story by

Liesel Schmidt

  |  

photos by

Tim Kramer

W

hile most people would look at a home built in 1995 

and see it as the perfect opportunity to do a complete 

overhaul, when Joel and Sylvia Williams purchased 

the 14,000 square-foot home now lovingly known as 

“The Williams Estate,” they saw it as the chance to live amongst 

European history—without ever having to set foot abroad.

Boasting numerous rooms that include two guest bedrooms 

with en-suite baths, a grand master suite, a massive kitchen, 

and a library in addition to a full guest quarter space above the 

garage, the house would hardly be considered lacking in any way. 

Rather, it could only be given the classification of “grand” or, 

perhaps, “stately,” so impressive a presence does each and every 

room hold—not only in size, but in detail. From the moment one 

enters the estate, the eye knows not where to begin its tour, be 

it the baccarat chandelier whose glittered luminescence casts an 

ethereal glow over a painted mural that mimics the one gracing 

the ceiling of the Palace of Versailles or the 18 faux-marble 

columns in a living room populated with authentic 400 year-

old Roman statues. Continuing the theme of storied pieces, the 

fireplace mantel in the master suite traces back to a 250-year-old 

home in Lyons, France, while the bookcase in the library was 

once owned by business tycoon JP Morgan. 

A Storied Estate

February 2019   |   XX 

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