Take A Tour Of This Connecticut Castle On Sale For $11.8 Million
While you may have drooled time and again over breathtaking castles in Europe, imagining life in such a property, you might assume that there aren't really many structures of that nature in the United States. However, a recently listed Connecticut castle listed for $11.8 million proves that theory wrong.
As per Realtor, the property in Greenwich, Connecticut, was built sometime between 1902 and 1913 and is crafted from traditional materials you might find in castles around the world — stone, brick, and slate. A property this grand obviously needs a name, and the super-sized home is known as Hemlock Castle.
The sprawling mansion features 20,298 square feet of living space, with 14 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms in total. However, the main residence, while still spacious by anyone's standards, accounts for just 13,500 of that — the remainder of the square footage is split between a carriage house and a staff apartment. These additional structures add flexibility for any future owner, as they could easily be repurposed into an art studio, gym, home office entirely separate from your living quarters, or whatever type of extra space you might need.
And while the bucolic setting may have you assuming the castle is nestled far in the Connecticut countryside, it's actually just a three-minute drive to downtown Greenwich. For those who want to escape to the big city, Manhattan's Grand Central Station is just a 45 minute ride away.
Read on to learn more about this one-of-a-kind structure with stunning details galore.
A show stopping stone facade
The castle is nestled on 4 acres in the hills of Connecticut's Gold Coast, as per the Realtor listing. A set of wrought iron gates flanked with brick pillars topped with vintage-inspired lanterns adds an extra degree of privacy, and visitors will travel up a winding road towards the breathtaking structure.
The most eye-catching detail of the home's exterior is, without question, its signature castle-like facade. The main material is organically shaped stone that gives the home a hand-crafted appearance, as though it was built even longer than a century ago. The stone is accentuated with brickwork along the windows, which highlight the abundance of rectangular and arched windows in the home. The brickwork detailing is also seen on architectural features such as an arch leading towards the front entrance. The roof is covered with multi-colored shingles and there are several pillars on the top that add yet another bit of visual interest to the exterior.
The grounds are the perfect balance of manicured and natural. Some portions of the yard feature painstakingly maintained hedges and shrubs that accentuate the castle-like ambiance, and they're interspersed with stone stairs to help navigate the hills, an abundance of flowers, and low barriers crafted from wrought iron and stone that mimic the castle's facade. The backyard has a large stone patio with a nearby outdoor kitchen for dining al fresco, as well as a covered brick patio area where you can imagine sitting on warm summer days.
A blend of old world charm and modern chic
As the Realtor listing photos highlight, the home blends old-world charm and bright modern details in a masterful way to create a truly stunning space. It's no surprise that a home-like Hemlock Castle has a grand entrance, with double doors flanked by two equally-sized panels, all primarily crafted from glass with a black frame and ornate black iron overlay. Once entering, you step into a foyer area with luxurious tile, with a variety of staircases in the distance leading you to other portions of the home.
The formal dining room is a vast space that could seat even the largest dinner parties, with arched windows, vintage light fixtures, golden chandeliers, and a fireplace that has a ton of intricate detailing on the stone. As a bonus, the dining room is just steps from the entrance, making it easily accessible for your guests. Other main living areas likewise feature beautiful fireplaces that could very well have been taken out of castles centuries-old, paired with gleaming hardwood floors and pale walls to balance out the aesthetic.
The kitchen is one of the more modern spaces, having been upgraded to be functional for even the most advanced home cook. The space features wood cabinetry, eye-catching light fixtures, state-of-the-art appliances, and a nearby breakfast nook in front of a row of windows that fill the room with natural light.
Bedrooms sprinkled with vintage details
Just as in the common living areas of the home, the many bedrooms blend vintage and modern details with grace, as the Realtor listing photos demonstrate. While they don't share snaps of every single bedroom — there are so many, after all — there are several highlighted, so a potential buyer has a good idea of what the home offers in terms of sleeping spaces.
The master bedroom has vintage light fixtures that add an old-world flair, including a small chandelier and some golden sconces, but the remainder of the space features gorgeous hardwood flooring, crisp white trim, and a soft gray paint color, details that wouldn't be out of place in even the most modern home. There's also a bay window for gazing out at the garden, as well as built-in shelving for storing your most important belongings close at hand.
The most show-stopping feature in the master bedroom, however, is a marble fireplace that wouldn't seem out of place in even the grandest of castles, such as Windsor Castle. In fact, the home has eight fireplaces in total, including several in other bedrooms. The bay window feature is also present in the bathroom, courtesy of the home's layout, and one bathroom features a massive soaking tub that overlooks the grounds, creating a truly luxurious experience.
Built-in shelving, vintage light fixtures, and interesting wallpaper are common themes throughout many of the bedrooms on the property.