Take a serene Santa Barbara setting with to-die-for interiors, add a triangle mixing love, divorce, and renovation, and you have all the elements of an unusual romantic comedy.

In theaters on Christmas Day, the sophisticated yet relaxed California-style interiors in Universal's upcoming film It's Complicated will vie for attention with a star-studded cast--Meryl Streep, Steve Martin (both seen here), and Alec Baldwin. The comedy weaves the tale of a divorced mother of three and bakery owner (Streep, as Jane) involved romantically with both her ex-husband (Baldwin) and the architect (Martin) helping in her kitchen renovation.

By Cathy Whitlock

Photographs courtesy of Universal Pictures. “Meyreuil” landscape painting by Mitchell Johnson.