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NYT: Antimodern Chicago
House & Home Roundup 1.17.08

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Whoa. Check out the opulent Chicago home of Richard Driehaus. In Modernist Chicago’s Voice of Dissent, The New York Times takes a peek into Driehaus' love affair with neo-Classicism. The founder of a successful investment firm, Driehaus has a vast collection of art and antiques from the late-19th and early-20th-centuries...

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In addition to his home, Driehaus keeps a lot of his cvast collections in the Richard H. Driehaus Museum of Decorative Arts, which is opening this spring. Don't miss the slideshow for even more photos.

(Pics: William Zbaren)

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House & Home Roundup, real estate, The New York Times, Art Deco, over the top, Art Nouveau

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Comments (13)

Neoclassicism is gorgeous IF you have a large, high-ceiling space like his. I think one of the reasons so many people like MCM is that it's the only style that works in low-ceilinged boxy white apartments without visitors thinking, "How pathetic. She wants to live in Versailles."

posted by Lisa Hunter on January 17th 2008 at 7:24am
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Ha, Lisa--that's so funny. I often worry about that when I bring some gilded piece in my home, like "Maybe I should just stick with Ikea."

posted by Christine (the one in DC) on January 17th 2008 at 7:31am
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Interesting in that in the living room at least I see lots of modernist elements in the form of Art Deco like details in things like the coffered ceiling w/ florescent lighting and the corner light panels and the details of the fireplace surround to name a few.

The dining room is definitely neo classical and very traditional in tone w/ lots of Louis the XIV like styling cues all over.

But I would agree that if you are going for that kind of opulance, tall ceilings do help to show off the details very well.

posted by ciddyguy on January 17th 2008 at 7:53am
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I want to love the art deco room pictured at the top, but it has no life. It looks like a funeral home.

posted by petro on January 17th 2008 at 7:58am
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This is DISGUSTING. Just goes to prove that money doesn't buy you taste.

posted by hejiranyc on January 17th 2008 at 8:02am
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Wow! It's nice to finally get a peek inside! The outside is definitely a treasure in itself but to be able to see the inside--how exciting!

I was under the impression that he has the largest private Tiffany glass collection in the world.

posted by art on January 17th 2008 at 8:17am
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It's a sneak peak inside Richie Rich's mansion. Makes me queasy.

posted by sherry2 on January 17th 2008 at 8:24am
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Disgusting might be just a wee bit harsh, but I do agree it looks like a roped off museum exhibit. To have that much money must really skews things -- regular people like me actually use all of our square footage for living in, whereas this guy probably only steps foot in the teensiest part of his house on a daily basis. So the no life/funeral home comparison is .... kind of true.

posted by AmyV on January 17th 2008 at 9:00am
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I have these exact drapes (well, knockoffs) and I can't keep my eyes off of them. I mixed them with very modern pieces of furture. I love all of this, just not all of it all together.

posted by jlg on January 17th 2008 at 11:08am
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Disgusting? This from the poster who says, "I have dropped a small fortune on Ethan Allen furniture . . ."
Take it from the source folks.

posted by ChrisToronto on January 18th 2008 at 4:33am
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I LOVE the art deco elements. This is like walking through a 30's movie about the "upper class". I am captivated by the chandelier that looks like water splashing with maidens cavorting around the sides, except that it looks like they have weird frog legs????

posted by kuroneko on January 18th 2008 at 5:01am
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ChrisToronto, I already admitted that my tastes had moved on away from EA. At least I can find the positive merits of solidly built quality. Douchebag.

posted by hejiranyc on January 18th 2008 at 5:49am
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Nice . . .

posted by ChrisToronto on January 18th 2008 at 6:17am
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