Architecture Wednesday: Jessica Chastain’s Gilded Age Manhattan Apartment

Once you enter the opulent lobby of the Osborne cooperative ... built between 1880 and 1885 ... you are transported back in time with its magnificent turn-of-the-century details … marble, mosaics, gilded surfaces and leaded glass, glistening carved wood details; the Tiffany glass was created by Louis Comfort Tiffany and is reputed to be Tiffany's first decorating job.

So, let’s head upstairs to 4B, the meticulously renovated crown jewel of the Osborne which has been renovated, updated and revived. The move-in ready four bedroom home’s Gilded Age details set the stage for a lifestyle of unparalleled luxury and sophistication. The sun-drenched living room has restored mahogany paneling, elaborately carved doorways and windows, and a very special bay window with Tiffany Studio-created leaded glass transoms. Additional details include plaster crown moldings, oak parquet floors, fourteen-foot ceilings, and one of five wood-burning fireplaces in the home. Adjacent, the parlor room evokes the grandeur of bygone days with a spectacular framed oak doorway with pocket doors and period hardware. Here is another of the five wood-burning fireplaces, this one with a more modern marble surround and wall treatment.

The living room, library and dining room all have raised and fielded paneling that accentuate the architectural beauty of the space including restored original wainscoting, pocket doors, leaded glass transoms, gorgeous oak flooring, original, restored plantation shutters, and much more.

The eat-in kitchen has a soaring fourteen-foot ceiling, a rolling ladder that’s both practical and a fun design element, plus a custom central island that provides a pop of color and functions as the kitchen’s main gathering space. Incredible storage is available in the custom quartersawn oak cabinets; top-of-the-line appliances are integrated with custom panels.

The en suite primary is a romantic space with another of the five wood-burning fireplaces and a wall of mirrored closets and a bespoke copper-soaking tub. The fully tiled bathroom includes a water closet, double sinks, walk-in shower and built-in vanity. Down the hallway are two additional bedrooms and full bathroom with large soaking tub. The sunny east-facing bedroom has a trio of windows with views to Carnegie Hall.

Apartment 4B has had an illustrious provenance, with previous tenants including Adam Guettel, composer for musical theater; Bobby Short, American cabaret singer and pianist: and Leonard Bernstein, iconic composer, conductor, and educator—a lineage perfect for the buyer who loves the aesthetic of Old Hollywood and the Gilded Age.

The Osborne is across from Carnegie Hall, one block to Central Park, proximate to Broadway theaters, the shops at Columbus Circle, scores of the best restaurants in the world and multiple subway and bus lines. Amenities include a newly renovated gym, building and bike storage, 24/7 doormen, resident building manager and a landscaped roof terrace with open city and Central Park views.

And for just $7.5M 

As always, click to emBIGGERate ...

Dwell

Meme Dump

Death, Wills, Snow Days, Eggs

Well after the threat of snow and ice last weekend, which never materialized, the snow came this past weekend and made everything pretty for a couple of days. It was quiet and peaceful and c-c-c-cold way to spend the weekend and, of course, our trip to Asheville was cancelled—which I will reschedule in April for Carlos’ birthday—but it was nice.

We ran errands on Friday … we stopped by the attorney to have our wills updated which is never a fun thing to do, but its necessary.

After that we went to talk to a flooring person about changing out the floors. It’s part of the same company that built out cabinets so we stopped over at their offices and found a sign on the door. They are planning a move to a larger space so I thought that was what the sign said, but instead it said the man, Larry,  we were coming to see had suddenly passed away and the offices were closed for several days. Really shocking as we had seen him just last month at the Camden Christmas Parade and he seemed fine. We called our contractor and he said Larry had a massive heart attack last week and passed quickly.

It can all go so fast.

Switching gears … we decided to do our grocery shopping since the snow was coming Saturday and, of course, so did everyone else. Luckily, we weren’t stocking up on all the bread and milk and canned soup so those aisles were relatively calm. Then came the egg aisle and the crowd of people grabbing at the eggs. I stood back and waited until the herd thinned and noticed a woman watching a man check each and every cartoon of eggs before choosing one; finally he was done and she reached in, plucked a carton and off she went. I did the same and then Carlos and I  headed off to checkout where that same woman got in line behind me and so I said:

“I saw you watching all those vultures at the egg case and loved how you just reached in, grabbed a carton and left.”

“Honey, I’m from New York. I am not playing.”

“I’m not from New York and I’m not playing either.”

Kindred spirits.

The Girls, Rosita and Consuelo, had zero desire to step outside in the snowfall so I found an old photo of Tuxedo with snow on his head, ... doesn’t he look happy … and one of Ozzo the Pocket Dog nesting in the snow ...

And now a little Casa Bob y Carlos looking quite peaceful and lovely yesterday…

Up the driveway …

The roads were covered and quiet …

The house through the trees …

Down the driveway …

Into the backyard …

And finally the shed which I am trying to turn into a music room so Carlos can practice his trumpet at least 75 feet away from me ... I kid, or do I …

After breakfast Carlos went out into the yard and came back in and said it was nice outside. I reminded him that, yes, the sun was out and it felt warm, but it was 19-degrees which is roughly 11-degrees lower than his What The Fuck threshold.

So yesterday was peaceful and sunny and snowy, and we had a delicious Ham and White Bean soup with crusty bread, but today is back at work, then a day off, then two days working, then my usual three-day weekend.

It’s a cycle.