited series Half Man, created by Emmy-winning Richard Gadd and starring Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell.Emer breaks down the design of Half Man, including Laurie’s house, the boys’ bedroom, the kitchen, the hospital room, the prison visiting room, the wedding locations, and the Glasgow architecture that grounds the story across multiple decades.In this conversation, Emer talks about using social realism photography, fashion photography, mood boards, hand drawings, wallpaper, pattern, color, and Scottish municipal architecture to create a world that feels emotionally truthful. She also discusses the responsibility of portraying working-class homes with warmth, pride, and specificity, rather than reducing them to gray or downtrodden spaces.Kim and Emer also discuss the “cozy claustrophobic” design of Laurie’s house, the pistachio and pink palette, how domestic spaces change over time, building the upstairs of the house, transforming a rough location into a major set in eight days, and designing the prison visiting room with glass, brutalist influence, and controlled discomfort.This episode is a must-listen for fans of Half Man, Richard Gadd, Jamie Bell, HBO dramas, production design, set decoration, Scottish television, character-driven interiors, and anyone interested in how sets carry emotion, memory, trauma, and story.Half Man is now streaming on HBO Max.For Your Consideration: HALF MAN — Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)👉 Get the FREE Quick Reference Set Decorating Template: www.decoratingpagespodcast.comDiscover the Art of TV & Film Design with Decorating Pages PodcastHosted by Emmy-winning Set Decorator Kim Wannop, this podcast takes you behind the scenes of your favorite shows and movies. Each episode features in-depth conversations with the industry’s top production designers, set decorators, prop masters, and art department professionals, offering rare insight into the creative process of visual storytelling.Whether you’re a film and TV fan, aspiring designer, or entertainment industry pro, Decorating Pages Podcast is your backstage pass to the world of production design. Learn how sets are built, stories are shaped visually, and characters come to life—one episode at a time.🔔 Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio so you never miss an episode.📲 Follow for daily design contentInstagram: @decoratingpagesTikTok: @decoratingpagespodcastYouTube: Decorating Pages Podcast