Amidst all the hype surrounding Wuthering Heights, there’s one image that sticks out more than most: the so-called ‘skin room’, featuring Margot Robbie, her back to the camera, clawing at a wall that appears to be made of her own skin. When we first got a glimpse of this scene in trailers last year, the logical conclusion was that this was probably part of a brief dream or hallucination sequence. Turns out, those walls were just a glimpse of the skin room – one of the most striking sets in the film.
What else would you expect from Emerald Fennell, the director who gave us ample NSFW moments in Saltburn? Her adaptation of Emily Brontë’s literary classic rips up the period drama rulebook, leaning into a more modern aesthetic through costumes, music and set design. Starring Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, this is Wuthering Heights remixed and reimagined through a contemporary lens, complete with latex ballgowns and a soundtrack by Charli xcx.
But back to that ‘skin room’. You’re probably scratching your head a little, wondering what exactly it is and, more crucially, why Fennell and production designer Suzie Davies went for such a bold choice. Luckily, we have answers to all your questions.
What is the skin room in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights?
Put simply, it’s Cathy’s bedroom. At first glance, it has all the glamour and grandeur you’d expect from a 19th-century mansion. Every corner is drenched in monochrome powder-pink, from the carpet and the walls to silk pillows and ornate furniture. On closer inspection, though, you’ll notice some more grotesque details: veins, moles, freckles, even the odd hair on the ceiling. That’s because the wallpaper was actually made from a scan of Margot Robbie’s skin – hence the nickname “skin room”.
“It’s beautifully described in the script, so when you read that sort of description as a designer, you’re like bring it, come on, let’s get this,” Davies told Architectural Digest. To achieve the effect, the production designer printed Robbie’s skin scan onto a “stretchy fabric”, then added padding and a sheer skin-toned latex over the top. “Before you know it, it is this perfect representation of visuals,” she continues, before going on to explain how the skin room fits into the overall aesthetic of “Wuthering Heights”. “All the senses are gonna get wound up in this film, and this skin room definitely does that.”
In an interview with Variety, Davies added, “We had a go at doing her belly button as well above the fireplace, but that looked a little bit too weird, believe it or not.” At the end of the film, there's an overhead shot of Cathy lying on the bed where you can see her veins. “We printed her veins and everything into the carpet as well, just for that top shot," said Davies, "Which is even more weird and uncomfortable.”
Speaking to Homes & Gardens, interior designer Nina Lichtenstein gave her professional opinion on how the “skin room” helps to intensify the film’s themes of visceral desire. “[The walls] create an atmosphere that feels lived-in, intimate, and psychologically charged,” she explained. “The soft pinks, creams, and worn neutrals aren’t sweet or romanticised. They feel tense. Enclosed. Almost breath-holding.”
Sound tempting? Well, thanks to Airbnb, three couples have the opportunity to spend a night in a recreation of the “skin room”. At Holdsworth House, on the outskirts of Halifax, a suite has been renovated with Robbie’s skin wallpaper, complete with all the trimmings (read: literal mole hairs). Nothing says romance like a fleshy carpet…
Believe it or not, Emily Brontë’s gothic novel did not feature a room made entirely from skin. Wuthering Heights already shocked readers when it was first published in 1847 – a literal “skin room” may have pushed things a little too far. Emerald Fennell has been very clear to state that this is her interpretation of the novel, not a faithful adaptation, so expect to see many more creative tweaks when you sit down with your popcorn to watch this weekend.
That said, there is a theory floating around the Internet that the skin room actually connects to a small historical detail in Brontë’s original story. In a passage about Cathy’s bedroom, the author describes what appears to be a “box-bed”, a period-specific design feature that’s essentially a wooden cupboard just big enough to contain a bed. What’s that got to do with those veiny walls? Well, TikTok account Designing Spaces suggests that, at the time, these spaces were sometimes nicknamed “skin rooms”. It’s hard to corroborate this speculation – “skin room” doesn’t appear to be a commonly known nickname for box-beds – but if it is true, that’s some next-level scriptwriting and set design by Fennell and Davies.
Margot Robbie’s version of Cathy is basically a period-crossing fashion Pinterest board.
