RYAN LEE | 4.16.2008
and majestic mansions, there’s a new king castle.
Atlanta houses don’t get much swankier than the palaces that line the streets of Tuxedo Park in north Buckhead, and gay couple William Hale and Mark Bhaggan are putting the final touches on a 20,000-square-feet compound that makes some of their neighbors’ homes look like servants’ quarters.
The luxurious, European-inspired home known as “Camelot” was selected as the 2008 “Decorators Show House” by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, with proceeds from tours and the sale of the home going to ASO. The Show House features rooms decorated by prominent designers.
“It’s the biggest honor any homeowner could ever receive,” Bhaggan says. “This has been our child.”
Bhaggan and Hale decided to ditch their 11,000-square-foot hut on West Paces Ferry Road to begin building their dream home about two years ago, ignoring no detail in their quest for one of the finest residences in Atlanta.
To grasp the fabulousness of Bhaggan and Hale’s abode, consider that the floor in their laundry room is covered in Louis Vuitton tile. Or that the water in one of their bathrooms is color-coded to let you know whether it’s hot or cold. The his-and-his master bath includes a Japanese heated toilet with a built-in fan to reduce odors, and a walk-in shower the size of a car wash.
Among the 33 rooms is a mahogany-crafted library, formal and informal entertainment areas, a movie theater, sauna, gym, massage parlor, and a wine cellar that’s bigger than most master bedrooms. The master itself at Camelot features a double-barrel vaulted ceiling and overlooks at 12-foot deep pool that cascades into a waterfall in the backyard.
The dining room is decorated with Parisian statues and wallpaper from the White House, and one of Camelot’s party kitchens was fashioned after the bar Halo with its illuminated marble bar top. Guests do not have rooms, but rather suites and wings — complete with terraces, entertainment areas and anterooms where the butler can deliver breakfast in bed without waking sleeping guests.
“The idea was that we could really just nest here — pull up our drawbridge and never have to leave the house unless we wanted to,” says Bhaggan, 32. “Everything is here, so it’s kind of like you live, work hard, and then you come home and you’re always on vacation.”
while Bhaggan was vacationing in Atlanta to celebrate his birthday almost 10 years ago. The Canada native and his friends were drawn to our city by the mythical gay club Backstreet.
“We heard there was a club in Atlanta that was open 24 hours, and I was like, ‘No way!’” says Bhaggan, who adds that it was love at first sight for he and Hale.
“He was with a group of friends and I was with a group of friends, and some of our friends met each other. When I saw him, I just, I went, ‘That’s the one,’” Bhaggan says.
At first, Bhaggan was weary of leaving Toronto, but eventually he began appreciating Atlanta’s lack of snow and abundant greenery.
“Where I grew up, the trees look like they’re ready to die,” he jokes.
Both real estate agents, Bhaggan and Hale hope to one day add two sets of pitter-pattering feet to their massive home.
Camelot with architect Craig Headricks with the intent of it being their dream home. During building, the couple was approached by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and asked to designate Camelot the 2008 “Show House” for ASO.
The partnership meant that Hale and Bhaggan would open their home for paid tours April 19-May 11, with all ticket sales benefiting ASO’s Learning Community program. The couple also had to agree to place their home on the market, with ASO getting 1 percent of the sale cost.
The “Show House” designation also brings Atlanta’s top designers to Camelot, with every room and garden featuring the work of a different designer.
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