This Maximalist Manhattan Penthouse Channels the Opulence of a Venetian Palazzo

The penthouse suite in the historic Burrage Mansion in Boston's Back Bay offers a unique blend of 19th-century architectural grandeur and modern Zen-inspired interior design. The mansion, designed by Charles Brigham in 1899 for copper tycoon Albert C. Burrage, is known for its chateau-style exterior adorned with numerous stone carvings of dragons, gargoyles, cherubs, lions, and eagles. The ornate lobby features mahogany, marble steps, stained glass windows, and mosaic tiles, creating a traditional and lavish entrance. In stark contrast to the building's exterior and common areas, the penthouse interior, designed by Maho Abe of Zen Associates, Inc., embodies a contemporary Zen aesthetic. When the condo was acquired in the early 2000s, the initial plan for 14 rooms was abandoned. The owner, inspired by Abe's work on HGTV, commissioned her to transform the space. The renovation, completed in 2006, resulted in an open and fluid living area, rather than a series of separated rooms. Abe's design philosophy emphasized natural light, soft beige and silver color palettes, and a minimalist approach, avoiding excessive decorations. Acoustic panels are strategically placed behind paintings, on window benches, and within columns to manage noise, contributing to a serene environment. The penthouse is designed for both elegant entertaining and comfortable family living. Key features include an expansive living area with a line of five columns, which serve as a gallery for art and sculptures. A thin fish tank acts as a subtle divider between the kitchen and family room. The kitchen itself is a modern marvel, equipped with stainless steel appliances and limestone surfaces, ideal for hosting guests. For relaxation, the penthouse includes a stainless steel hot tub with a Japanese stepping-stone in the living room and a dedicated meditation nook in the family room. The master suite boasts a large bathroom with an open walk-in shower featuring a curved glass wall. A hidden sliding door reveals a guest bedroom with bunk beds and an additional bathroom, showcasing the intelligent use of space and flexibility in the design. The owner's intention was to create a sense of surprise, where the traditional opulence of the building's exterior gives way to an unexpected contemporary interior. The penthouse is also adjoined with a 1,300-square-foot apartment at 318 Commonwealth Avenue, providing additional space suitable for staff or extended family. Together, the two units comprise a five-bedroom, three-bathroom, and one-partial-bath residence, spanning 5,800 square feet. This luxurious property, previously owned by figures like Tom Brady, is currently on the market for $10.7 million, offering a unique opportunity to own a piece of Boston's architectural history with a modern twist. #LuxuryHomes #PenthouseDesign #ZenInterior #MansionLiving #BostonRealEstate #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalContrast #HistoricalProperty #ContemporaryLiving

This article highlights a unique real estate opportunity in New York City: the simultaneous availability of two distinct apartments within a former Gilded Age mansion at 17 East 63rd Street. Built in 1901, the five-story limestone mansion initially housed prominent New York families before being converted into apartments after World War II. These units, characterized by their high, coffered ceilings, chandeliers, and French doors leading to Juliet balconies, rarely come onto the market. By an unusual coincidence, the second-floor apartment and a combined third-and-fourth-floor duplex were listed for sale within five days of each other, each with a different broker. The second-floor unit, apartment 2, has been owned for the past 35 years by Shirley Maytag King, widow of the grandson of the Maytag appliance company founder. This apartment boasts 15-foot ceilings, a remnant of its past as the mansion's ballroom, and is listed at $4.2 million. It includes 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a private elevator, a formal dining room, and two working fireplaces. Broker Paul Kolbusz notes that its price reflects the potential need for kitchen and bathroom updates, despite its historical significance and prime location near Central Park and the Frick Collection. The duplex, apartment 3/4, has been continuously owned for over 20 years and spans 4,200 square feet, significantly larger than the second-floor unit. Listed at $16.995 million, it features 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, five fireplaces, and a primary bedroom that is 22 by 26 feet, larger than many living rooms, with two separate en suite bathrooms and dressing rooms, one with its own fireplace. The apartment, designed by Thomas Britt, also showcases an enormous great room with coffered ceilings and floor-to-ceiling French-door-style windows. Broker Elana Schoppmann emphasizes its 'grand scale' and 'royalty-like' living experience. The current owners combined the third and fourth floors in the early 1990s when the upstairs neighbors moved out. Both brokers involved are open to the idea of a buyer combining these two apartments into a single, three-story residence spanning approximately 6,300 square feet. Such a combination, however, would likely require board approval, as the building operates as a co-op. The mansion is also noted for being a rare 30-foot-wide limestone townhouse, sometimes referred to as the H. Bramhall Gilbert Mansion after its first owner. Neil Diamond is mentioned as the owner of the duplex penthouse on the fifth floor, a fact that dates back to a previous article from over 20 years ago. This simultaneous listing presents a unique opportunity for a buyer to acquire a significant portion of a historic Gilded Age mansion, offering expansive living spaces with original architectural details and the potential for a grand, custom-combined residence in a highly desirable New York City location. #GildedAge #LuxuryRealEstate #NewYorkCity #MansionApartments #RealEstateListing #UpperEastSide #HistoricHomes #CoOpLiving #ArchitecturalDesign

This blog post highlights a meticulously renovated townhouse located at 132 West 81st Street on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Originally built in 1887 and designed by architect Edward J. Webb, the property has undergone a complete redesign by Alison Downey of Downey Interiors. Situated near Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History, and various shopping and dining establishments, the 7,000-square-foot home boasts six levels of luxurious living space. It features five bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and four powder rooms, complemented by a range of modern amenities. The residence is distinguished by its extensive outdoor spaces, including a south-facing, bricked garden with a herringbone pattern, suitable for gardening. A significant feature is the handsomely equipped rooftop deck, offering multiple seating and dining areas, cedar fencing, new roof tiles, and provisions for water, electricity, and a sound system, designed for entertaining. Indoor amenities include an elevator, a home gym, a dedicated office, central air and heat, dual bars and laundry facilities, and comprehensive water filtration, intercom, and security systems. The home integrates Savant smart-home technology to manage built-in speakers, automated lighting, and door entry. Architectural details throughout the townhouse preserve its historical charm while incorporating modern comfort. These elements include a circular staircase, pocket doors, oak flooring, wall sconces, crown moldings, stained glass windows, and a backyard fountain. The blog post emphasizes the spacious and inviting staircase landings, suggesting them as ideal spots for relaxation. A floor-by-floor tour begins with an elegant reception gallery featuring radiant-heat stone floors in a black and white pattern, leading into a newly designed, fully custom eat-in kitchen. This kitchen is equipped with an oval-shaped island and breakfast bar, a large walk-in pantry, handcrafted wood cabinetry with task lighting, soapstone countertops, a tile backsplash, and high-end appliances, including a Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, a Viking six-burner range, and two ovens. The basement level contains the gym, ample storage, a powder room, and a custom laundry room with built-in cabinetry. The parlor floor is designed for entertaining, offering an open-plan layout with a spacious living room featuring a gas fireplace, a wet bar, and nearly 11-foot ceilings. French doors in the south-facing dining room open onto a balcony with a stairway leading to the backyard garden, facilitating indoor-outdoor flow for gatherings. The third level comprises two large bedrooms, one currently configured as an office, while the floor above features two more en-suite bedrooms, each with marble and tile bathrooms. The primary suite occupies the entire fifth floor, presenting a large bedroom, a custom dressing room, and a new bathroom with a separate shower and tub, and a dual sink vanity. This level also includes a wet bar with a full ice maker and an under-counter refrigerator. A notable advantage of the townhouse's location is the low scale of surrounding blocks, ensuring that the rooftop deck remains open, private, and bathed in natural light throughout the day, enhancing the property's appeal. #UpperWestSide #ManhattanRealEstate #LuxuryTownhouse #HomeRenovation #RooftopDeck #SmartHome #ArchitecturalDetails #InteriorDesign #NewYorkCity #HistoricHome

Alderbrook House, a Gothic Revival mansion constructed around 1858 at 4715 Independence Avenue, is one of Riverdale's two oldest Hudson River villas still serving as a private residence. Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac within the Estates section of Riverdale, this eight-bedroom, single-family house combines a New York City address with a private yard featuring century-old trees, offering a 20-minute commute to Midtown Manhattan. This property, typical of the grand homes found in the Estates and Fieldston sections, provides ample outdoor space, large porches, and attached garages, features uncommon for city living. According to Michael Rochios, the listing agent from Corcoran and a long-time Fieldston resident, properties of this caliber usually exchange hands only once in a generation. He notes that while many historic homes in the area have not been updated, Alderbrook House has undergone a significant architectural renovation, modernizing its layout for contemporary living, including a large, open kitchen. Rochios highlights the convenience of living in Riverdale, where residents can enjoy the professional and social advantages of New York City while returning to the peace and space reminiscent of a summer home outside the city. He estimates the drive to Lincoln Center to be about 15 minutes without traffic, underscoring the balance of urban access and suburban tranquility. The renovated and updated house boasts 7,500 square feet of interior space, an attached garage, seven bathrooms, and eight fireplaces. Its architectural details include a grand, intricately carved staircase, 12-foot ceilings with crown moldings, graceful arches, extensive millwork, a gabled roofline, tile mosaics, hardwood floors, built-ins, and nearly floor-to-ceiling bay windows that provide abundant natural light. Modern amenities have been integrated, such as multi-zone central air, a home gym, a custom butler’s pantry, radiant-heat floors, and new electrical, plumbing, sound, and sprinkler systems. The second-floor primary bedroom suite is equipped with a large closet/dressing room, a sitting area, a wood-burning fireplace, and a luxurious bathroom featuring a soaking tub, steam shower, dual vanity sinks, and contemporary European fixtures. Alderbrook House was originally built as a summer retreat for city dwellers. From 1864 to the 1890s, it served as the country home of banker and industrialist Percy R. Pyne, then president of the National City Bank. His son, Moses Pyne, recalled his father's routine of horse riding, bathing, rowing across the Hudson, and climbing the Palisades before commuting to New York. The Pyne family owned the home until 1921 when it was acquired by sculptor Elie Nadelman and his wife, Viola. The Nadelmans, known for their world-class folk art collection, resided there, and their son, diplomat Jan Nadelman, lived in the home until his death in 2007, after which the current owners purchased it. The recent historic renovation was overseen by Stephen Byrns, a respected architect, founding partner of BKSK Architects, and former member of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. The property features a stone pathway leading to the front entrance and a side door by the garage opening into a new mudroom. Rochios describes the house as ideal for entertaining, highlighting the first floor's formal dining room with a bar area, a living room, a den/family room, and a new eat-in kitchen equipped with Wolf and Miele ovens, two dishwashers, three sinks, a poured concrete island, and Caesarstone countertops. He states that the main level offers one of Riverdale's best entertainer's layouts, complemented by spacious, well-lit upstairs bedrooms. Multiple doors connect to a wraparound porch, and Elie Nadelman’s former sculpture studio has been repurposed into a children’s playroom, complete with plexiglass windows. The house maintains a comfortable and efficient flow, maximizing its grand scale without wasted space, making it suitable for both intimate gatherings and large events. #RiverdaleRevival #GothicRevival #HistoricHome #LuxuryRealEstate #ArchitecturalRenovation #NewYorkCity #HudsonRiver #ModernLiving