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From Carrie Bradshaw’s Upper East Side brownstone to the downtown digs that Rachel, Chandler, and the rest of the Friends gang called home, NYC is the place to be when it comes to movies and TV. But sometimes, it’s even more satisfying to see inside the real-life pads and hipster enclaves that the actors retreat to at the end of the day. In a city where it’s infamously tricky to get a foot in the door, these stars have blown it wide open—and, lucky for us, they’ve welcomed us inside.
We picked through some of our favorite New York City Open Door tours, and it’s safe to say that these picturesque homes, which range from marble-filled masterpieces in Brooklyn to converted downtown warehouses, are the stuff that real estate dreams are made of. (Just beware of Bobby Flay’s cats, who sound like they can get a little rowdy.) Read on for seven stunning celebrity homes we’ve featured on Open Door that encompass the flavor of New York City living in all its glory.
Michael Shannon’s Brooklyn “chondo”
From the moment Michael Shannon greets cameras with “Howdy doody” in AD’s recent tour of his Brooklyn home, we were all-in on the Oscar nominee’s chondo (that’s a church converted into a condo, by the way). The reworked house of worship is exactly what you’d expect from the actor, who’s known for his signature smolder—and now, at least to us, for a sofa that looks both very expensive and also as though it has seen some things. “It’s leather. It’s vintage. It’s had some use over the years,” Shannon says of the seating’s patina. He enlisted the help of interior designer Colleen Newell, founder of The Inbtwn Studios, to transform the abode. Don’t miss the big departure moment of the tour, when he brings the camera into the room of his two daughters; the space is an oasis of bright colors and joy in the sea of his masculine, hipster haven. As we take in the sunny yellow walls and mushroom decor, Shannon explains the room’s ethos. “We’re into mushrooms—not the medicinal kind, the other kind,” he deadpans. Thanks for clarifying, Michael.
Bobby Flay’s 100-year-old Tribeca apartment
The legendary grill master takes the heat indoors during AD’s tour of his 100-year-old Tribeca home. Flay recently wrapped a six-month renovation of the historic warehouse unit with Olivia Jane Design’s Olivia Capuano. Our favorite part of the tour? When the Food Network star shows off his extremely luxe kitchen, while also nodding to the roots of his cooking obsession. “My first oven was actually an Easy-Bake Oven,” Flay says. “I was like, wait, you can bake a cake from a light bulb?” (He’s come a long way.) The chef, a cat owner, struggles to keep his two Maine coons off his kitchen counter—of course, his kitchen counter is roughly the size of a football field, so we understand their desire to claim a bit of the territory for themselves. Cute as they are, they’re definitely troublemakers; Flay reveals that his mischievous companions once scratched up the stunning blue wall covering in the home’s cozy den. “If you have cats, don’t put anything on your walls that they can put their claws into. Because they will.” Noted.
Maude Apatow’s stylish West Village sanctuary
LA native Maude Apatow, Euphoria star and the daughter of Hollywood fixtures Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, turned to Soho Home when it came time to furnish her prewar one-bedroom in NYC’s West Village. We’re partial to the charming kitchen, which blends pastel pink cabinetry with black-and-white marble countertops. Apatow’s strawberry-shaped salt and pepper shakers are a fun touch, however, they are unfilled—but we’re not here to talk about looks, not flavors. Another fun visual treat is Apatow’s art collection, which shows off her affinity for cats. Don’t expect to see Apatow’s favorite feline, Dolly, making a guest appearance during our tour, though. “She doesn’t do shoots,” Apatow explains. “She’s shy.” We feel ya, Dolly.
Amanda Seyfried’s Manhattan hideaway
Amanda Seyfried loves her home upstate in the Catskills; she’ll tell you so repeatedly, as she told AD in our 2023 Open Door. But when she’s not canoodling with the goats on her farm, the Mamma Mia star hangs her hat in a Manhattan pied-à-terre, which she crafted in partnership with Sarah Zames of General Assembly. Seyfried’s unit is defined by a series of arched windows that flood the space with natural light and an open concept that blends the kitchen, dining, and living areas. One thing you won’t find in the space, however, is the actor’s custom vagina wool hanging, which she prefers to keep in her house upstate. “Not kidding,” she tells the camera. “I don’t know why, I like to remember that we’re all human.”
Christopher Meloni’s dreamy aerie
There’s nothing “especially heinous” about Law and Order star Christopher Meloni’s Manhattan home. (Dun dun.) Quite the opposite, in fact. The sprawling two-level residence offers 360-degree city views and wraparound terraces. Architect Alexander Loyer Hughes helped Meloni and his wife, Sherman, transform the space over a COVID-prolonged three and a half years. As if the vista weren’t enough, the interiors are a wonderland: Meloni’s kitchen is filled with imperial blue cabinetry and a long counter with brass inlay. That space flows into a media room, where the family gathers to read and watch TV. It’s also where the actor strums his guitar. Meloni wouldn’t call himself an aspiring musician, per se—he refers to himself as “the great pretender.” “Every time you want to hear ‘Blackbird’ from the Beatles, I’m happy to pick it up and not play it for you,” he jokes.
Paloma Elsesser’s Brooklyn bliss
Paloma Elsesser found her Brooklyn dreams fulfilled when she came upon a 1905 town house in the borough’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood. In AD’s tour of the dwelling, she walks us through the stunning space, which she transformed with the help of Gregory Rockwell and Hester Hodde of Gregory Rockwell Interiors. We’re big fans of the kitchen, which flawlessly executes the rare combination of a large center island situated in front of a fireplace. Her bathroom, with black-and-white checkered floors and Italian marble in a rich, burnt orange tone, is the picture of luxury, which makes the supermodel reflect in gratitude. “I grew up in a house with one and a half bathrooms where there was definitely not a stool or a seat,” she explains. “When I take a shower, I look, or a sit on this bench, and I think that I’m okay today, and I think that’s really awesome.”
Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott’s maximalist maison
When you’re living with a Property Brother, expect extensive renovations. The NYC apartment of actor Zooey Deschanel and her beau, HGTV mainstay Jonathan Scott, packs a punch from the moment you step inside. In the foyer, the formerly eight-foot ceiling was raised sky high, with multicolored floral wallpaper installed to create a fantasia of color. “This place looked absolutely nothing like the way it does now when we first looked at it,” Deschanel says, while “before” photos reveal the truly drastic difference. (She even admitted her first reaction to the space was: “Ew, gross.”) With the help of interior designer Young Huh—plus Scott’s years of expertise—they created a grand oasis that will have you fantasizing about soft blue kitchens. Don’t miss the grand piano, which was requested by Deschanel; the She & Him vocalist was keen on “the idea of having parties that were sing-alongs,” which you probably already assumed about her.
