By Paul

   The den is where Darrin drafted the Caldwell soup storyboards, the sexy witch for Mr. Brinkman's Halloween candy, and his many other great advertising campaigns. This set probably has more furniture modifications than the rest of the entire house. There is no set pattern other than the furniture types are altered to meet the needs of the story line. There is sometimes a sofa, sometimes a desk, and at other times the drafting table. The phone moves around the room, and is frequently not seen at all.

   There are three things that are of particular interest to the 1164 observer:

   1. The fireplaces,

   2. The shape of the room, and

   3. The bathroom/closet.

   For the first six seasons, there was a fireplace in the den on the west wall forward of the midpoint of the room. Though not often seen, it was there anytime that section of the wall was shown. After the fire damage to the sets between the sixth and seventh seasons, the fireplace was moved to the east wall for Bewitched's last two seasons. This cannot be called an inconsistency since the fireplace stayed in one spot until moved when the room was redecorated, and then kept its new position for the remainder of the series.

The Fireplace on the East Wall in 250

   An interesting feature of the den is its unusual shape. It is not rectangular as would be expected or as it appears at first glance. Looking at the doorway from the bay window position, there is an angled wall on the east (right) side of the room with a doorway. Not as easily noticed, the west (left) wall also is at an angle so that the room widens from the doorway wall on both sides as the midpoint of the room is approached. From the few views available of the wall section of the fireplace, it appears that this wall section narrows as it goes to the front of the room. There is a reasonable purpose for the fireplace section and the opposite section with a doorway to be angled. Space is needed for the fireplace, as well as for whatever is behind the doorway. There is no known reason why the west wall (near the door) should be at an angle, or as is suspected of the east wall (near the window).

   The most compelling inconsistency in the den is what is behind the doorway in the east wall. Sometimes it is a bathroom, at other times it is a closet, and most of the time it is not known what is there. In episode # 5, Darrin takes a shower in the den bath, though there does not appear to be enough room for a full bath. In # 43, there is a bath room, but probably a half bath. In episodes 13 and 154, there is reference to the "powder room" in the den. On the other hand, a closet is in that space in episodes such as 78 and 209.

The Den Bathroom from 5

The Closet in the Den from 209

   When looking at actual floorplans of the facade, there is enough space for a shallow closet. The other side of that wall is used to hang The Girl with a Broom painting in the foyer.

 

 

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