Rare Glimpse Inside an Icon’s Home, Hundreds of Diane Keaton Design Pieces Go to Auction

Not only an actress, but also a gifted designer. Diane Keaton / ShutterStock The Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton, who died last year at the age of 79, was known not only for her acting talent but also for her refined design taste. Now, hundreds of items from her personal collection are being offered at auction, providing a rare glimpse into the design world she created over decades. The sale, being held by Bonhams, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious auction houses, under the title “Diane Keaton: The Architecture of an Icon,” includes more than 500 items from the worlds of fashion, art, literature and culture. For home design enthusiasts, the highlight is the section called “At Home with Diane,” an online sale devoted to furniture, decorative objects and collectibles that adorned her homes over the years. Keaton was known for her great love of architecture and interior design. Over the years she bought, renovated and designed many homes, developing a personal design language that combined a rugged industrial look, classic American charm, Californian ease and exceptional aesthetic precision. Her signature style is clearly visible in the current sale. Alongside valuable works of art, there are also simple everyday objects, the kind that, in the right hands, became an inseparable part of the overall design.

Among the standout items are a upholstered wooden bench with a distressed finish, large concrete planters and garden pieces reflecting her love of natural materials and rich textures. Even five vintage cutting boards she used over the years are up for sale, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle that characterized her home. One of the most intriguing items is a decorative metal ladder on which she used to display books and hats, an accessory associated with her over the years. The piece illustrates her ability to turn functional objects into design elements with presence and character. The collection also reveals Keaton’s deep connection to the American West. Among the items for sale are three traditional Navajo rugs depicting the Shiprock area in New Mexico. The works combine craftsmanship, history and local identity, three elements that were a central part of her design language. Elsewhere in the sale, her love of industrial objects and pieces with a past and a story stands out. A metal table on wheels, a metal sign marked “Film” and other practical accessories underscore her preference for objects with character, signs of age and a sense of authenticity, rather than flashy luxury.

The art world also has a major place in the collection. Among the works for sale are pieces by leading artists. One of the most notable is “Falling Buffalo” by artist David Wojnarowicz, which is estimated at tens of thousands of dollars and is considered one of the highlights of the sale. According to Anna Hicks, head of Bonhams’ Private and Iconic Collections department in the United States, Keaton was not just a collector but an exceptional curator of objects and ideas. Indeed, this sale is much more than an opportunity to acquire an item that belonged to a Hollywood star. It offers a rare glimpse into how a truly personal style is built, one that does not rely on passing trends but on precise choices, a love of materials, appreciation for history and an extraordinary ability to see beauty even in the simplest objects.