Guillermo Del Toro has always been the odd man out. He leans more on the macabre side of life, surrounding himself with life-size heads of Frankstein’s monster, stuffed ravens, and a room where it’s always raining. It sounds a little bleak, but that very word is exactly what spawned the name for his house of treasures.
Any cinephile or comic fan likely already knows the wonders that await within Del Toro’s walls. He himself knew it, which is why so many of those trinkets trickled their way into art galleries a few years ago, giving eager patrons a chance to live within the same twisted corners. But for those unfamiliar, you don’t need to remain in the dark, so to speak. Come with us as we explore some of the coolest things this mastermind has lying around his house.
Gigantic Frankenstein’s Monster Head
Universal Studios, NBCUniversal on Wikimedia
Okay, okay, stay with us! We know it sounds a little weird to boast about a humongous head on the wall, but try to get past the appendage and see it for what it is: a piece of history! As soon as you set foot in the foyer, you’re greeted by maroon walls, movie paraphernalia, and original artwork sketches for Del Toro’s creations—and there to welcome you is a five-foot-tall head.
Del Toro told Toronto Life that the sculpture was made by artist Mike Hill, a man who’s evidently “more into Frankenstein than I am.” Forget Jacob Elordi’s handsome mug; this sculpture carries all the sullen details you’d expect of the original. It has green skin, sallow cheeks, and stringy black hair matted on its big ol’ forehead.
The piece was, of course, present at Del Toro’s exhibit as well. It was a little daunting to step beneath it, especially with its darkened eye bags following us around, but it was also the perfect catalyst for everything else.
The Rain Room
It’s every tortured artist’s dream: a reading room during a thunderstorm. Pick up a book. Pick up a pen. Pick up your phone and snap a photo of the permanent resident there. However you enjoy the soft rumbles of thunder, Del Toro admits that he gets most of his work done in there, and we can’t say we blame him.
Now, hang on a second. Did we just say “permanent resident”? Why yes, we did. You might not be able to bounce ideas off of Del Toro himself, but you can confide in a life-size statue of Edgar Allen Poe! The famed author sits in a red easy chair next to the window, just waiting to hear your latest yarn.
If you’re wondering how it works, the whole mechanism is actually pretty simple. As described by The Smithsonian, Del Toro put acrylic resin on the windows to give them that nice frosty look, and the rain itself is merely a theatrical projection. In the end, you have an idyllic autumn ambiance.
A Nod to His Genius
Roland Tanglao from Vancouver, Canada on Wikimedia
Del Toro’s no stranger to the weird side of things, and his whole career took things to the next level. Sure enough, he also has several sculptures dedicated to his most popular works, including Pan’s Labryinth, Hellboy, and Crimson Peak.
To see them in person is something else. It’s no easy task to saunter by The Pale Man from Pan’s Labyrinth, a creature that Del Toro himself admitted freaks him out. Yeah, you can count him in good company; it’s one thing to see those eyes onscreen, but it’s another to keep a close watch on them yourself.
Of course, he also has sketches of his work scattered throughout the house. While it’s impressive to flip through books and sneak peeks at original costumes, Del Toro also has a sizeable collection of original artwork from Richard Corbin and Jack Kervis Craft—and Frankenstein illustrations by Bernie Wrightson.
Can You Still Bear Witness to the Madness?
The whole thing is a weird kid’s dream, and it’s a shame to know that some people haven’t walked among the concept art or the literal life-size sculpture of H.P. Lovecraft. To know they haven’t seen all the rare tomes protected by a mesh screen, or the so-called “library of images.” But that doesn’t mean everything is off limits.
Just a few months ago, pieces of Del Toro’s collection sold for a whopping $1.65 million, a record-breaking number at Heritage Auctions. Lucky bidders went home with everything from Pacific Rim costumes to a 22-inch clay statue of the Amphibian Man from The Shape of Water.
Del Toro has never been afraid of revealing the most daring pieces of himself, whether it be in auctions or in full-display galleries. You might not be able to step inside those red walls any time soon, but another Heritage Auctions event is scheduled for 2026, which is said to display even more of his pieces!
