Media mogul Shonda Rhimes is enhancing her East Coast real estate portfolio with the purchase of a Connecticut compound. Located in the affluent town of Westport, the property cost $15.17 million.
Rhimes, a five-time Emmy-nominated creator of shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” “Private Practice” and “Bridgerton,” is a director, writer and producer with a net worth of $150 million. In 2017, Rhimes signed a four-year contract with Netflix that was worth $100 million.
Rhimes began her career in Hollywood as a screenwriter working on the documentary, “Hank Aaron, Chasing the Dream,” and won the Peabody Award in 1995. Rhimes went on to write “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” “Crossroad,” “The Princess Diaries” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” However, her big break came in 2005 when she launched a midseason series called “Grey’s Anatomy.”
The Westport Compound
Rhimes’ new estate is 7.5 acres with a 38,000-square-foot New England Colonial home. Inside the home are 11 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and three powder rooms.
The home is full of unique features. A bunk bedroom sleeps ten guests. A homeowner’s retreat features a private sitting room, bar, walk-in closet and dressing room. The ensuite bathroom includes a hammered copper tub and pebble-tiled steam shower. Finally, a veranda will allow Rhimes to overlook her football-field-sized lawn.
The home currently features a rustic interior with reclaimed wood from antique barns supporting posts and ceiling beams. There are eight stone fireplaces, multiple living rooms, lounge and dining areas throughout the home.
The huge kitchen includes a pizza oven, indoor grill, a pantry as well as a Benihana-style teppanyaki room.
In addition the main house, there are two guesthouses on the property. The first is a one-bedroom guesthouse that includes a separate entrance and two-car garage. The second is a Cape Cod style 770-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom guest home.
There’s even more. Outbuildings include an ice cream parlor and a 1,000-square-foot building can be used to host small parties. There is also a barn-sized entertainment area that provides several recreational activities — a bar, movie theater, a gym, a full-size indoor basketball court, two-lane bowling alley, an arcade, billiards and a video gaming lounge. A children’s playroom is also present.
The estate includes an expansive yard, gardens, a swimming pool complete with a water slide. A open-air pavilion is nestled between the pool and tennis court. There are also outside lounge and dining areas.
Rhimes Real Estate Portfolio
Rhimes is currently selling off her properties in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park. One property is currently listed at $6.25 million — a slight drop from its original $6.5 million. She also sold a mansion for $21 million — almost 2.5 times its original price of $8.8 million in 2014.
When Rhimes is not at the Westport estate, she might be found at her two-bedroom penthouse in New York City. Located on Park Avenue, Rhimes purchased the apartment in 2018 for $11.75 million.
