The Frank Lloyd Wright–Inspired Home in “Mrs. Maisel” Is a Stunner—and It’s for Sale

In season three of the hit series, a coy Lenny Bruce invites Midge to “a work thing.” The backdrop? A luxurious Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired estate that’s now on the market.

Text by

Duncan Nielsen

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The ’60s were the heyday of live late-night. In episode five of the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s latest season, well-dressed extras freeze mid-boogie, a countdown commences, and cameras roll on cue with the band as the party is set in motion. "Welcome to Miami’s hippest party, ‘Miami After Dark,’" says host Brye Adler, pipe in fist. "A gathering of the best, brightest, coolest cats and kittens in town. Grab a drink."

For the segment, the show set up shop inside the real-life Kessler House, a 1.8-acre estate that’s not in balmy Miami, but in bucolic Maplewood, New Jersey. The home was designed by John Rattenbury of Taliesin Associated Architects (TAA)—the firm created by Wright’s apprentices after his passing—and it’s currently for sale for $2.5 million.

The main living room set the scene for "Miami After Dark." The lavish interior features parquet teak floors, Italian marble, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Signature elements of Frank Lloyd Wright’s style abound—starting with the front door.

The grand foyer features terrazzo floors, pillars made of Roman bricks, massive teak paneling, and tessellated skylights.

Custom furnishings, like this stool, can be found throughout the home. A 25-foot teak pendant light stretches from the ceiling down through all three levels. In the TV show, Brye Adler starts live taping at the top of the staircase.

Daniel Kessler, an executive at Unishops, Inc. in Jersey City and an admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright, reached out to TAA’s chief architect in 1964 with hopes of building a custom family home akin to Fallingwater: "I have always dreamt of the day that I might be in a position where I could live in a home that was created in the true Frank Lloyd Wright tradition," he writes in a letter.

With partygoers in snappy tuxedos and smart cocktail dresses primmed up for rolling cameras, Mrs. Maisel’s party scene underscores the elegance of the 1968 home.

Extras at Mrs. Maisel’s "Miami After Dark" party are dressed in the attire of the era, complimenting the home’s 1968 pedigree. — Extras at *Mrs. Maisel’s* "Miami After Dark" party are dressed in the attire of the era, complimenting the home’s 1968 pedigree.

A view toward the living room and foyer reveals the scale of the space. Accent lighting runs along the perimeter above teak furnishings and finishes.

The dining room features teak built-ins and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The performances in Mrs. Maisel spin and pulse against the mesmerizing midcentury setting of the Kessler House. Inside, the camera swoops to reveal elegant parquet teak and terrazzo floors, vaulted ceilings, soaring interiors, and gold-hued Roman brick walls à la Wright. As the camera rolls, Lenny Bruce leans into orange and green pillows in a half-circle conversation pit, flanked by two bombshell blondes. Behind him lies a sunken, crackling fireplace fixed with huge slabs of opulent Italian marble.

A second living room features one of the home’s three fireplaces, adorned with more Italian marble and adjacent teak paneling.

Built-ins for books and storage line a hallway.

From the lawn, the home’s flat roofline evokes the character of Prairie style residences.

Triangulating brick-and-glass walls stretch upwards to a vaulted ceiling in the foyer.

Spanning 7,000 square feet, the seven-bed, eight-bath Prairie style home features three levels spanned by a 25-foot teak pendant light. The private master suite holds dual bathrooms with marble counters and showers, a sunken terrazzo tub, and a sauna. The lower level houses a recreation room with a wine cellar, wet bar, a second kitchen, and an exercise room. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto a wraparound terrace, beyond which lies an angular heated swimming pool and patio. For more photos and info, visit the real estate listing.