Dream House | Laid-back living in Billy’s Bay
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A peaceful bedroom in a seafront setting.
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A dream abode that shuns elaborate displays in favour of a down-to-earth aesthetic.
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A simply designed and furnished living area opening wide to the outdoors.
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This picture-perfect setting is the ideal escape.
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A rustic porch gives a view of the sea in all its glory.
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Barry Rattray
Today’s Dream House leans into laid-back living, with simply designed spaces and understated furnishings that create an easy, welcoming atmosphere.
Its ever-so-peaceful location on a bluff, affording views of the turquoise Caribbean waters, heightens the architectural allure. You are left mesmerised by watching seagulls in flight and dolphins at play, together with manatees, also known as sea cows, going about their business.
The building on its 1.6-acre plot enjoys a blissful union with the scenic natural setting, where rustic wood-floored verandahs and porches are roofed in fig wood branches, and thatched-roof gazebos offer leisurely interludes. The bathrooms feature outdoor rain showers, along with a timber-deck swimming pool and hammocks for relaxation under a large seagrape tree. A stone walkway leads down to the beach.
The carefree spirit on the inside follows you through to three ensuite bedrooms, with the principal bedroom’s bathroom being fitted with double sinks and double rain showers. A combined TV, living and dining area, with an island kitchen and a pantry, completes the 3,000 square feet of living space.
Architectural specifications include: corrugated zinc roofing; cedar louvre (jalousie) windows; vintage terrazzo floors; and splashes of bright colours everywhere. Furnishings include straw mats on floors, locally made furniture, and antique pieces. A SONOS wireless multiroom audio system adds to the experience.
The home, in Billy’s Bay, Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, was built in the mid-1960s and purchased by its current owners in 2024. The woman is a Jamaican-born graduate of the St Andrew High School for Girls and Harvard Law School in the United States. She is the chief operating officer of a large non-profit organisation. The retired gentleman first travelled to Jamaica with the Harvard rugby football club in the 1980s for friendly matches. The two met at Harvard University.
Barry Rattray is a dream house designer and builder. Email feedback to barryrattray1@hotmail.com and lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.