Geroge and Rosemary Lois
Butterfield House, 1962, nestled between the classic Village row houses
The apartment of George Lois, the ad man and art director who coined “I Want My MTV” and “If You Got It, Flaunt It,” is currently on the market … and if I had the resources, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. The Butterfield House was one of the first Midcentury Modern buildings in New York City’s West Village. George and Rosemary Lois, who died within months of each other in 2022, combined two units on the third floor to make a 3,000-square-foot residence with two balconies, four bedrooms, a studio, library and 48-foot-wide living room, all of which doubled as a museum for the rare and noteworthy objects and historic furniture that filled the home.
I visited the apartment several times and always found something to pique my interest, from primitive wood-carved masks to a handmade kimono and various enviable Art Nouveau curiosities (like the exotic serpent-shaped floor lamp in the photo below).
Geroge and Rosemary on their first day at Pratt. They married in 1951.
George and Rosemary, who met on the first day of their first year at Pratt Institute, bonded when they saw each others’ drawings. Their mutual love for art evolved quickly into a mutual and lasting love for each other. They shared their passion for eclectic art and artifacts, which were seamlessly integrated throughout the home, built in 1962 and designed by William J. Conklin and urban architect and designer James Rossant.
Artist and designers’ studios and living spaces are valued by scholars for what they say about the personalities, aesthetics and interests of the previous inhabitants. George and Rosemary designed a home that was crystal-clear reflection of their passions. It also had the spaciousness of a Village townhouse and the amenities of a luxury apartment. The Butterfield House fit them to a “t.”
Inquiries about the offering can be made through the Corocran Group.
Photo: Jason Schmidt
Interior photos: Rachel Kuzma/REPN