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‘Silence of the Lambs’ house transformed into cinematic vacation stay

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Alyssa Choiniere/For the Observer-Reporter

Chris Rowan, an art director and owner of the “Silence of the Lambs” Buffalo Bill’s house in Layton, poses in front of the property. He opened the house as a cinematic vacation destination in September.

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The Buffalo Bill’s house in Layton is decorated with art from artists around the world.

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Alyssa Choiniere/For the Observer-Reporter

Buffalo Bill’s house owner Chris Rowan poses with a kimono in the basement of the Layton property, which was a part of an iconic movie scene in “Silence of the Lambs.”

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Alyssa Choiniere/For the Observer-Reporter

Chris Rowan poses in the basement of the Buffalo Bill’s house, which was the set of an iconic scene in the movie.

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Alyssa Choiniere

A thank you note from actress Jodie Foster to the Buffalo Bill’s house original owners is on display at the property in Layton.

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A taxidermy Death’s-head hawkmoth is on display at the Buffalo Bill’s house in Layton. The moth was a featured part of the film.

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Alyssa Choiniere/For the Observer-Reporter

A caboose with its original furnishings is a feature of the Buffalo Bill’s property in Layton.

Art director and prop stylist Chris Rowan fused his talents with his love of classic horror films to create a cinematic destination in Fayette County from the original set of “Silence of the Lambs.”

Rowan bought the film’s iconic Buffalo Bill house last year and spent months turning the property into a quirky and creepy vacation rental befitting the movie’s glitter rock serial killer. Rowan lives near New York City and opened the house in Layton, near Perryopolis, to vacation guests in September.

“It was really kind of an epiphany moment,” Rowan said of seeing the property listing in October 2020. “I knew I was about to embark on this crazy journey to bring this back to its original form and bring the public in.”

Rowan highlighted scenes from the movie and details of the original set on the property. His career in film involves perfecting the aesthetic details of a set to make it appear realistic on camera, he said. He brought the same approach to Buffalo Bill’s house, and “treated it as a film set” to create an immersive experience for guests, he said.

The three-story four-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian home was built in 1910, and was never open to the public before Rowan’s purchase.

“Nobody has ever set foot inside, so I thought it definitely has a cool factor,” he said.

Guests are able to visit other nearby famous horror movie locations while staying at the property. The Pittsburgh area has a rich history in horror films, including George Romero’s 1968 film, “Night of the Living Dead” and the 2021 Netflix thriller “Sweet Girl,” starring Jason Momoa. Guests at Buffalo Bills house cross the Layton Bridge used for filming a climactic scene from the Netflix film and other productions.

“There are all these Pittsburgh guys who had major Hollywood success,” Rowan said. “It’s kind of the perfect position for people who are huge horror fans like I am.”

A recurring theme of the home is the Death’s-head hawkmoth, a giant moth with a skull-like marking on its thorax, which is featured prominently in the film.

Film fans and artists donated their work to the property, including a taxidermy death’s-head hawkmoth and artwork portraying the moth, Buffalo Bill and other iconic images.

“It took on this amazing life of its own,” he said.

Rowan also framed wallpaper used on the film, and green paint from filming remains on the door frame entering the basement.

Crossing the threshold of the basement sets off a motion detector and one of Rowan’s immersive experiences.

The basement was the set of an iconic scene where Buffalo Bill dances in nothing but an open kimono under a disco ball. Guests hear the song as they enter the basement, where they are greeted by the kimono under a rotating disco ball, mannequins, a prop head in a jar, a sewing machine and a full-length mirror.

“You walk in and see a couple of scantily clad mannequins and you’re like, ‘OK, this is strange,'” Rowan said.

Rowan juxtaposes Victorian charm with horror throughout the house with period furnishings. The kitchen has a cozy charm with a teapot and lavender adjacent to décor melding skulls with vegetables.

The top-story loft is home to “Buffalo Bill’s Playroom.”

“Coming out of Buffalo Bill’s, it sounds a little demented, and it’s meant to,” he said.

The playroom is a retro rec room featuring arcade games, a pool table and air hockey table and hundreds of DVDs and VHS tapes from Rowan’s own collection.

“It’s the last thing they expect to see in this setting,” he said.

It also features an original blueprint of the set from the “Silence of the Lambs” production crew, which includes notes like “full of junk” and “kitchen a la Ed Gein,” referencing a real-life murderer and grave robber. A display on another wall includes thank you notes from Jodie Foster and other crew members sent to the original homeowners.

A caboose with its original furnishings is also on the property. The property is also home to the former Layton general store and post office. The home’s original owners lived in the former store until they earned enough money to build the house, Rowan said.

Guests rent the entire property for overnight stays. It features a wraparound porch, pool and other accommodations.

Rowan plans to open the house for on-location filming. He will offer guided tours in 2022, in addition to opening the house for special events, he said.

“I feel very honored, in some ways humbled, to be able to do this, to be able to bring Buffalo Bill’s house back to its original form,” Rowan said.

For more details, visit www.buffalobillshouse.com.

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