During my quest to identify all the props used in Twin Peaks, I love discovering items that appear in both the television series and the 1992 feature film. For this article, I highlight Italian floral-themed wall art at the Palmer House. Don’t blink as you might miss these items found at the bottom of the staircase.
THE PALMER HOUSE IN EVERETT, WASHINGTON
We’ve established that the crew used a historic home in Everett, Washington for both the Pilot Episode and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
The scenes in the Pilot episode were shot on March 7, 1989, while the film scenes were captured around September 25, 1991. This is something to remember in a moment.
For 49 years, Marilyn Pettersen owned the home until it was sold at September 2014. This means that she was the owner during both the Pilot and the film. Sadly, I’ve been unable to locate any interior photos from the time she occupied the house. When KING 5 in Seattle visited Marilyn in 2014, the house was already staged to be sold.
My gut tells me, however, that many of the decorative items and furniture seen in Twin Peaks were hers, including the two props I’m discussing today.
TWIN PEAKS PILOT
During the Pilot, we see Sheriff Truman and Deputy Andy in the living room at the Palmer house. This is the actual living room in the Everett home. Look carefully over Andy’s left shoulder and you’ll spot the top of a decorative piece.
When Andy leaves the door frame to answer a telephone call, we catch a glimpse of two oval-shaped items.
The top of one is seen again when Andy returns.
You’ll notice those items are missing from the set in Van Nuys, California during the remainder of Seasons 1 and 2.
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
If you blink during the theatrical cut, you may miss another appearance of these oval-shaped decorative pieces. Upon receiving the picture from the Grandmother in the Double R Diner parking lot, Laura returns home to look for the man the Grandson warns her about. As the camera tracks through the house (representing Laura’s point-of-view), we see the artwork hanging on a wall at the bottom of the stairwell.
They are seen again as Laura slowly climbs the stairs to her bedroom. We also see pink carpet in an open door that is the bathroom where Laura washes her hands.
Neither of these scenes were help in identifying the props.
THE MISSING PIECES
Thanks to those long-awaited Missing Pieces released in 2014, I was able to successfully identify them … sort of.
After Laura stands on the stairwell conversing with the ceiling fan, the scene cuts to a closer shot of the bottom wall art. I cropped this image and used the image search function on the eBay app to find a match.
The art is typically sold in pairs. The bottom one is shown above (notice the yellow flower on the left side of the print.
Sarah Palmer steps into frame looking up at Laura who is having a moment. You can see that yellow flower just to the left of her hair.
During their brief exchange, we can see the second wall piece. The bathroom door is also now closed.
The other design is similar with another bouquet of flowers displayed.
Sarah leaves the frame and enters the living room. If she were to walk to the right, she would be in the kitchen. Laura follows and we get a nice shot of the two items at the bottom of the stairs.
The Palmer House today, owned by the wonderful Mary Reber (Mrs. Tremond from Twin Peaks – Part 18), has two other frames hanging in that spot.
FLORAL PRINTS MADE IN ITALY
I tried locating any history about these decorative items but the only thing I found was that there are multiple versions, each with subtle differences. The versions I have measure 10-inches by 7-inches.
The back of my versions have a “Made Italy” stamp at the top of the frame. Other versions I found online contain a “Made in Italy” stamp and offer a hook on the back of the from.
There is a larger sized version of these pieces that measure 14-inches by 10-inches. These appear different that the screen-used versions, particularly with the ornate scrollwork.
The back of my frames have purple felt. There is no wall hook, rather, I’ll have to attach a small ring to a hole at the top of the frame.
There are multiple colors of felt backing in the marketplace. Without seeing the backs of the props used in the show, it’s difficult to know which one is correct. I believe these items were mass produced designs, most likely popular in the 1960s and 70s.
Either way, it’s nice to identify another prop from my favorite show. I’ll add these to my growing list of Palmer house florals.
If you are interested in taking a tour of this location, please check out VisitPalmerHouse.com. Mary has created a variety of tour packages showcasing this historic Everett, Washington home. Please remember this is a private residence, so please be respectful if you are in the area. This reminder includes anyone who wants to scream at the house while standing on the street – yes, it happens. Don’t be that person.
I am a vintage and antiques reseller and I sold a pair of these for $40! Had I known theses were props in Twin Peaks I shave been thrilled! And probably would have kept them 😆
I just used Google lens to research my item and found yours. I only have one, the one with the yellow flower. Mine has the red felt background. It has “made Italy” stamped at the top with another markings above the word “made”, could be a 1, could be a zero with a line on either side. It’s really small I can’t see it. My print came out of my frame when I took it off the wall it’s a print attached to a thin wood. I’ve always believed this piece was from the 60s era. I really wish I had to set. Do you have any idea what the value may be on just the one print? By the way I used to be a big twin peaks fan myself. I was really excited to see your article and to find out that my peace was possibly come from a prop they used in the show. Thank you for such an interesting read.
Glad you found this article. Sadly I’m not sure of value. A quick search on an online auction site might give you a better idea. Thank you for the comment and good luck with your search.