Take a tour around a gorgeous Caribbean hideaway

Find modern decorating inspiration from our room-by-room house tour of a stylish caribbean retreat. Find decorating ideas from striking clean lines and high ceilings with our modern house tour.

PROPERTY TYPE A contemporary, colonial-style house.
SPACE Living room, gazebo/second living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, four bathrooms and a swimming pool
LOCATION St Barts, West Indies

1/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

hideaway house villa

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

Split over three levels to accommodate the slope it's built on, this fabulous home has all the verandas and shutters a fan of Caribbean architecture could ask for.  First and foremost, however, this is a place for the owners to unwind.

2/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

dinning table with lamps

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

High ceilings, large expanses of glass and pale surfaces maximise light. The dining room is set up so that guests can marvel at the view. Numbered cushions on the seats is a personal touch, while huricane lamps will provide twinkling candlelight during the evening.

The mahogany dining table, designed by a friend of the owners, was made locally, but try BoConcept for a similar design.

3/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

hideaway house with wooden chairs

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

Rustic sun loungers contrast beautifully with the slick polished concrete floor, reflecting the clever fusion of colonial and contemporary styles in the house.

Find similar rustic loungers at MandalaLowinfo can create concrete floors.

4/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

bedroom with window shutters

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

These window shutters are Caribbean architecture at its best and allow light to stream into this outdoor bedroom/beach hut.

5/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

bedroom with antique cabinets

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

The master bedroom is strongly defined by straight lines and a monochromatic palette, with antique Chines cabinets adding warmth. Individually, the framed mirrors either side of the bed would be merely practical, but in multiple they are a bold statement. The increased reflection bounces light around the bedroom, making it appear larger.

Habitat carry a wide range of mirrors and picture frames. Find Oriental-style cabinets at OKA.

6/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

dining table

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

The living roomdining room and kitchen are divided by half walls that define the space without chopping it up. White furniture is used where possible to create a cool and calm look, while some black pieces provide definition in the open-plan space.

7/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

living room with white chairs and antique lanterns

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

In the living room, decorative textiles and Chinese pieces add delicate detail to a bright white backdrop. Antique lanterns have been given a new lease of life on top of decorative storage.

The Conran Shop stocks modern lanterns like this. 

8/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

geometric pattern windows with frames

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Jean-Philippe Piter)

The walls have been lined with photos mounted in simple, but striking black frames. These echo the geometric patterns of the windows and doors, and tie in with the monochrome scheme.

For similar frames, try Marks & Spencer.

9/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

wooden table with lamp

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

The owners can read or catch up on paperwork at their antique Oriental-style bureau - when they're not enjoying the sunshine!

Lombok sells similar bureaus.

10/11 Caribbean hideaway house tour

kitchen with cabinets and glass windows

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

The mahogany kitchen units were made in Denmark. The glazed cabinets are great for displaying treasures, while the rustic pendant lights introduce a bit of Caribbean culture to the scheme.

Roundhouse could make kitchen units like this for you. The striped runners are from Day Home.

11/11 wet room

bathroom with white tiles

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jean-Philippe Piter)

This tile-clad ensuite wet room is formed of all pure, clean lines to create a calming ambience. There’s no bath, though, as there isn’t enough water on St Barts.

The sanitaryware and taps were bought in America, but try Aston Matthews for similar. The Chinese cabinet came from Green Square in Copenhagen. Putney Tiles sells plain white tiles. For a square mirror, see John Lewis.
 
Looking for more modern decorating inspiration? Check out our House Tours section for everything from a celebrity designer's Victorian terrace house to an eclectic mansion flat.

Heather Young
Editor

Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and Editor-In-Chief since 2023. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.