For actor Julianne Moore, home is more than just a place to unwind. It is a reflection of her personality, her love for art and her appreciation for objects that carry a story. In a home tour with Architectural Digest, Julianne opens the doors to her New York apartment, offering a glimpse into a thoughtfully designed space where vintage finds, contemporary artworks, treasured keepsakes and functional interiors come together seamlessly. (Also read: Step inside a Russian entrepreneur’s grand New York mansion inspired by the Winter Palace with a 24-carat gold staircase and private ballroom )
Located in a building dating back to the 1920s that originally served as a hotel, Julianne’s New York apartment offers her a new perspective on city living. Having spent nearly 25 years in a townhouse, the actor enjoys living above street level. “I love New York. This is the first time in my life that I’ve lived up high,” she shares, describing the joy of seeing the city unfold around her.
The apartment features several terraces, including one shared with close friends, as well as a small herb garden that both households can enjoy, bringing a touch of greenery to urban living.
A home shaped by personal treasures
Julianne’s apartment reflects her personality through vintage finds, designer furniture and sentimental objects collected over the years. Among her favourites are chairs she bought in Paris in 1995. Although the seller suggested they might have been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, she remains doubtful. “I love them. They’ve been in every house that I’ve ever had,” she says, adding that she cannot imagine parting with them.
The home also features affordable finds, including an IKEA storage unit she assembled herself to accommodate her dishes. “I was thinking about having something built and I found this,” she recalls. “I put it together and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the colour is perfect.’”
{{/usCountry}}The home also features affordable finds, including an IKEA storage unit she assembled herself to accommodate her dishes. “I was thinking about having something built and I found this,” she recalls. “I put it together and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the colour is perfect.’”
{{/usCountry}}This mix of high-design pieces, practical furniture and personal keepsakes gives the apartment its distinctive character.
The art of thoughtful details
Because the apartment is relatively compact, Julianne and her architect, Oliver Freundlich, paid close attention to details, from light switches and faucets to cabinet handles. “We were really, really careful about the details of this apartment because it’s small,” she explains. “The details really, really matter.”
The existing bookcases, which belonged to the previous owners, helped inspire the wall colour. Alongside the kitchen’s concrete tiles and fireplace stone, they guided her choice of Sea Pearl by Benjamin Moore.
Her love for craftsmanship is evident in the entryway, where ceramics, sculptural objects and vintage finds create a welcoming atmosphere. A vase she discovered in a West 13th Street vintage store in the early 2000s has travelled with her through several homes. “I just love it. It’s like a piece of sculpture,” she says.
Another treasured object is an unfinished wooden bowl gifted by a makeup artist she worked with on Hannibal. Made by a woodworker in Asheville, it was deliberately left unfinished to suit her taste. “I like craft a lot. I don’t like things to be overproduced. I like patina. I like texture. I like ceramics,” she says, summing up her approach to interiors.
A living room filled with art
Julianne’s living room combines artistic expression with everyday comfort. Instead of a television, she and her architect opted for a projector, keeping the wall uncluttered while creating a space for watching films and basketball. A working fireplace adds warmth to the room.
The space displays works by artists and designers she admires, including Rogen Gregory, Nancy Pierce, Isamu Noguchi, George Nakashima and Gaetano Pesce. Personal keepsakes, including a crystal ball gifted by her husband, sit alongside sculptural pieces.
Some of the everyday objects on display began as ceramic pieces Julianne made herself before Nancy Pierce cast them in bronze. She also treasures a wax baby sculpture discovered during a photoshoot with her friend Helena Christensen.
Recalling the moment she first saw it, Julianne says, “Oh my god, that’s so beautiful. Who made that?” The sculpture sits alongside a work by Louise Bourgeois, creating what Julianne sees as a compelling conversation between two feminine forms.
A bathroom that balances practicality and elegance
The bathroom continues the apartment’s thoughtful design language. Julianne considers a bathtub essential, whether at home or in a hotel, and was fortunate that the apartment already had one she loved.
“I have to have a bathtub. I have to have a bathtub in my house. I have to have a bathtub in a hotel,” she says.
The original marble tiles were retained, with Oliver sourcing additional tiles to complement them. Eileen Gray light fixtures add an industrial touch, while a raised edge along the stonework helps prevent water from spilling onto the floor.
Julianne also jokes about the flattering effect of the bathroom’s lighting, observing that people can sometimes look better there than they do in real life.
A space for yoga and quiet moments
Julianne practises yoga regularly and prefers to keep the floor bare rather than add a rug. A photograph of the moon, captured by her husband using a telescope, adds a personal touch, while a stool by Danish designer Nanna Ditzel and vintage Anglepoise lamps bring character to the space.
From the rooftop herb garden and cherished Parisian chairs to carefully selected artworks and affordable furniture, Julianne’s New York apartment reflects a home shaped by memory, craftsmanship and individuality. Rather than following a single design trend, she surrounds herself with objects that are useful, meaningful or simply make her happy.