Seven’s entertainment guru Nelson Aspen has unveiled his jaw-dropping US home – which boasts sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline.
He’s appeared on screens across Australia for almost two decades, and now Sunrise’s showbiz editor Nelson Aspen has thrown open the doors of his swanky new penthouse apartment in New York City.
The US-based journalist, who is celebrating his 19th anniversary with the Seven network this year, is finally putting the finishing touches on his brand new Harlem home after first purchasing off the plan in 2020 and then being hit with a stream of Covid-related delays.
The luxurious penthouse features 180-degree skyline views, a large terrace off the main bedroom, a living room overlooking the Apollo Theatre, and a rooftop cabana.
It also boasts exceptional natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, while the building has a gym and a full-time doorman.
The move to Harlem was a long time coming for Aspen, who grew up in New York City and has spent years splitting his time between there and Los Angeles.
“The appeal of Harlem to me is that it’s the most like the New York of my youth … as things get gentrified, I’m kind of chasing the New York of my heart – and that put (my partner and I) in Harlem,” the entertainment guru told news.com.au of the borough, which is also home to How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris.
“Harlem is so full of entertainment and excitement and culture and it’s brilliant – it’s really a new Harlem renaissance in a post-Covid world. There’s so much development. It’s fantastic.”
Aspen and his partner also took full advantage of their ability to customise the layout of their apartment during the construction process, which initially was supposed to hold three bedrooms.
“The design was for a three-bedroom apartment … And what we’ve done is, we’ve turned it into one very big bedroom – we just didn’t build the walls,” he said, joking that they “didn’t want houseguests”.
“The important thing was to turn one of those bedrooms into a home office, where I’ll eventually be able to broadcast from, because I’ve been Covid-broadcasting from in front of a green screen in a back bedroom for the last two years.”
One of the areas originally planned as a bedroom has been converted into a stunning dining alcove, with sweeping views across the city. As a result, a bearing column, which would have been hidden in the wall of the bedroom, is now exposed – and has been turned into a unique feature of the apartment, illuminated by matching Bocci sconces.
“To be able to sit there, and have the best view in Manhattan … seriously, it’s unbelievable,” Aspen said.
“In the morning, we have the sunrise and coffee and in the evening, we have the sunset and wine.”
The entire apartment was styled by Manhattan-based interior designer Rebecca Roberts, of Method + Moxie, who was tasked with building the atmosphere around the couple’s prized artworks.
“We wanted it very modern, around the artwork, and she took the art and went from the colours and the scale of the art and designed around that,” Aspen said, adding that they wanted to keep the space “minimalist” – but with a few exceptions.
“I have my little Sunrise treasures in my office, and I have my gold Wiggle bobblehead from when I was made an honorary member of The Wiggles, maybe 15 years ago.”
While the apartment is now almost complete, it’s been an “odyssey” of a project, thanks to the pandemic.
“Construction in New York State was not allowed to proceed for three or four months, so there was just no progress. They literally sent [all the workers] back home, and there was this big skeleton of a building sitting there untouched,” Aspen said.
“Even when it resumed, there were subsequent delays, with things like supply chain issues. We’re still waiting, not just for decorative things, but things like our powder room vanity – the part is sitting on a cargo ship somewhere.”
He added: “It teaches you lessons in patience – and it means a little bit more when you work a little bit harder for it.”
The apartment has been a lengthy labour of love – and one that’s clearly come with a hefty price tag – for Aspen, which he jokingly described as his “last stop before retirement”.
“This is it, this is our shot. We’re going all out, everything is bespoke or custom-made and we’re trying to find pieces that mean something to us,” he said.
“My partner is a New Yorker too and we’ve worked out whole lives to have the ultimate New York City dwelling, and we’re just so grateful and appreciative. Every time we walk in the front door, we just can’t believe it.”
Aspen is now channelling his enthusiasm for interior design into a new project – a book, titled Your Home Is Your Castle, covering the TV presenter’s journey of “finding, creating and manifesting the dream home”, along with star-studded anecdotes about his lengthy career in the entertainment industry.
“It’s a bit of a resource guide, with anecdotal advice, and hopefully, lots of inspiration,” he said.
“Anybody can have their dream home. It’s not about where you live, or how much you spend on it, it’s about making your nest – and blooming where you’re planted.”
Your Home Is Your Castle will be released later this year.
Originally published as Inside Sunrise star Nelson Aspen’s luxury NYC penthouse
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