As the holiday season approaches, people will start gathering to binge-watch their favorite seasonal movies, including the classic ‘90s film, Home Alone. This film following the McCallister family is an all-time favorite for many fans especially because of how it establishes a sense of comfort and nostalgia through its setting. The grand home, located at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, had hit the market this year at $5.25 million. Due to the expanding controversy surrounding the significant remodeling of the famous home, fans are quick to voice their opinions on the matter.
Much like Kevin McCallister’s famous declaration in Home Alone, “This is my house, I have to defend it,” fans of the movie seemingly take this line to heart when talking about preserving the iconic house’s legacy. Fan Alice Kelsey shared a similar thought.
“I have seen [the new renovations] and when I tell you, I was infuriated. If you’re gonna buy the Home Alone house, why would you change it?” Kelsey said.
The house in the film had been filled with warm and traditional hues of reds and greens. Now they are almost completely diminished in the new makeover. The home which once displayed colorful lights and cozy furniture is now full of muted shades of white, grey, and black with more of a simple and elegant take.
Another popular term for this colorless, minimal design is “millenial grey”. It has become a common trend, next to “sad beige,” used in home design today, typically by those born from 1981 to 1996. While many people like this stylistic choice, not just millennials, others can’t bear the concept. It is certain that the Home Alone house’s interior has never looked more different than it had at the time of the movie.
“It just kind of made me sad, because I know it’s not my house and not even my favorite Christmas movie, but I think the house should have been historically preserved in some way, and they turned it into a sad, millennial grey and drained the life out of it”. Kelsey said.
The exterior however, has remained the same throughout the years. It’s recognizable appearance still helps fans distinguish the house from the others. If an individual has watched Home Alone, they would know that the humorous thieves Marv and Harry, or the “wet bandits”, were evidently not wrong in speculating about the strikingly popular home, or what they called it, “the silver tuna”.
“I mean, it is just a set,” confesses Kelsey, “The Home Alone house was really something that meant a lot to a lot of people, even if they didn’t realize it until it was changed…but I do think that people should make their home somewhere they feel happy and matches what they want to their personal taste.”
The movie still holds a special place in the hearts of many people. Even with the new makeover, the extravagant home is a reminder of the nostalgia of the holiday season. In which it still echoes the charms of Kevin’s childhood antics and warm family moments. Blending both new and old, the remembrance itself is historically preserved within longtime fans and even new audiences.
