A Vietnamese immigrant bought a 23,200-sq-ft White House replica in Georgia; the $35 million mansion has its own Oval Office

A 23,200-square-foot mansion modelled after the White House has gone on the market in Oak Grove, Georgia, for $35 million. The private estate, built in 2001, features a grand exterior inspired by the US presidential residence and rooms designed to echo famous spaces inside it, including an Oval Office-style study. Its current owner, Vietnamese immigrant Thuy Ai Kathy Lam, bought the property in 2013 after building a successful beauty business. She later raised her children there and is now preparing to move to a smaller home.How did a Vietnamese immigrant come to own the 23,200-sq-ft White House replicaLam's connection with this unique property began years before she became its owner. According to Realtor, she moved from postwar Vietnam to Atlanta with her family in 1995. They had only around $200 at the time, and she started working as a nail technician after arriving in the US.Her early years in America were closely tied to the beauty industry. Realtor reported that Lam opened her first nail salon 9 months after arriving, using a loan, and eventually expanded into nail salons and beauty schools. Her business success eventually put the Georgia mansion within reach.The house had already become a familiar sight to her. She remembered passing the White House replica when she was younger and thinking that she would be fortunate even to tour it one day. That changed in 2013, when she and her then-husband, Daniel Nguyen, were looking for a larger home. A joking suggestion that they should buy the property turned into a real conversation, and Lam contacted the owner.The Georgia mansion resembles the real White HouseThe property was built in 2001 by developer Fred Milani, who sent designers to Washington, D.C., to study the original White House before creating the Georgia version. CBS News Atlanta reported that the main residence covers about 16,500 square feet, while Realtor reports the entire estate, including its separate guesthouse, at approximately 23,200 square feet.Its exterior follows the Neoclassical appearance associated with the White House, but the similarities continue inside. One of its most distinctive spaces is an Oval Office-style study. Realtor reported that the room includes a replica of the presidential seal on the ceiling, while the desk resembles the Resolute Desk used in the real Oval Office.Another room takes inspiration from the Lincoln Bedroom. The property also contains formal entertaining spaces, murals, hand-forged iron railings and custom-made furniture. These details give the house its unique connection to the building in Washington without making it an official or public White House property. CBS News stressed that it is a private residence built for personal use.What does the estate include beyond its presidential-style roomsThe scale of the property extends well beyond the main building. The estate sits on roughly 3 acres and includes a separate 7-bedroom guesthouse known as the West Wing. Together, the two residences provide 13 bedrooms.Realtor reported that the main house has 6 bedrooms, while the guesthouse adds seven more. VnExpress reported that the main residence has 11 bathrooms and the guesthouse has another 6. The property therefore provides space for large family gatherings while keeping the two residences separate.The grounds are designed for entertainment as well. VnExpress described manicured gardens, a large swimming pool, a jacuzzi and a pool house with an outdoor kitchen. Inside, the main residence has a dramatic entrance with muralled ceilings, a sweeping staircase and a custom chandelier, along with a home lift.There is also a large banquet hall on the lower level. Realtor reported that it can accommodate about 250 people and has been used for weddings. The guesthouse, meanwhile, has been rented through Airbnb, adding another use to a property that has served as both a family home and an event setting.Why is the White House lookalike now being soldThe $35 million listing marks a new stage for Lam and the property. After more than a decade in the mansion, her children are now in college, and she has decided to move into a smaller home.For Lam, selling the house means giving up a property that became closely connected with her personal story. VnExpress reported that she regarded the mansion as a symbol of her American dream, while Realtor reported her decision as coming after raising her children there. She hopes the next owner will look after the estate as she has done.The mansion has also had a life beyond the Lam family. VnExpress reported that the property has been used as a backdrop for film shoots, family gatherings and special events. Realtor noted that Lam hosted community Christmas parties and a fundraising event there, while tourists and passersby have often stopped to photograph the distinctive building from outside.Significance of the $35 million asking priceAt $35 million, the estate is being offered at a level rarely seen in the Atlanta residential market. Realtor reported that it is the most expensive listing in the Atlanta metropolitan area, while the previous record residential sale stood at $18.1 million in 2021.The property is being represented by Serhant agents Chris Bowes, Tuy Dewey Luong, Annie Tran and Tiffany Powell, according to Realtor. The price reflects more than the home's size. The estate combines a White House-inspired exterior, presidential-style rooms, two residences, extensive grounds and spaces designed for entertaining.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.