Here's Where You Can Visit The House From The Royal Tenenbaums
Built in 1899, the huge Flemish Revival townhouse found at 339 Convent Avenue in New York City is eye-catching in its own right. However, fans of stylistic film director Wes Anderson will feel a twinge of déjà vu when spotting the mansion, built of red bricks and featuring the striking stepped gable design typical of Flemish Revival architecture (via Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation). In Anderson's 2001 movie "The Royal Tenenbaums," the mansion served as the eponymous Tenenbaum family's home. Gwenyth Paltrow, Gene Hackman, Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, and more make up the dynamic cast typical of a Wes Anderson movie.
The film centers around the Tenenbaum family, an oddball ensemble full of disfunction, as they find themselves reunited after several years apart. Earning much critical acclaim, the film was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Academy Awards (via IMDB). Fans of the eccentric director can spot the gorgeous mansion that was featured in the film in the West Harlem neighborhood of Hamilton Heights. Although the home is currently off-market, you can catch a glimpse of the interior on the mansion's Zillow listing.
Luxurious 19th century details
Designed by Adolph Hoak and originally owned by Charles H. Tuttle, who ran for New York governor against Franklin D. Roosevelt (per Town & Country), the home blends 19th-century luxury with modern comfort. At 6,000 square feet, the five-floor house boasts six bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, an elevator that services the lower three floors, a patio, a garden, formal dining and living rooms, and an updated kitchen.
The house still features much of its original 19th-century charm, including parquet floors, stained glass, original moldings, and six gas-operated fireplaces with authentic detailing still in place. Sitting on the corner of Convent Avenue and West 144th Street, the building has three directions of sunlight exposure, with over 50 windows facing north, east, and west, via Town & Country. It's no wonder this gem is worth an estimated $4.5 million. Last purchased in 1999, the property was put up for lease for the first time in 2021, for a hefty rent of $20,000, according to the building's Zillow listing.
A spacious respite from the city
For the average New Yorker, a chance to peek inside this expansive abode provides an opportunity to daydream about inhabiting such a luxurious estate. The prospect of in-unit laundry is enough to give you goosebumps, not to mention the extensive private outdoor spaces and more rooms than you may know what to do with. From the romantic ivy climbing the charming red bricks near the entrance of the building, to the beautiful tower at the corner, one can imagine that arriving home to this extraordinary building feels much like stepping into a castle
Inside, the incredible, detailed woodwork is dressed with dazzling chandeliers and luxe curtains, and everything appears to be styled in an effort to let the historic details of the townhouse shine. Fans of "The Royal Tenenbaums" may even be able to recognize some of the interior photos from the film. Wes Anderson rented the home for six months and utilized many of the rooms for interior scenes of the movie, including three bedrooms, the living room, the dining room, and more, according to Dirt.