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Taylor Swift’s Holiday House sits quietly on the beach — but now the singer is planning a lavish remodel of the seaside Rhode Island mansion.
According to a building permit and zoning certificate obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 14, Swift, 35, will expand the Westerly estate, located in the exclusive enclave of Watch Hill, by 400-square-feet.
The singer’s building plans, which will cost her $1.7 million to complete, include turning one of the 11.000-square-foot property’s current bedrooms into an “enlarged bedroom suite” and lounge.
Additionally, Swift, who purchased the estate in 2013 for $17.75 million according to The Providence Journal, is planning to add a new bedroom to the house which is known locally as either “High Watch” or “Holiday House.” The kitchen will also be remodelled.
Although it is unclear when construction on the estate will commence, the building documents were created on November 25, 2024, and December 4, 2024, with a noted expiry date of December 4, 2025. The work will be done by local contractors, led by David W. Shafovaloff, who is based in Hope Valley and is regarded as a “high-end builder serving Rhode Island’s southern coast,” per the builder review site BuildZoom.com.
Set on more than five acres filled with pristine gardens, a wide patio, a swimming pool with a pool house, Swift’s Rhode Island escape “offers 700 feet of private beachfront,” per Newsweek, and features eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms. There are also eight fireplaces on-site, according to the outlet.
The property has evolved into a character of its own during Swift’s time in the spotlight, playing host to many of her star-studded Fourth of July parties and inspiring the track “The Last Great American Dynasty” off her 2020 album Folklore, which seemingly charts the life of American socialite Rebakah Harkness who previously owned the house.
Swift spent time on the property as recently as August 2024, when she hosted a close-knit group of friends including Ryan Reynolds and wife Blake Lively, who celebrated her 37th birthday while in town.
The group also included Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, whom she was seen enjoying quality time with outside on the patio at one stage, per photos obtained by TMZ at the time.
Additional photos obtained by the Daily Mail revealed that Travis’ teammate Patrick Mahomes and his family, as well as Travis’ brother and sister-in-law, Jason and Kylie Kelce, also joined the August festivities, which took place during the final months of Swift’s 18-month-long Eras Tour.
An insider told Us at the end of August that Swift adores the Rhode Island retreat. “Taylor has been on tour and working nonstop and she loves the Rhode Island house and wanted to spend some time there while the weather is still good and she can enjoy it,” the source said. “It has felt wonderful to be grounded back home again. It’s been grounding to see friends and family and spend quality time with everyone, chat and get downloaded on everyone’s worlds because she has been so busy and disconnected.”
