logo

Ideal House APP

Your Go-To Interior Design Hub
HomeHome
BoardBoard
ExploreExplore
Logo
1/4

Inside the Private Suites of New York City’s Iconic Frick Collection

The Frick Collection, housed in a 1914 limestone mansion in New York City, has undergone its most extensive upgrade in nearly 90 years, allowing visitors for the first time to explore the private second-floor suites of the Frick family. Previously, the museum primarily showcased its collection in the grand first-floor rooms, but now the more intimate, domestic-scale spaces—comprising about 10 rooms and several passageways that once served as bedrooms and sitting rooms for Henry Clay Frick, his wife Adelaide, and daughter Helen—have been converted into galleries. This transformation offers a unique perspective on the collection within a historically preserved domestic setting. Selldorf Architects completed this comprehensive renovation, which opened in April, revealing the grand architectural style and personal living spaces of the early 20th-century industrialist family. A notable artistic feature on the second floor is an enchanting ceiling mural along the corridor, contrasting with the formal interiors. This hand-painted work by John Alden Twachtman depicts cerulean skies and landscapes filled with monkeys dressed in Chinese costumes, engaging in human activities. This playful design is a nod to French Rococo traditions of singeries and chinoiseries, with a particularly charming detail being a monkey lighting candles for a floating lantern near the entrance to Adelaide’s bedroom suite. The mural's commission highlights the pioneering work of Elsie de Wolfe, considered America's first interior decorator. De Wolfe, at the beginning of her career, boldly pitched her services to Mr. Frick in 1914, emphasizing her expertise in detail and understanding of women's spaces, which she argued male decorators often overlooked. Her persistence led to her being hired, and she subsequently created the iconic Boucher Boudoir. This room, a vibrant display of 18th-century French exuberance, features eight cherub-laden panels painted by François Boucher, depicting the arts and sciences. After previously being displayed on the museum’s main floor, the Boucher Room has been meticulously restored to its original location adjacent to Mrs. Frick’s bedroom. This boudoir, serving as Mrs. Frick's private sitting room, is celebrated for its complete ensemble, including its corner location with windows offering views of Central Park and 70th Street. Another significant area now accessible is the beloved breakfast room, where the family shared their first meal of the day. This room, facing east, captures the morning light, creating a warm ambiance, and showcases the domestic routine of the Frick family, where meals were brought up from the lower-level kitchen by a waiter. To commemorate these enhancements, the museum is hosting the exhibition "Vermeer’s Love Letters" throughout the summer. This exhibition reunites the Frick’s masterpiece, Vermeer’s "Mistress and Maid," with two special loans: "The Love Letter" from Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and "Woman Writing a Letter" from the National Gallery of Ireland. Displayed together in a single gallery for the first time, these three works offer a fitting tribute to the newly refurbished Gilded-Age museum. #FrickCollection #NewYorkCity #MuseumRenovation #ElsieDeWolfe #InteriorDesign #GildedAge #VermeerExhibition #ArchitecturalHistory #ArtCollection #FrickCollection #NewYorkCity #MuseumRenovation #ElsieDeWolfe #InteriorDesign #GildedAge #VermeerExhibition #ArchitecturalHistory #ArtCollection
No comments yet
For $2.65M This Corner Tribeca Loft Has Classic Bones, Snappy Interiors and Windows Galore
For $2.65M This Corner Tribeca Loft Has Classic Bones, Snappy Interiors and Windows Galore
This $3.5M Tribeca apartment has the bones of a loft, the polished interiors of a mansion
This $3.5M Tribeca apartment has the bones of a loft, the polished interiors of a mansion
This multilayered New York apartment tells a story of passion for vintage design and craft
This multilayered New York apartment tells a story of passion for vintage design and craft
We Spoke to the NYC Woman Who Found a Whole Apartment Behind Her Bathroom Mirror
We Spoke to the NYC Woman Who Found a Whole Apartment Behind Her Bathroom Mirror
House Tour: How One New Yorker Achieved Timeless Style In A Rented Loft
House Tour: How One New Yorker Achieved Timeless Style In A Rented Loft
HOUSE TOUR: One Of The Last Undisturbed Lofts In New York City
HOUSE TOUR: One Of The Last Undisturbed Lofts In New York City
Million Dollar Listing’s Fredrik Eklund Reveals Why He’s Sleeping Better in L.A.
Million Dollar Listing’s Fredrik Eklund Reveals Why He’s Sleeping Better in L.A.
This Famous NYC “Show House” Is Home to the Most ENCHANTING Secret Garden—See Inside
This Famous NYC “Show House” Is Home to the Most ENCHANTING Secret Garden—See Inside
There’s a freestanding bed and hidden closets at this $1.5M Flatiron loft
There’s a freestanding bed and hidden closets at this $1.5M Flatiron loft
Fredrik Eklund Shows the "Most Zen" Room in His Gorgeous Connecticut House (PHOTOS)
Fredrik Eklund Shows the "Most Zen" Room in His Gorgeous Connecticut House (PHOTOS)
$5M renovated Tribeca loft is a veritable showcase of super-hot decorating trends
$5M renovated Tribeca loft is a veritable showcase of super-hot decorating trends
Casey Neistat and Candice Pool Found Suburban Zen in a Concrete Jungle
Casey Neistat and Candice Pool Found Suburban Zen in a Concrete Jungle
Your Chance to Combine Two Gilded Age Apartments
Your Chance to Combine Two Gilded Age Apartments
Inside an Elegant New Building Designed by Deborah Berke Partners | 40 East End
Inside an Elegant New Building Designed by Deborah Berke Partners | 40 East End
How do you update a heritage NYC apartment without losing the charming original details? Designer Joshua Smith knows
How do you update a heritage NYC apartment without losing the charming original details? Designer Joshua Smith knows
$5M Penthouse Loft in Tribeca Flaunts Steel, Copper, and Lots of Brick
$5M Penthouse Loft in Tribeca Flaunts Steel, Copper, and Lots of Brick
You would never know that high-street gems are hidden in this elegant New York apartment
You would never know that high-street gems are hidden in this elegant New York apartment
Zen Loft in Tribeca Complete With Neon Signs and Beatles Inspired Bed
Zen Loft in Tribeca Complete With Neon Signs and Beatles Inspired Bed
See Inside a Gorgeous, Texture-Rich Home in New York City
See Inside a Gorgeous, Texture-Rich Home in New York City
The Grand Tour: Watch Jeweler Olivier Reza Guides Us Through His Eclectic N.Y.C. Home
The Grand Tour: Watch Jeweler Olivier Reza Guides Us Through His Eclectic N.Y.C. Home