Oscar-winning actor Julianne Moore and her husband, filmmaker Bart Freundlich, have traded their West Village townhouse for a two-bedroom duplex in a 1920s Manhattan building. The couple’s new home combines modernist furnishings, pre-war architectural character and expansive terraces, reflecting Moore’s long-standing passion for interior design.
Unlike many celebrity homeowners who seek privacy through secluded entrances and private elevators, Moore has embraced life as a downtown New Yorker. She and Freundlich raised their two children in the West Village, first in a loft and later in a townhouse with a garden designed by Brian Sawyer. Both properties were featured in Architectural Digest and refined with the help of Freundlich’s brother, architectural designer Oliver Freundlich.
Downsizing without giving up the city
For years, Moore had wanted to live in a townhouse. But as her children grew up and the family acquired a larger beach house in Montauk, their needs changed. With their children now grown, the couple decided to scale back their Manhattan home.
After looking at numerous apartments in the neighbourhood, Moore found a property she had admired for years: a duplex in the heart of the West Village, high above the street and surrounded by the architectural details she loves.
Its windows frame views of New York’s rooftops, water towers, decorative brickwork, arches and rooftop gardens. Generous terraces also offer an alternative to the lush garden she left behind.
Built in the 1920s as a residential hotel, the building has a distinctive mix of residents, from younger tenants in compact studios to longtime occupants who have lived there for decades. Most units are studios or one-bedroom apartments, making Moore and Freundlich’s two-bedroom duplex a comparatively unusual home within the property.
A renovation focused on preserving character
The renovation took eight months and marked the sixth project Moore and Oliver Freundlich had undertaken together. The apartment was already in excellent condition, thanks to its previous owner, who had lived there for 20 years and maintained it carefully.
Rather than redesigning the entire space, the pair concentrated on practical improvements while preserving its original character. They simplified patterns, reduced visual clutter and added storage without altering the layout.
The kitchen presented a particular challenge. Its original steel-framed windows were retained, but the absence of upper cabinets meant the designers had to find another way to provide sufficient storage. Their solution was to install a pantry beside the kitchen.
In the primary bedroom, an angled wall complicated the installation of a wardrobe. Freundlich found a way to accommodate a king-size bed and a closet while leaving enough open floor space for Moore to practise yoga.
The result reflects the actor’s preference for modernism, adapted to the realities of a pre-war building. She paid close attention to even the smallest details, including switches and door handles.
Vintage pieces meet contemporary design
The furnishings combine treasured possessions from the couple’s previous homes with carefully selected new pieces.
A Paavo Tynell light fixture from Moore’s former residence now hangs in the kitchen, while the window shades were made using fabric that had previously served as curtains. Dining chairs purchased in Paris in 1995 have followed her from one home to another.
New additions include a Pierre Chapo table in the entrance, a Raoul Guys table in the kitchen and living-room seating designed by Charles Pfister for Knoll.
Some existing features required a change of perspective rather than replacement. The library’s taupe-lacquered bookcases, originally created in collaboration with colour expert Donald Kaufman, were initially considered for removal. Moore and Freundlich ultimately decided to keep them and incorporate them into the design.
The living-room mantel also demanded careful consideration. Moore had imagined a sculptural design inspired by the work of Valentine Schlegel, but the couple worried that such a dramatic feature might overwhelm the room. They instead chose a geometric marble mantel with a softer finish, displaying some of Moore’s own cast-bronze objects above it.
A home shaped by history
Moore’s interest in design extends beyond aesthetics. She values materials, proportions and the way a home reflects the period in which it was built.
The apartment’s balance of contemporary furnishings and historic details has given her the calm atmosphere she wanted without severing her connection to New York’s past.
The actor, who has received the Academy Award and numerous other major honours, keeps her Oscar discreetly displayed on a shelf in the entrance and library area.
For Moore, the appeal of the new home lies in its sense of continuity. The apartment offers a peaceful retreat while keeping the surrounding city in view—a reminder that its occupants are only the latest in a long line of people to have called it home.
As she puts it, the couple wanted to capture “a sense of history, of time, of all the people who have lived here before us”. They are simply passing through, she says, and that is part of New York’s magic.
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