18 Weird Things You Never Noticed About Your Favorite TV Show Sets

Getty | NBC Universal

Are you a Netflix addict who always has a new show to watch? Well, then you'll love these fun facts about the iconic sets from your favorite series. From The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Sex and the City, there are plenty of secret set details that most viewers never notice about the shows they love . . . so prepare to have your mind blown! Trust us, your Friends marathons will be forever changed — you'll never see Monica's apartment the same way again.

01
The Friends Peephole Frame
Warner Bros.

The Friends Peephole Frame

The quirky frame around Monica's apartment peephole was originally from a mirror purchased for the set — when it was accidentally broken, the set designer simply hung it on the front door, unknowingly making TV decor history.

02
The Changing Apartment Numbers
Warner Bros.

The Changing Apartment Numbers

For the first few episodes of Friends, Chandler and Joey live in apartment four and Monica's apartment is number five. However, to reflect that the characters lived on a higher floor, the numbers were quickly changed to 19 and 20.

03
The Disappearing Beams
Warner Bros.

The Disappearing Beams

Throughout Friends, wooden support beams randomly appear and disappear from Monica's apartment. Where do they go? We're not sure, but we liked the realistic, awkwardly placed beam episodes!

04
The View From Central Perk
Warner Bros.

The View From Central Perk

When the show first started filming, there was no set outside of Central Perk; a painted backdrop served as the New York City street. However, in later seasons a full set was constructed.

05
The Full House Stairs
Warner Bros.

The Full House Stairs

The architecture of the Tanner family's San Francisco home doesn't make sense. There are two staircases shown downstairs — one in the kitchen and one in the family room — but only one stair entryway upstairs!

06
The Internet Access on The Office
NBC

The Internet Access on The Office

The actors on The Office had Internet access on their set computers, so they often surfed the web while filming the show.

07
Mindy's Photos in The Mindy Project
20th Century Studios

Mindy's Photos in The Mindy Project

The photos in Dr. Mindy Lahiri's apartment aren't props . . . instead, Mindy Kaling opted to use personal snaps of her own childhood and college experiences to decorate the character's home.

08
Take-Out Menus on the Fridge
20th Century Studios

Take-Out Menus on the Fridge

The Mindy Project's production designer told EW that he "collected real menus from New York City restaurants to place on the set," since a busy ob-gyn like Mindy doesn't have much time to cook. You can see them pinned to her refrigerator in various kitchen scenes!

09
Carrie Bradshaw's Medicine Cabinet
HBO

Carrie Bradshaw's Medicine Cabinet

Did you know that the bathroom decor in Carrie Bradshaw's SATC apartment was simply meant to be? "[Sarah Jessica] Parker spotted Carrie's medicine cabinet at a flea market before filming began," BuzzFeed reported. "She didn't buy it, but later decided she'd made a mistake and went back — only to be told that it had been sold to 'some TV show.' When she showed up for filming, the medicine cabinet was there."

10
The Art in Sex and the City
HBO

The Art in Sex and the City

"The Russian" was an art enthusiast on Sex and the City and in real life — much of the artwork displayed in the character's apartment belonged to the actor himself, Mikhail Baryshnikov!

11
The Set Changes in Arrested Development
Netflix

The Set Changes in Arrested Development

Between the pilot episode and the rest of the Arrested Development series, the Bluth family's "model home" and Lucille's apartment completely change.

12
The Orange Couch From The Wire
HBO

The Orange Couch From The Wire

While the original orange couch from the Baltimore crime drama was a dumpster find, The Wire's production team spent over $5,000 to create an exact replica after somebody accidentally threw it away.

13
Portlandia's Real-Life Bookstore
IFC Films

Portlandia's Real-Life Bookstore

The "feminist bookstore" in Portlandia actually exists — or at least, it was inspired by a real Portland bookstore. In Other Words was the inspiration for the sketch set's decor, merchandise, and eccentric characters.

14
The Shallow Pool in The O.C.
Warner Bros.

The Shallow Pool in The O.C.

According to The Huffington Post, "The set for the Cohen's pool was only 4-feet deep, so the actors would be on their knees while 'swimming.'" Makes us wonder how they did those jumping scenes!

15
Lost's Secret Instruments
ABC

Lost's Secret Instruments

While plenty of the plane wreckage props from Lost's pilot were used throughout the series, some of the shrapnel was used to create instruments. Those instruments can be heard in the soundtrack of the show!

16
The Pier in Dawson's Creek
Sony Pictures

The Pier in Dawson's Creek

When a hurricane tore down the famous Dawson's Creek pier, the show's staff had to rebuild it from scratch.

17
The Mansion in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Warner Bros.

The Mansion in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The beautiful white estate shown in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air intro isn't actually in Bel Air . . . it's located in Brentwood, CA!

18
Battlestar Galactica's Ikea Find
NBC

Battlestar Galactica's Ikea Find

The mirror in Admiral Adama's quarters is an inexpensive Ikea buy — you can pick up a matching piece for your own intergalactic missions!