American couple details their elaborate plans to renovate $1.25M Knockderry ... trends now
A husband and wife from Utah are documenting the renovation journey of the £1.25 million Knockderry Castle.
David and Chelom Leavitt paid £1.15 million for the castle located in Argyll, Scotland, and have acquired a following on TikTok and their blogsite as they detail and execute their remodeling plans.
The castle was originally designed by Alexander Thomson in the 1850s for James Templeton, a textile manufacturer. When John Templeton, a carpet manufacturer took over ownership, he commissioned William Leiper to make some Baronial additions to the estate.
David and Chelom Leavitt paid £1.15 million for the castle located in Argyll, Scotland
The couple has acquired a following on TikTok and their blogsite as they detail and execute their remodeling plans.
David and Chelom have been dreaming of renovating a castle for over a decade
The castle was originally owned by Marian Van Overwaele, who went bankrupt in 2000
'I said this before we bought the castle, and I can say it with a whole lot more authority now; if we wanted turn-key castle - one that was already done - we could have gotten that for a lot less money than we're spending' David said in a TikTok video alongside his wife. 'But that's not what its about.'
Before the Utah couple purchased Knockderry, the castle was previously owned by Marian Van Overwaele, who went bankrupt in 2000. She made several appeals against eviction, but after a 22-year legal battle, the businesswoman was evicted.
For over a decade, Chelom said her and her husband's goal was to find an castle that needed some major TLC and 'make it come alive.'
After tirelessly searching for the castle they wanted to make their new project, the Leavitt's found Knockderry's serene environment to be a perfect fit, referring to it as their 'temple of peace.'
'I think we both knew it was a very special place,' said Chelom.
The Knockderry castle has four reception rooms, several bedrooms and bathrooms, and a separate cottage, all of which overlook the scenic Loch Long.
Cow step gables, turrets, stone balustrades, and a wood-paneled drawing room with
