HBO's The Gilded Age has been the talk of the design community (and beyond) since it _______ earlier this year—and there's no denying that its many renowned filming locations play a role in its popularity. In total, the series was filmed at nearly 20 different historic house museums, including numerous Gilded Age mansions throughout Rhode Island and New York. 

When it came to _______ at historic locations, Shaw and his team exercise extreme caution. "We go to great lengths to protect all of our locations," says the production designer. "All floors are covered and revealed only when seen on camera. The walls are _______ partially covered to avoid possible bumps and scrapes. We also work closely with the property's conservators to ensure that they are comfortable with the process."

Ultimately, Shaw has found that these conservators tend to "favor preservation over restoration," resulting in homes that "look their age." While not ideal for filming purposes, this does lend a certain authenticity to the shots.

The biggest issue with filming on location, Shaw says, has to do with the original period furnishings, given that it's strictly prohibited to sit on centuries-old pieces of furniture. "Even if we think that a room looks perfect, we need to swap out any furniture that the actors will sit on or even place a teacup on," he explains. Similarly, the fabrics and wallcoverings in these homes are typically "in very delicate condition. If we need to add a piece of scenery such as a wall, it usually needs to be engineered to be self-supporting and not to come in contact with the existing surfaces."

In contrast, the production design team has "more control when we build [a] set," Shaw says. "Walls—and in some cases, the ceiling—can be built to be moved to make room for the camera and for lighting." But Shaw cannot deny that "there is a level of authenticity to a historic house that is hard to duplicate. Most historic homes have little quirks and eccentricities that were unplanned at the time of construction."