Worlds Best Homes

Tour Jean Kennedy Smith's home – the East River duplex JFK’s sister owned is on the market

Jean Kennedy Smith lived in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Manhattan – look inside this shrine to 1920s glamor

Jean Kennedy Smith’s house
(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

The former duplex of JFK’s youngest sister is on the market, with an asking price of $6.4 million. 

Jean Kennedy Smith, who passed away last June, was a diplomat, author, and peace advocate. According to The New York Times, Jean moved into the home, in one of New York's most prestigious neighborhoods, in 1998, after retiring from her diplomatic duties. 

See: World's best homes – tour the globe’s most beautiful houses

The home combines the 6th and 7th floors of an opulent 14-story building that was built in 1928. Both the interior and the exterior of this historic property showcase its sophisticated heritage – through its five Juliette balconies, a windowed staircase, and an ornate wood-paneled library. There are also three authentic wood-burning fireplaces dotted around the home. 

Jean Kennedy Smith’s house - Library and dining room of Jean Kennedy Smith’s NY home

(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

The duplex has an eat-in chef’s kitchen, along with four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, and a further two bedrooms, two bathrooms in an adjoining apartment. There is also plenty of room to store your goods from Fifth Avenue in the three walk-in closets and additional dressing room area. 

See: Obama house: tour Barack and Michelle's new Martha's Vineyard home

Jean Kennedy Smith’s house - Bedroom with river view in Jean Kennedy Smith’s NY home

(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

The top floor also boasts a separate sitting room and kitchen, that will accommodate your guests when they awake in the city that never sleeps.

The renowned grandeur of New York is framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which showcase the most fashionable neighborhood in the city along the East River.

See: Bedroom ideas – designs and inspiration for beautiful bedrooms

Jean Kennedy Smith’s house - Library of Jean Kennedy Smith’s NY home

(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

This timeless design is the product of the celebrated Sicilian American architect, Rosario Candela, who left his charismatic signature on some of New York’s most fashionable properties, such as this at 4 Sutton Place, amid the boom of the 1920s.

See: Living room ideas – clever ways to decorate living spaces

Jean Kennedy Smith’s house - Living room in Jean Kennedy Smith’s NY home

(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

The duplex is only a short hop from the exclusive eateries of Lexington Ave, which are best enjoyed after a Saturday morning indulging in the neighborhood’s vibrant cultural scene at The Museum of Modern Art. 

See: Inside JFK’s elegant red-brick townhouse in Georgetown, Washington DC

View from Jean Kennedy Smith’s NY home

(Image credit: Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group)

Paul Kolbusz, Melissa Sargeantson, and Markus Buchmeier of The Corcoran Group hold the listing. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.