US celebrity interior design couple Robert and Cortney Novogratz carried out a total revamp of 114 Waverly Place, an iconic brownstone in Manhattan—while also preserving the spirit of the historic property
Among the rows of brownstones in New York City’s Greenwich Village, just steps away from Washington Square Park, 114 Waverly Place stands out for its eye-catching exteriors.
The 196-year-old townhouse, which has five storeys, seven bedrooms and seven-and-a-half-bathroom spanning 7,200 sq ft, has a golden façade—a distinct look, especially compared to the muted brickwork on the exteriors of its neighbours.
The townhouse had long been “an icon of the neighbourhood” thanks to its original pink stucco façade, according to Cortney and Robert Novogratz, the US celebrity interior design couple who bought the home in 2019 after falling in love with its look and feel. The rooftop has spectacular views of the Manhattan’s skyline, overlooking the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center. A ballroom on the fifth floor boasts a 24-foot ceiling: though it is a feature from the era in which the townhouse was built, it was uncommon, and definitely “a highlight of the home”.
Meanwhile, the house’s history was also a draw: in 1826, when the house was built, the prestigious address of Waverly Place had been known as Art Street and was frequented by literary talents like Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville. Now a landmark building regulated by local authorities, its last owner was the late Celeste Martin, formerly a dancer of the legendary New York dance company Rockettes; described by Robert Novogratz as “a bit of an eccentric”, Martin became locally known as the “queen of the village” and lived in the home until her death at 98 years old in 2018.