Dream House | Where Greece meets Treasure Beach

This house has two faces. Where the striking front serves as the public face of the structure, the back represents a private oasis for family leisure and entertainment activities.

However, the overall style of the villa is sculpted from sharp, geometric rectangular forms, with textured, bright-white walls of part glass and concrete. The front door is a vibrant blue, and the structure is punctuated by occasional curving lines, along with a hidden roof.

The owners were highly motivated to recreate this cubic Mediterranean design after a trip to Greece. The consistently dry climate on this southwestern coast of Jamaica is quite similar to what they found in this southeastern European country. This necessitated landscaping with drought-tolerant bougainvillea, cacti, and aloe vera, as well as native grasses.

The 3,200-square-foot holiday home, located in Billy’s Bay, Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, features four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a powder room. It occupies a narrow, one-third-acre lot above the beachfront and took one and a half years to complete, with construction ending in 2024.

The open-concept configuration makes provision for an open-air balcony leading off bedrooms and a covered terrace extending from the living and dining areas to the swimming pool and sundeck. The panoramic sea views are captivating from these spaces. The rooftop skydeck, with its expansive views, an unexpected plunge pool, and a wet bar, steals the show.

Again, as in Greece, the family used mattresses on concrete bed frame bases, along with low-maintenance concrete-finished floors rather than tiles and durable concrete bathroom and kitchen countertops. The walls display works by local artists, while some of the locally crafted furniture is made of teak and guango wood.

The husband and wife owners of this property run a development and construction company. She enjoys travelling as a family, watching all types of sports, and has a passion for cooking. Her husband, who spent a lot of his childhood visiting Treasure Beach, has as his pastimes reviewing building plans and playing pickleball.

All in all, it is a refreshing Dream House presentation of a family’s dreams fulfilled.

Barry Rattray is a dream house designer and builder. Email feedback to barryrattray1@hotmail.com and lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.