Did you see Bette Midler’s Fifth Avenue apartment in Architectural Digest?
It really wowed me with its sweeping views of Central Park and beautifully landscaped terraces. If you’re going to live in the city, then heck, this is the way to do it.
Update: It’s on the market! Read on for the details.
Bette Midler’s Fifth Avenue Apartment
The entertainer lives here with her husband, Martin von Haselberg.
Bette is an “urban-garden activist,” and I admire her passion for rebuilding community gardens in the city. She founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), whose volunteers have planted nearly one million trees.
2019 Update: It’s for sale! The listing says:
5th Ave – Renovated Triplex Penthouse. This magnificent and impressive 14 room Penthouse occupies the top three floors of one of Fifth Avenue’s finest full service prewar cooperative buildings on Carnegie Hill. The residence offers spectacular views of Central Park, the Reservoir and the iconic Manhattan skyline.
Abundant sunlight streams in throughout the day from all four exposures. The outstanding residence boasts approximately 7,000 square feet of interior space, in addition to over 3,000 square feet of landscaped terraces. The terraces are perfectly situated off of the living room, dining room and library, making them ideal for entertaining.
Upon arrival, a private elevator landing opens onto a large open gallery flooded with southern light. The gallery flows into an impressive and vast 70 foot sweep of entertaining space with exceptionally high ceilings. This ideal entertaining space includes a double living room, large open dining room, and a sun drenched renovated eat-in-kitchen.
The kitchen incorporates custom wood cabinetry, marble counter tops, and top of the line appliances including a six burner Garland stove with grill, Sub Zero refrigerator and Miele dishwasher. The entertainment floor of the residence is surrounded by brilliantly landscaped terraces which seamlessly merge with breathtaking vistas of Central Park, the Reservoir, and dramatic Manhattan skyline views.
A private study/home office and guest bathroom complete this floor. The stunning and dramatic library occupies the entire top floor of the penthouse and boasts soaring 13 ft. ceilings, a wood burning fireplace, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and breathtaking oversized windows facing West and South capturing sweeping Central Park and Reservoir views. The library opens onto yet another magnificently landscaped rooftop garden oasis encompassing over 900 square feet and enjoying open views in every direction. A full bathroom completes this floor. The private bedroom floor of the residence offers the flexibility of a six or seven bedroom layout.
The two enormous bedrooms facing onto Central Park each have outstanding closet space, oversized bathrooms, and generous dressing areas. The beautiful corner master bedroom suite has oversized picture windows and a wonderful adjacent study/dressing room with a wood burning fireplace. The Eastern wing of this level includes a 24 x 17 family room with open city views, as well as three additional bedrooms.
The building was built in 1925 and designed by renowned architect Emery Roth in Neo-Renaissance Style.
Head to Architectural Digest to see the rest of the photos by William Waldron.
Check the listing for more photos and information.
This is truly beautiful! So many wonderful spaces – looks very cozy 🙂 Thanks for sharing! I now have sunroom envy…
Beautiful is right! But I was expecting something more . . . more BETTE! This is very well-designed but very safe + very traditional.
It’s more understated than I expected, too!
I thought the exact same thing. However, when I saw the sunroom, I kinda had an uh huh thing happen…a little peek maybe, into more what I would have anticipated. Did you notice those “things” on the top of her closet??? Ancient head armor “things”??
THAT VIEW THOUGH!!! Soooo would like a trip to the “Big Apple” someday. What a far cry from my view of farm fields and woods. (although mine is equally as beautiful!) ~Kim
If I only looked at the picture of her kitchen, I would never have guessed that it was an apartment in Manhattan. The trees and plants outside the kitchen , along with the decor, makes it seem as if it’s a country cottage. Very nice and I agree, surprisingly understated.
So light and sophisticated! I love it!
“If you’re going to live in the city, then heck, this is the way to do it… ” Yep. I’d live in that space anywhere.
I like this a lot its classic and fresh looking
I looked at the extra pics on the AD site and WOW the outside is as amazing as the inside! The only thing that struck me is that her husband has his own bedroom and at first glance, it looked like a teenage boys’ room!! Looks like Bette let her husband decorate his own room – it shows some whimsy with the action figures and colorful bedding; but I’m not loving that encased wall/ unit bed contraption- reminds me of those waterbed platform beds from the 70’s! Is that why they have separate rooms? Hope not!!
Bette Midler has always seemed like a great person. I’ve always really admired her work on community gardens in the city too. While the decor is not exactly my taste, who cares??!! That view! Those terraces! WOW!!
Actually, the whole NYC garden/apartment topic made me think of Andie MacDowell’s apartment in Green Card so I just went to your post on that to look at it again. Now THAT is my absolute ideal.
One of my favorites! 🙂
Mine too! I absolutely love the character, quirk…I mean charm of the place!!!
love that movie apartment!!
She was born in Hawaii and I think it shows in how she allows nature and outside views the focal point of her home. Absolutely beautiful.
Oh my goodness – Love Bette Midler and LOVE her apartment. It is so Bette!! I have always loved Bette at all levels – great singer, actress and gal. I so want those book shelves and ladder etc.
Glorious!
I’ve loved Bette since she dropped from the heavens in a clam shell!
That apartment is gorgeous, she has the best of all worlds, a water view and an English garden right outside her windows. Why live anywhere else when NYC is 20 floors below!
Thanks for sharing.
That might be my favorite celebrity pad ever. So beautiful.
Isn’t this just the height of elegance? I’m pleasantly surprised. I pictured Bette in something more over-the-top. The view is spectacular as well.
WOW this is so lovely. Would be nice to sit outdoors and take it all in and after enjoying all that view, you walk inside…where I wouldn’t know which room to admire first. Hi Julia thank you for sharing. I always thought Bette Midlers stage persona would be over the top but looking at her home it looks like her personal life is calm and full of beauty. Till next time Regards Esther from Sydney. PS have a great weekend.
Wowwwwwww. I really like that sunroom! It’s all so awesomely fabulous! Wow.
Now THIS is how you live in NYC. That kitchen is fantastic.Fia
I am not a city dweller. At all. However….if I had to live in the city, than this penthouse is ideal, and it wouldn’t be that big of a burden to be in a bustling metropolis with such a space to call home. 😉
If there were no photos of the city views, or mention of it being Manhattan, I would have sworn that it was a house on a piece of land, especially with the photo of the kitchen.
EXQUISITE.
What a stunning NYC home inside and out!
Julia,
A friend sent me the link to this listing. Keep scrolling until you get to the mint bedroom: https://realestate.crescentcityliving.com/idx/photogallery/a100/995311
What?!?
Oh, my gosh. That freaked me out a little! Too funny.
Motivation for running on that treadmill?? Haha
It would motivate me! LOL.
Wow she has great taste! I thought she might have leopard and zebra print every where.
What a dream! Wow.. those views are spectacular and the terraces are just perfect. Really something… Thanks, Julia!
It’s as fabulous as the lady herself. Thanks for sharing!
Wow this is amazing! The kitchen does not look like it belongs in a New York apartment! That giant window and the double doors look like they’re leading out to a beautiful country garden! Apartment aspiration!!
Hi, I’m new to your blog, but was hooked instantly. Just wanted to say I’m extremely jealous of Bette’s closet, especially the shoe display. However, the amount of pumps she has, I have cowboy boots, that combined with my army issue boots would make my shoe display in a closet like that funny looking (and would probably end up in your bad MLS photo display LOL). Just add the hubby with the gun and stuffed critters haha!
I still like looking at pretty closets 🙂
OMG, I’ve died and gone to real estate heaven. I LOVE every single thing about this apartment. I love Bette, now I wish I could just be here and live there. lol
What an EXQUISITE. I really like that sunroom! It is so awesomely fabulous! Wow. This is so lovely. That apartment is gorgeous, so light and sophisticated! I love it! Thanks for sharing this.
I love this home. Everything about it. Its peaceful right in NYC. The terrace is beautiful and wouldn’t you love to have dinner out there in the summer and decorate the area at Christmas.
Its bright and cheery and the kitchen is perfect. The sunroom makes you want to take a book from the shelve and cozy down for a good afternoon of reading. That is after a fabulous day of shopping in NY.
That Bette, she’s a lucky girl but has worked hard for it. I hope she has time to love it.