Castle-like Bluffton mansion listed for $9M has antique woodwork that came from Paris

In an area known for its large, luxurious residences — and where privacy is highly regarded — many may be unaware of the grandeur tucked behind the cover of Lowcountry foliage.

Until homes are listed for sale, that is.

Then, everyone has a chance to take a sneak peek.

As August begins, the most expensive single-family home formally listed for sale in Bluffton is located in Colleton River Plantation. The home on Seven Oaks Drive comes with an asking price of $9 million.

The residence, which rightfully can be called a mansion at 20,100 square feet, sits on 10 acres.

According to the listing being handled by Linda Rudd of Engel & Volkers, the home has six bedrooms and a total of 13 bathrooms — six of those are full baths, and another seven are half-baths.

Its owners, Brock and Elizabeth Rowley, still live in the home but are planning to downsize.

“We’ve had enough of the big house and big entertaining,” Brock Rowley said with a chuckle.

He said the home is a great place for parties. Each New Year, the couple hosts a black-tie event for about 150 people, and they’ve also hosted many fundraisers over the years for charities and organizations.

The home, which has a European design not typical for the Lowcountry, took about two years to build, Brock Rowley said.

“It is a different style of house for the area,” he said.

One living room — which Brock Rowley calls “the embassy room” — features gold-leafed oak paneling that once was in the Hungarian embassy in Paris. The Rowleys purchased the paneling, which had been carved in the 1830s, at an auction and had it installed in their home.

The 21-seat dining room has a “soaring carved mantle,” according to the real estate listing.

Indeed, many features of the house are soaring.

The entrance, which is in the form of a turret at the front of the house, is open from floor to ceiling two stories up, and the ceiling in the library — which has deep red walls — is 35-feet high.

“Stepping into the library is akin to walking into a church,” wrote the Washington Post when it featured the home in 2017. The newspaper noted the room’s hardwood flooring design that is identical to flooring in the Louvre.

The master suite is around 3,500 square feet and features his-and-hers bathrooms and dressing areas, as well as a sitting room with a fireplace.

There are 10 fireplaces altogether in the home, according to the Washington Post.

The Post also noted the home’s art and decoration: A gold Baccarat chandelier cost $100,000 when it was made in the 1930s, for example.

But the location is also part of the home’s splendor.

Where possible, the Rowleys made sure to capitalize on the view overlooking the Colleton River.

Brock Rowley said the property offers beautiful sunset vistas that change with the clouds.

“For a big house, it’s still a cozy house,” Brock Rowley said. “It has a comfortable feel to it.”

In addition to the main house, the property also includes a three-bedroom guest house near a pool with a spa and waterfall. The guest house is far enough away from the main house to offer a sense of privacy for guests and homeowners alike.

This story was originally published August 6, 2018 at 2:19 PM.