Decorating & Design

December 30, 2013

Celeb-Worthy Caribbean Manor

You’d think it would be enough to live in L.A. year-round, but come Christmas, it’s apparently time to decamp to even warmer climes like St. Barth’s. It might be a little late to ring in 2014 at this stunning price-on-request villa, but there’s always next year. Come aboard my (imaginary) private yacht as we sail to the French West Indies to take a closer look.

This is just how I prefer my pools: gleaming turquoise, expansive, surrounded by a deck with a number of deck chairs and backed by incredible natural scenery. (If you’re wondering why there are so many deck chairs, they’re probably left over from the property’s stint as a hotel.) If you have an old deck in your property, give it a makeover with the help of a deck repair company.

The listing claims the property is close to quiet Lorient beach, but it looks as though it’s atop a hill.

The heart of the property dates to the 1600s, when French settlers built a manor house on the site that stood through British rule, Swedish rule, French again, and  — fun fact — finally saw electricity in 1961. Today, the property has been completely renovated and is home to both the manor house, three separate bungalows and two offices.

Does it get any dreamier than this? The usual Caribbean palette is white paint against dark wood furnishings and floors, but designer Christina Rodriguez has the cabinets and upholstery meet in the middle, with medium wood and grey fabric. I love the resulting breezy, low-contrast look.

The same tones are carried through a slightly more enclosed dining area in a corner of the Gaggenau-outfitted kitchen. An old world painting is a reminder of the island’s European influences, but casually propping it on a kitchen shelf speaks to its current incarnation as a high-style vacation mecca.

What, doesn’t everyone have a Tulip table in their bedroom? I think I would get into laundry trouble if my closet was on a different floor — out of sight, out of mind — but then again, it’s always nice to have a break from everyday chores.

It’s a good thing there are seven bathrooms to match the seven bedrooms; I’d probably take a seat in that chair and spend all day just looking out the window. I would, however, make two changes to this room: add a larger mirror to admire my freshly tanned self, and swap out that faucet. (How do you think it actually works?)

What do you think? Would this house inspire you to vacation like a celeb?

Photo credits:
1–5. Laurent Benoît