Netflix’s “Forever” has quickly climbed into the top 10 TV shows on the platform, but beyond the love story at its center, the series is earning quiet praise for something else: its set design. Created by Mara Brock Akil, the show explores the lives of two Black families in Los Angeles—each with a home that doesn’t just reflect their lifestyle, but their story.

Every corner of “Forever” feels deeply considered. From the layered wallpaper in Keisha’s bedroom to the coffee table books in Justin’s living room, the series offers a masterclass in what it means to create intentional interiors that reflect Black life. And at the center of it all? Art.

Design That Tells a Story

“One of the best parts for me in creating a show is world building,” Akil shared in a tour of the sets. “It was really important to me that we tell a love story—but also set it within a love story to Los Angeles.”

To help tell that story, Akil enlisted Production Designer Suzuki Ingerslev and Set Decorator Ron Franco, both of whom brought a deeply personal eye to the work. “I also grew up in LA,” Ingerslev said, “so I know what the old apartments look like.” And Franco, who describes set styling as “a hunt,” leaned into pieces that were found, layered, and emotionally resonant.

“We wanted to show how you can create beauty, even on a budget,” Akil added. And that beauty is personal—from real family photos on the walls to framed artwork by local and emerging Black artists.

“Willie’s Melons” and the Power of Placement

One of the show’s most striking visual moments comes in the Edwards’ Beverly Hills kitchen. On a large wall hangs Willie’s Melons, a large-scale photograph by Orlando-born artist Jazmin Johnson. The piece—a street vendor’s truck loaded with watermelons—is bold, Southern, and unmistakably Black.

“It was spontaneous,” Johnson told Home & Texture. “I was driving down the street with my parents in Orlando, saw this watermelon truck, and hopped out with my camera.” The photo, originally just a scanned negative on her laptop, caught Mara Brock Akil’s eye during a pre-production art meeting.

“Art is very important to Mara,” Johnson explained. “If you go to our office at story27, it’s everywhere. So it was important to bring that into the homes on ‘Forever,’ too.”

Placing such a raw and culturally rooted image in the kitchen of an affluent Black family adds depth to the scene—and symbolism to the series. It’s a reminder that Black art isn’t confined to one neighborhood, one income bracket, or one kind of story. It belongs everywhere we are.

Johnson’s work, once mostly unseen, is now reaching a national audience. “I’ve actually been selling prints for three years and had only sold about three before this,” she shared. “But I love the idea of seeing my work in people’s crib.”

A limited-edition run of Willie’s Melons is available now. Click here to shop the signed print.

Two Homes, One City, and Black Stories in Every Detail

Keisha Clark’s triplex, located not far from where Akil grew up, feels rooted in community. From the renter-friendly “wallpaper” made of 500+ photographs of Los Angeles to the Howard University flag in her bedroom, every inch feels authentic, both to the character and to the neighborhood.

Justin Edwards’ Beverly Hills home, on the other hand, is high design. “I love this house,” Akil said. “I don’t typically see Black bodies moving through spaces that have such depth.” For her, showing characters walking through these expansive spaces is a “subtle way to say: we belong in the space.”

Together, the two homes represent different ends of the LA spectrum—but both are rich with history, symbolism, and soul.

Art Is the Heartbeat

From framed portraits by Akil’s niece Ava to paintings by LA artist Tommy Mitchell and coffee table books honoring Basquiat, the art in “Forever” isn’t an accessory—it’s a language. It speaks to legacy, place, and pride. It reminds us that beauty in the home isn’t about trend—it’s about truth.

As “Forever” continues to trend, its interiors are already leaving a mark—inviting viewers to imagine what it means to make space that’s not just stylish, but intentional, ancestral, and alive.