Inside the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain | Architectural Digest
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Tour the U.S. embassy residence renovated by Ambassador James Costos and his partner, interior designer Michael S. Smith.
Hanging at the top of the gracefully twisting staircase inside the American ambassador’s residence in Madrid is a painting of a dwarf and his black-and-white dog. A work by John Singer Sargent-after Diego Velázquez-it is one of more than 80 pieces borrowed through the Art in Embassies program by the current U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, James Costos, and his longtime partner, designer Michael S. Smith. The Sargent marks the passage from the main floor’s public spaces to the private areas upstairs, and quite often guests will find, lying on the carpet beneath the painting, one of the couple’s two rescue dogs, Greco, who bears a notable resemblance to the dog in the 19th-century portrait. The painting can be seen as a symbol of the long history of cultural dialogue between the U.S. and Spain, not to mention a reminder of the consideration that Smith and Costos put into every detail of their comprehensive renovation of the residence. That Greco (named in honor of both the Spanish Old Master El Greco and the ambassador’s Greek ancestry) is allowed to meet visitors is also emblematic of the warm, open, modern style of diplomacy being practiced here.
A cluster of Philip Taaffe artworks and an Esteban Vicente painting animate a corner of the piano room at the U.S. Ambassador to Spain’s Madrid residence, which was renovated by decorator Michael S. Smith, partner of the current ambassador, James Costos. A sofa designed by Smith joins club chairs clad in a gold Brunschwig & Fils velvet, a Giacometti-style cocktail table from JF Chen, and Jasper gilt armchairs upholstered in a Jasper leather. The windows are dressed with curtains of a Templeton stripe and bamboo shades by Smith, while the table lamps are by Vaughan.
Take Smith’s favorite space, the living room, which features a blend of antique, vintage modern, and contemporary furniture, with accents ranging from a 12-panel Coromandel screen (once owned by Coco Chanel) to a Philip Guston painting borrowed from American art patron Agnes Gund.
Throughout the renovation, Smith worked with a State Department design team headed by Jenny Howery-Ford to integrate his own pieces with existing furniture, such as the dining room’s table, which seats up to 30, and vast 19th-century Persian carpet. He also included items sourced in Spain, among them rugs woven in Alicante and pottery from Toledo.
Perhaps what most gives the residence its distinctive feel is the art. The works installed here represent one of the most extensive Art in Embassies projects ever undertaken. Some pieces came directly from artists, such as Ed Ruscha’s Screaming in Spanish-which hangs in the entrance hall with Robert Rauschenberg’s Bilbao Scraps-and the Glenn Ligon neon work Double America, which glows in the dining room.
Read the full story here--> www.architectu...
Still haven’t subscribed to Architectural Digest on RUclips? ►► bit.ly/2zl7s34
ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
The leading international design authority, Architectural Digest features articles and videos of the best in architecture, style, culture, travel, and shopping.
Inside the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain | Architectural Digest
Carlo Corbellini
This video is so stirring, so rousing, on a number of levels.
Showing the best of America, in her diplomatic mission.
Gorgeous Spain.
Hola, me encanta ver la decoración .Magnifico video.Saludos desde España.😃😄😁
so lavish and so glad Michael had this chance
Beautiful
Beautiful! ignore the jealous, hateful trash-bags.
Thank-you..
Bravo from NYC
Ambassador Costos paid for the decorating from his wallet. Building repair and maintenance is done by law and paid by the US. Allan Reyes Palm Beach
beautiful
The one in Buenos Aires is very pretty.
Beautiful 😍
Spain is a very beautiful country in Europe. I want to know about the La Sagrada family in Spain. But I am a student of Bangladesh. I need a visa to go to Spain. I want my message to be conveyed to the President and Prime Minister of Spain. I will tell the journalists to please deliver this letter to the President.

Nw that's LIVING
Can you please add, if the places you are showing are open to the public? Cheers.
Stephanie Knowles No they aren't
Santiago Escudero Why not?
Stephanie Knowles it's an embassy not a museum
Santiago Escudero Nobody is invited inside?
Stephanie Knowles yes, some businessmen, the prime minister and the king and the queen
Spain is a very beautiful country..I want to see the " La Sagrada Family" in Spain..But i am Bangladeshi..I need a tourist visa to visit Spain..Give me a visa
if you want a visa to Spain you must contact with the spanish embassy in Bangladesh, this is just a you tube chanel, greetings from Spain
who paid for it ?
Surely not you.
the government probably
The government maintains all embassies. Redecoration is done by private donation and loans.
Tax payers
Thank you Veronique...WHO PAID FOR IT?!
The taxpayer must be proud.
Bedroomeyze he doesn’t take salary anyways in case you didn’t know
Kip Simpson’s channel brought me here. I found the connections to corruption And current scandals interesting.
Back in the good ole days when we COULD be proud as Americans. Seems so distant already.
I don't even see why we need diplomatic representation in Spain, it's an irrelevant third-rate power.
@@audste-9547 HA! I wish he would. It would be SO much cheaper than all of the rest of the bills he sends our way!
Please, can i make confirmation through immigration visa issue?, I live in Barcelona Spain,
Us. All Americans.
So just filled with gaudy furniture, wallpaper, and curtains. 🤷🏼♂️
You may not like it, but in no objective way could the furniture ever be described as gaudy.
rpbphx It can.
The head of Gov is elected by people and the tax payers pay his and the staffs wage. They are there to serve the people, not the other way...The money doesn't belong to Gov...in a free world anyway... Would you be happier if the gov spend more money on the admin staff's house than your health care??? Even if just 0.00001 cent of my tax went to furnish the admin's building so luxuriously, I would rather donate to feed hungry people given a choice.
Costos paid for the decorating from his wallet. Building repair and maintenance is done by law and paid by the US. Allan Reyes Palm Beach
Found the commie
You don't need a luxurious house to live in to be able to perform good politics, basicamly your job.
I'm proud to the finish cause I eat my spinach I'm Popeye the sailor man
It's funny how everyone's be like "ahh paid by taxpayer money" when their money is not directly used to fund these embassies. I mean you paid for maintenance, safety, and service provided by the government. The money, now belong to the government, be used and allocated as they see fit. It's not your money anymore, sunshine.
Costos paid for the decorating from his wallet. Building repair and maintenance is done by law and paid by the US. Allan Reyes Palm Beach
🙏🏅JOE🏆BIDEN🏅👍 #FORUSA
ola
Great waste of $...gee...I'll have my partner spend the Government's money to give us this opulent lifestyle...???
Government money is spent on everything - roads, bridges, schools, national and local parks, national security (armed forces and intelligence agencies) and police -including upkeep of embassies all over the world.
Costos paid for the decorating from his wallet. Building repair and maintenance is done by law and paid by the US. Allan Reyes Palm Beach
the worst part is the big america sign... ugh
Idiot!
It's an artwork by Glenn Ligon...not just a sign
Waste of taxpayers money
yikes thats ugly
omg they're one of those fancy white gays that appear on movies #shook
Using public money to renovate an embassy should never be marketed to benefit either a magazine or the designer husband of the ambassador.
From his own wallet - nice assumption tho
Why US embassy is looking so really embarrassing...
Beautiful