Psst: We Just Renovated One of New York’s Most Exclusive Rooms
Above: The Metropolitan Opera’s Keebler Straz Lounge features design by Gachot Studios and furniture by Roche Bobois. The floor lamps are by Hudson Valley Lighting, and the custom pillows and curtains are in a Fabricut fabric by Distinctive Windows.
Like many New Yorkers, designers Christine and John Gachot have an unwavering love for the Metropolitan Opera. The ELLE DECOR A-Listers have passed through the building’s glass doors many times to see canonical operas like the Barber of Seville; their son Boris walked past the cascading fountains in the plaza every day on his way to performing arts classes at nearby Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. So when ELLE DECOR called on the duo to redesign the Met Opera Patrons Lounge, formerly known as the Eleanor Belmont Room, the answer from the Gachots was a resounding and enthusiastic yes.
When the opera house, designed by Wallace K. Harrison, opened in 1966, the legendary decorator Billy Baldwin was brought in to decorate the lounge. The space already had drama, with wall-to-wall windows and a domed ceiling, so Baldwin added a dash of practicality, creating different, flexible seating areas for guests. As the decades passed, though, it became clear that the space needed a refresh. Enter the Gachots, whose penchant for warm, sophisticated interiors and whose experience working on luxury hospitality projects like the Pendry Manhattan West and Detroit’s Shinola Hotel seemed the perfect fit.
In terms of inspiration, the Gachots went straight to the source, diving headfirst into the Met’s extensive archive, which carefully documented the lounge’s history. “The original sketches and photographs were great, so we reinterpreted that,” says John Gachot. “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants here, certainly.” Of course, as huge fans of the opera, having access to its incredible library was also a rare treat. “John would go to the archives several times and I would be here at the studio, and I’d think, Oh, well, we’ll see him tomorrow,” Christine jokes. “We’re never getting him out—it’s not going to happen!”
Taking a cue from Baldwin’s original layout, the Gachots carved the space into zones for gathering, whether it’s sitting at the bar, perching on a sofa, or huddling around a table. They tried to marry the new interiors with the opera’s iconic common areas and halls. “We wanted to transport you, but we didn’t want it to feel out of place,” Christine says. The resulting palette of blush, red, and camel complements the gold and travertine accents of the main lobby. Where the opera’s staircase and lobby has its famed red carpet, the lounge now has a glittering gold custom rug by Creative Matters that twinkles like freshly popped Champagne. Other bespoke features include a brass Amuneal bar and screens covered in a fabric by Fabricut.
Of course, the room’s second lease on life calls for a new name. It’s now the Keebler J. Straz lounge, named after the Met managing director and board member who generously funded the project. Naturally, the luxe lounge is accessible only to Metropolitan Opera supporters who donate at the contributing patron tier level. Still, it’s an entrance fee that’s well worth it, according to Straz, who notes that the redesign “symbolizes our commitment to nurturing a new generation of enthusiasts and patrons.” It’s a sentiment that the Gachots also feel as longtime supporters of the arts. “As New Yorkers, we all have a responsibility to our institutions,” Christine says. “So please come out, and please take advantage of this great city that we live in!” There’s never been a chicer room in which to do just that.
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