TV and Movie Houses--Dr. Frasier Crane's Apartment

"Frasier", the  spin-off of the classic sitcom "Cheers", won 37 Emmys during its eleven-season run, and it's ratings proved that it held popular as well as critical appeal. Much of the action takes place inside one of the stars of the show--Dr. Frasier Crane's apartment. The set was designed by Roy Christopher, a legendary set decorator.

In the pilot episode, Frasier shows the apartment to his father, Martin.

Frasier: So what do you think of what I've done with the place? You know, every item here was carefully selected. The lamp by Corbu, this chair by Eames, and this couch is an exact replica of the one Coco Chanel had in her Paris atelier.

Martin: Nothing matches.

Frasier: Well, it's a style of decorating - it's called eclectic. The theory behind it is, if you have really fine pieces of furniture, it doesn't matter if they match - they will go together.

Martin: It's your money.

And a lot of money it was. The set cost a half-million dollars to build in 1993! But what a fabulous set! In addition to the treasures Frasier mentions in the pilot, the apartment featured a Steinway medium grand piano, a Chihuly vase,  and several covetable abstracts. Nearly twenty years later, it still looks great. A bit dated around the edges, but overall, a chic and timeless space.

I came across this beautifully rendered floor plan of apartment 1901 at Elliot Bay Towers (the building is as fictional as the view outside Frasier's windows--such a view exists only from the cliffs overlooking Seattle.) The artist who created this plan has a great portfolio of work that can be seen HERE.

It's a wonderfully laid out apartment, isn't it? The public areas seem great for entertaining.

The apartment is filled with built-in shelves and display areas that highlight Dr. Crane's collections of African and pre-Columbian art without making it feel like a shop or a museum.

I always loved the fireplace, but I think it's one of the features that dates the apartment.

The Wassily chair isn't long for that spot once Frasier's father moves in. (Ever sat in one? They are surprisingly comfortable.)

Goodbye Wassily, Hello Barca Lounger. Martin could have at least let Frasier reupholster it, but the difference in their personalities is underscored by the difference in their furnishings.

Of all the fictional homes that are part of our pop culture, the muted colors scheme--injected with pops of vibrance through art, the formal edge to a contemporary space, and the great flow make Frasier's apartment one of the ones I'd most like to call home.



Join us on Facebook!