Would YOU Live in this 1884 Masterpiece? #history #dakota

Witness how businessman Chris Whittle and renowned architect Peter Marino meticulously revived this historic residence, restoring its 1884 grandeur. Through expert craftsmanship and a keen eye for detail, they transformed the space into a stunning showcase of Victorian elegance, blending period-appropriate décor with modern conveniences. Discover the challenges and triumphs of preserving history while creating a luxurious home that honors its rich heritage.

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[Music] welcome along fellow fans of the Dakota architect PTO Marino once said quote appropriateness is the central point of architecture a palace should look like a palace a loft should look like a loft a hot dog stand should look like a hot dog stand and an apartment in the Dakota should look like an apartment in the Dakota not a Shak spread in the Olympic Tower end [Music] quote in September of 2019 this gorgeously Grand 11 room residence out the Dakota was put up for sale for 11 million bucks many Dakota fans were always asking me who owned or owned certain apartments and sometimes they even get asked who designed them well check this out this apartment was once owned by education and media bigwig Chris Whittle he’s the genius who conceived Edison schools he also founded Avenues the world school now one of New York City’s 10 largest private schools he hired American architect Peter Marino to transform his Dakota apartment into an extraordinary space Marino is renowned for his exceptional architectural and design projects as well as his distinctive personal fashion style often described as a quote tattooed biker look end quote this unique fashion sense includes predominantly black clothing leather adorned with buckles and studs and a leather cap kind of like how I dress just kidding which Marina refers to as a decoy the apartment sprs out across 4500 ft and features 12T ceilings restored original details and some contemporary flourishes including ash black wood floors and hand painted walls the photos I’m going to show you are from a house and garden article from August of 1987 and from a September 2019 real estate listing let’s go when Chris whle purchased the apartment in the Dakota it was a dilapidated seriously dilapidated that’s how it was described six room space By the time Marino finished his work not a single inch of the original apartment ceilings walls moldings floors remained Untouched by him he tackled everything you see Marino aimed to design and decorate the apartment as if and this is really cool Chris Whittle was its first resident in 1884 cool right this required not only renovation but complete reconstruction demanding extensive research resources and a heck of a lot of imagination the project was comprehensive we’re talking about A2Z everything was specially curated for the apartment down to the Georgian silverware Marino amassed an impressive collection of 19th century European paintings drawings watercolors and early 20th century American paintings he even acquired a major Pottery collection Georgian cut crystal American bronze decorative objects and 19th century English feldspar and Jasper items he also assembled a collection of antique Russian French Empire and 17th century English twirled wood can C sticks you see Marina wanted candle light everywhere he also wanted fires in all the fireplaces and gold gilding shimmering on the furniture following 19th century tradition the major rooms were painted in strong colors Ox blood for the dining room gold for the living room and terracotta for the study these were done using ultramarine 19th century pigment paints mixed with milk the apartment’s Halls were neutral so the central core a long windowless space called The Gallery was painted pale gray and decorated with stencils dominating the gallery was a fulllength portrait by American impressionist Richard Miller depicting a woman in a white Shaw looking into a mirror above a commode Marino found a large oval Regency mirror similar to the one in the painting and hung it perpendicular to it suggesting it had been the artist model for the curved steel frames of the upholstered bench in the gallery Marino used a company that’s been making buggy springs for over a century the apartment enters into a 21 ft Grand entry Gallery complete with its own wood burning fireplace this leads to the entertaining center of the home the stencils in the front hall were adapted by Peter Marino and they were inspired by Edwardian art Nuvo curtains framing the doorway to the living room there was a Charles the 10th clock that sat at top the Frank furnace fireplace beneath in a rug Bazaar by George Henry Hall the space was further adorned with an English Regency table from Jee Tyson and a 19th century sultanabad carpet from antique rug dealer Doris Leslie Blau the long Corner living room has mahogany mill work ash black floors and an ornate wood burning fireplace Mr Whittle had an 1870 massive Rosewood piano in that room when he lived there the living room featured lady on a gold couch Circa 1906 by FC fra above the sofa to the right was a large bronze statue of Nathan Hal by Frederick mcmoney which stood Beyond goord silk pillows two of which were made from 17th century Fabrics the living room also housed Imperial Russian dessert plates on a 19th century table from Jean Tyson elsewhere two English 19 carved walnut chairs faced each other next to a French Empire chair the 12T High gold thread curtains on the portal from the gallery to the living room or from a set of eight late 19th century aesthetic movement curtains by Templeton of Glasgow previously an old W Castle in [Music] Wilshire Marino has often worked directly with small factories in England Italy and France and so the silk for the living room sofa was made in leyon France and the sofa itself was designed by Marino after an 1880s model and was crafted by a company of Parisian textile Artisans that were in business for 140 years [Music] the adjacent formal dining room features a gold leaf ceiling Juliet Balcony its own fireplace and original pocket doors when Mr Whittle live there the D dining room was illuminated by a grand Flemish chandelier which showcased a griffin Motif on the fire screen Frank Fess mantle and a 19th century French carpet above the fireplace hung a 1645 Still Life by Palace van Boss flanked by 12 18th century French paintings of Roman emperors a crouching lion by Anan Lou Bar sat on a French 19th century table with George the thir chair was covered in cow and and tout silk damasque the 2019 listing described the bright and spacious kitchen as quote reminiscent of a Parisian beastro end quot featuring carara marble countertops and tile [Music] floors located nearer to the private wing of the home the large Library includes a dramatic fireplace and windows that Overlook the building’s inner Courtyard at the end of the hall leading to the master bedroom hung a large 1903 pastel portrait of a young man depicting a French Aristocrat in Edwardian attire seated at the top of stairs leading to a library The West Wing houses the bedrooms consisting of a master suite two additional large bedrooms a den or smaller fourth bedroom a sitting room a separate kitchen a laundry room and a service entrance the master suite boasts two full-size bathrooms and two walk-in closets for Mr Whittle the master bedroom’s curtains were made of thick green wool that resembled a carpet and were produced by the same French Factory that crafted jackets for Napoleon’s Army how cool is that [Music] [Applause] [Music] a pair of Parisian posts served as lamps on either side of his bed their bronze mountings encrusted with gold filigree and semi-precious blue and red stones that caught and refracted the [Music] light at the time that Mr Whittle lived there the Terracotta colored guest room/ study featured lady at a writing table Circa 1890 by Julie morest and it was located to the left of pen and ink drawings of European Street Scenes by Lester Hornby on the right there was a French Empire desk and chair opposite a slipper chair in its original fabric from around 1865 above the northern Italian Walnut bed cir 1800 hung a study for a painting of a Parish Church in Paris by Henry lero the room also included a Charles the 10th chair and a 19th century Turkish rug from antique rug dealer Doris lesli Blau kilum carpets hung as curtains on either side of the sleeping Alco which inspired the stencil patterns for the walls and [Music] ceiling every detail and moment of creative work came to fruition one evening when Marino and Whittle hosted an in dinner for friends where they celebrated the completion of the Dakota [Music] apartment the only touch left for Mr Whittle and Mr Marino was for them to have a hjin carriage transport their guests to and from the Dakota for dinner and for all we know they may have even done that in fact if Mr Marino or Mr Whittle are watching this video will you please contact me I’ve got a few questions by the way if the current owner of this Dakota apartment is watching this video will you kindly invite me over for a visit as you probably know by now I will even bring the tea and scones that offer by the way extends to all current and future Dakota residents and residents of any other cool [Music] spaces so what do you think of this Dakota apartment if you were rolling Ino would you buy that cool pad and decorate it like that you know I would [Music] kly let me know your thoughts about this apartment and living in the Dakota in the comments below by the way if you want to support my research and Productions please check out the links below among other things you can buy my books about the architecture and history of the Dakota and other cool buildings such as the insonia frier park tit Hurst Park and more until next time I wish you safe travels on all your Journeys [Music]