‘No Ordinary Family’ set reflects Bay Area Mod

A typical American family survives a plane crash and emerges with super powers. Meet the Powells, the title characters of ABC’s new action series “No Ordinary Family” and the residents of no ordinary house: With a fireplace and winding staircase as its center, the house spreads out with dramatic trusses, angular windows in unusual places and abundant sightlines.

“When you are in the kitchen, you can see down the hall to the master bedroom, into the TV room and upstairs to where the kids rooms are,” production designer Maria Caso says of the set, which imitates a 2,600 square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath house. “It’s an efficient home, and the openness and flow screams 2010.”

Other elements such as exposed ceiling beams and a flagstone hearth reference Midcentury Modernism. Likewise, the décor is a blend of old and new. Some 1950s classics such as Harry Bertoia’s diamond-shaped wire chairs and counter stools based on Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chair are blended with minimalist sofas and cabinetry that resemble contemporary Italian designs. Rooms are painted in a rich, warm palette of persimmon, apple green, cranberry and goldenrod and are illuminated with modern Asian light fixtures.

The railing on the eye-catching staircase is made from recycled steel, the kitchen counter is made from salvaged wood and even the tiles in the bathroom shower are reclaimed. It’s an approach to set design that echoes the eco-consciousness of the fictional family, Caso says, noting that the wife (played by Julie Benz) works in the biotech industry. “We thought she would be interested in participating in green living.”