Ingrid Jurek, Production Designer for QAF describes the Loft as a very important set; it's contemporary, but definitely not a feminine space. Megan Less, the Set Decorator, says Brian is totally clean. He sees things in a magazine and makes a flash decision that what he's seeing will become his 'new look'. He has a good eye and picks modern, classic pieces. His lifestyle may be a bit dirty, but it's unencumbered at the same time. He doesn't reveal much of his personality to most people. His furniture functions in the same way in that it works, it's handsome, but he doesn't really have any attachment to it.

Photographs above were supplied by James Tee and posted with his permission.

Last season, with Justin moving out of the loft, Brian was refreshing his life. The flourescent lights above Brian's bed were removed (although word has it that they are back again in the 4th season), and in one episode early on in season 3 Brian is supposed to buy a desk, reports Megan. "I was going to get him this one desk, but I realized that Brian wouldn't buy it because it wasn't sturdy enough to fuck on."

Below are some of the new features we saw in Brian's loft:

1. Panels: In the front we have the pivoting panels with ribbon glass and wood that can be opened or closed, but usually they're somewhat open so you can catch a glimpse of what's going on inside, which adds to the voyeuristic atmosphere of Brian's space. 2. Plants: Softer greens represent Brian getting softer himself after Justin moved in. Brian bought Justin a computer, he's supportive of Justin's artwork and schooling. 3. Bed and Bedroom: Brian's bed is the center of his world. How do you make that statement without taking it too literally? "The bed has two entrances which is realy good for the flow [of men]. We wanted to have lights underneath the bed to make it look like it was floating, which gives it that kind of altar feel. Notice the silk duvet and 350-count bedsheets. 4. Lighting: There are a lot of glowing lights for Brian's nighttime scenes, which give it a more ethereal, nocturnal, 'dark superhero' feel. Ingrid also mentions that the Director of Photography, Thom Best, was very involved in the design of Brian's loft; they use a lot of practical lights. 5. Living Room: Megan says she likes Brian's living room the best. It has lots of clean lines, which catch your attention without knocking you over the head.

The painting in the corner by the large windows is by Attila Richard Lukacs. The original painting was used in the pilot, but Showtime was concerned about having such a valuable piece of artwork on the set. The painting was therefore printed on canvas, and the texture of brushstrokes with a glaze was added.

The blue lights above Brian's bed are 4-foot fluorescent gelled tubes stuck right through the set wall.

Against the far wall is a high-end flat screen TV and DVD player. The cocktail table supports a white glass bowl and three wax pears from Italy. The white lamp hanging in the living room corner is a fairly new fixture by a French manufacturer. Japanese lanterns on the floor provide a nice soft low light that works well in the loft. On the end table between the two white chairs there is a Japanese Bento box as well as four glass fused coasters.

The large windows in Brian's dining room were built to match the location that was originally used in the exterior shots of Brian's loft. Unfortunately, Showtime lost that location and are now shooting elsewhere. The chairs in the dining room are designer chairs that have been reupholstered in white much like most of Brian's furniture.

Pictures above are © copyright Showtime Networks; edited by QAFaddiction.

About the artist: Lukacs fuses an almost classical style of painting with gritty and raw brushwork reminiscent of the abstract expressionists. Oil, enamel and tar drip down the canvas creating a rich surface quality in his work. His large-scale paintings are steeped in art-historical references and homoeroticism; he is known predominantly for his continuing series of paintings of male skinheads, primates and American military cadets. The artist maintains he is working toward male nudity that does not necessarily connote sexuality, and his allusions to the male nude in art history are in part a reflection of his desire to break away from the art-historical notion of "homoeroticism" which limits the male nude to an erotic interpretation. In a 1992 interview with Robert Enright he admitted: "I've never really tried to play an important role in gay culture. As a matter of fact, I always used to steer people away from interpreting the painting as homoerotic because they were just normal to me. I expected people to see that. But in a funny way it is gotten important to me now." Read more on Lukacs in his Village Voice interview.

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