Inside the world's most extraordinary art homes: 5 residences where architecture serves priceless collections

Tatler Asia

06-05-2025

Above The Menil House in Houston by Philip Johnson (Photo: Facebook/Menil Collection)
Above The interiors of the Menil House were designed by Charles James (Photo: Instagram/communedesign)
The 5,500 sq ft structure featured a track lighting system by Edison Price under Kelly's direction, with calculated angles eliminating glare while properly illuminating artwork.
Interior walls employed specifically calibrated white tones—what the de Menils called their 'color of shadow'—later adopted in the Menil Collection museum. The courtyard incorporated strategically positioned skylights and clerestory windows, delivering natural light that complemented rather than compromised the artworks.
See also: Lego Art meets Van Gogh: Inside the revolutionary 'Sunflowers' design 2. Broad residence, The Late Eli and Edythe Broad's Los Angeles Residence
Above Eli and Edythe Broad (Photo: The Broad)
The late Eli and his wife Edythe Broad's Brentwood home was initially designed by Frank Gehry on a dramatically sloping hillside plot. Though the firm Langdon Wilson ultimately completed the project at Gehry's suggestion, the residence bears hallmarks of his signature style: sculptural bravado, soaring volumes, and unconventional materials.
The 13,000-square-foot dwelling was specifically designed to showcase their extensive collection, with the lower level devoted to gallery spaces and guest quarters.
Above The Brentwood, California home of collectors Edythe and Eli Broad by Franj Gehry (Photo: Instagram/@theartreporter)
The Broads' home features a welded-steel ceiling in the living room, described by designer Rose Tarlow as 'a giant Japanese paper kite hovering above the voluminous space.' The three-acre grounds provide dramatic opportunities for displaying outdoor sculptures, most notably a monumental Richard Serra piece comprising four curved steel plates weighing 15 tons each.
Throughout the interior, museum-quality lighting and display conditions support a collection that has included masterworks by Jasper Johns, Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, Alexander Calder, and Jeff Koons.
Don't miss: Home tour: A modern country house in Vancouver with an expansive art-filled garden 3. Maja Hoffmann's London Residence
Above Maja Hoffman's London home by India Mahdavi (Photo: Instagram/@collectorwalls)
Above Maja Hoffman's London home by India Mahdavi (Photo: Instagram/@collectorwalls)
The pharmaceutical heiress and art patron's London home consists of two adjacent 1770s houses designed by Scottish architects Robert and James Adam.
Working with designer India Mahdavi, Hoffmann created a residence that balances historic preservation with contemporary art display. The property maintains the Adam brothers' neoclassical architectural elements while adapting spaces specifically for her collection.
Above Maja Hoffmann (Photo: Luma Arles)
The residence preserves the original moldings in their elegantly weathered condition, creating distinctive backdrops for contemporary works. A vast drawing room features a gilded-copper ceiling complemented by Rudolf Stingel's carpet installations, serving as both display space and venue for arts institutions Hoffmann supports.
The white-walled interiors provide a neutral setting for works by artists including Isa Genzken and Sigmar Polke, while custom furnishings by Mahdavi integrate with modernist pieces by Charlotte Perriand and Jean Prouvé, establishing a dialogue between art and design within the historical framework.
Read more: Bill Bensley: Eco-luxury hotels' design rebel 4. Eugenio López Alonso's Mexico City Residence
Above The library of Eugenio López Alonso's home in Mexico City designed by Luis Bustamante Interiors (Photo: Instagram/@ricardolabougle)
Above The pool of Eugenio López Alonso's home in Mexico City designed by Luis Bustamante Interiors (Photo: Instagram/@luisustamanteinteriors)
The Jumex Collection founder's 16,000-square-foot modernist house in Mexico City's upscale Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood serves as both home and showcase for one of Latin America's most extensive private art collections.
Originally built in the 1970s, López transformed the residence in collaboration with Madrid-based interior designer Luis Bustamante to create an environment where architecture and art coexist harmoniously.
Above Eugenio López Alonso (Photo: WikiCommons/Fundación Jumex)
The residence features a breathtaking double-height library on the ground floor, housing thousands of art books and exhibition catalogues.
Throughout the home, warm oak accents create an inviting atmosphere while complementing the diverse array of artwork on display, including significant pieces by Richard Serra, Rudolf Stingel, Jeff Koons, Ellsworth Kelly, and Damien Hirst. The spacious layout and architectural elements were specifically designed to accommodate substantial contemporary works while maintaining the comfort and functionality of a private residence.
See also: Biophilic luxury: 7 stunning nature-integrated resorts 5. Agnes Gund's New York Apartment
Above Agnes Gund in her New York apartment with Mark Rothko's 'Two Greens With Red Stripe' (1964). Beside her is Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 'Wrapped Champagne Bottles' (1965). (Photo: Instagram/@abstracttrend)
Above Agnes Gund's dining room, where Kristen McGinnis set Roy Lichtenstein's Masterpiece, 1962, against one of the designer's signature blue hues and added an antique English dining table and chairs (Photo: Instagram/@art_collectors_at_home)
The art patron and philanthropist's Park Avenue residence serves as both home and exhibition space for selections from her 1,400-work collection. Working with decorator Kristen McGinnis, Gund created an environment where, as McGinnis notes, "It's about the art," while maintaining functionality for a home that hosts four children, eleven grandchildren, and constant art world visitors.
The apartment's lighting was specifically redesigned by McGinnis to showcase major works including Johns, Rauschenberg, Gorky, and LeWitt. The installation process required precise technical planning—Rauschenberg's piece needed Museum of Modern Art conservators to oversee its placement, while Johns's "Untitled" (1995) had to be craned through a bedroom window. When wall space proved insufficient, Scottish artist Richard Wright created a site-specific painting directly onto the dining room ceiling. Throughout the residence, clean lines and a muted palette establish a backdrop for the collection, with occasional bold elements like deep blue dining room walls providing counterpoint to the predominantly serene environment.
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