The Vanderbilt name may not be so well-known in Southeast Asia, but in the western hemisphere this family name has been dominating the economies in America and Europe for generations. When Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to the family fortune and mother of famous CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, passed away at the age of 95 on 17 June, 2019, she left behind the sprawling family home located on the Upper East Side of New York City, between Madison and Park Avenues and just one block away from Central Park. The family home was recently put on the market for a staggering price of USD$50 million.
The façade, finished in white marble looks absolutely stunning and has been carefully preserved since the day the mansion-like townhouse was built in 1891. However, aside from the exterior, all the interiors of this seven-floor behemoth have gone through tremendous change whenever it was passed down from one generation to the next.
From the outside, one can see that the entire building actually occupies the space of three modern apartments. There is a central lift servicing all floors, while another three private lifts are available to service each one of the apartments.
In its new iteration, the living rooms in the townhouse are bathed in a creamy palette. Accented by beige curtains, the rooms feel spacious and open.
Every room has been equipped with modern amenities, and tastefully furnished with plush sofas sporting a timeless style.
Apart from the wet kitchens downstairs, smaller kitchenettes have been designed next to each of the living rooms upstairs in order to allow the owners of the home to host intimate dinner parties and receptions.
This luxury of space, unusual for homes in New York city, allows the design of the interiors to boast of oversized corridors, with extra-height ceilings and roomy stairways.
Home cooks will definitely fall in love with the white calacatta marble kitchen counter, equipped with state-of-art appliances from brands, such as Gaggenau and Miele.
Notice how the light flows freely into the space, brightening up the cooking area.
In the master bedroom, full-length windows allow natural light to fill the space, adding to the warm and inviting nature of the space.
Naturally, each bedroom is accompanied by a spacious bathroom clad in cool white marble and lush walnut panelling.
There is a children’s room as well, designed in a light blue theme. It softens up the formal look of the architecture without hiding any of its beauty.
A second bedroom for the children comes with a bunkbed and an accent wall coated in chalkboard paint so the children can express their imagination freely all over the wall.
Designer artwork sets the mood in the guest bedroom, adding a sense of contemporary coolness to the functional space.
The rooftop terrace is the place to be in the evenings, where the homeowners get to enjoy breathtaking views of Manhattan.