My Houzz: A Tropical Island Family Home
With love and a lot of DIY, this family transformed this house into a little piece of paradise
Claire Tardy
28 May 2017
When Aurélie and her family were on a catamaran cruise in the Antilles in the Caribbean during a sabbatical, they fell under Guadeloupe’s spell and never left. The family settled down in the town of Saint-François after becoming enamoured with a house on stilts – typical of the region – which was in a bad condition at the time. The scale of the work that was needed didn’t faze the renovation enthusiasts, however, and they readily undertook the place’s metamorphosis with their own hands. They not only rearranged the space, but also built a swimming pool, an add-on and an independent apartment – all in harmony with the surrounding environment. Aurélie and her husband Pierre let their creativity run wild and designed a dream home for their family in the heart of the tropical region.
Photos by Stéphane Alunno
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Aurélie, Pierre and their three children
Location Saint-François, Guadeloupe
Size About 2,500 sq m, of which 200 sq m is living space
Aurélie would never have made her way to Guadeloupe without a helping hand from destiny. A few years ago, she left the region of Arcachon (in the southwest of France, near Bordeaux) to take a catamaran cruise to the Antilles in the Caribbean with her husband and three children, then aged 7 to 14. “For us, that sabbatical year was an opportunity to have a huge adventure, which really brought us closer together,” Aurélie says.
At that stage, Guadeloupe was not yet on the family’s itinerary. It was only when friends who were spending the year-end holidays on the archipelago invited Aurélie’s family to join them for Christmas that they decided to take a detour to Saint-François. “We immediately fell in love with this human-scaled city and quickly wanted to settle there.” That’s why Aurélie, Pierre and their three children never came back from their cruise to the Antilles.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Aurélie, Pierre and their three children
Location Saint-François, Guadeloupe
Size About 2,500 sq m, of which 200 sq m is living space
Aurélie would never have made her way to Guadeloupe without a helping hand from destiny. A few years ago, she left the region of Arcachon (in the southwest of France, near Bordeaux) to take a catamaran cruise to the Antilles in the Caribbean with her husband and three children, then aged 7 to 14. “For us, that sabbatical year was an opportunity to have a huge adventure, which really brought us closer together,” Aurélie says.
At that stage, Guadeloupe was not yet on the family’s itinerary. It was only when friends who were spending the year-end holidays on the archipelago invited Aurélie’s family to join them for Christmas that they decided to take a detour to Saint-François. “We immediately fell in love with this human-scaled city and quickly wanted to settle there.” That’s why Aurélie, Pierre and their three children never came back from their cruise to the Antilles.
In 2009, the two parents set out to buy a property in the region and fell head over heels for this house on stilts, along with its magnificent garden. “The building wasn’t very pretty, but we immediately saw the potential of the place. The whole ensemble had that atypical something that we liked and the spaces were interesting,” Aurélie says.
The poor condition of the building did not discourage them. They were used to transforming their homes, since they had already done so in Arcachon. Since purchasing the house, Aurélie and Pierre haven’t stopped working on remodelling it.
The poor condition of the building did not discourage them. They were used to transforming their homes, since they had already done so in Arcachon. Since purchasing the house, Aurélie and Pierre haven’t stopped working on remodelling it.
“The connection with nature is very important to us,” says Aurélie. “We wanted to keep the vegetation as close to the rooms as possible because we have a really outdoor lifestyle.” Situated near a forest, Aurélie and Pierre’s land gives the impression of being in the countryside, although it is only 300m from the beach. Like most Creole buildings, the house had its back turned to the wind and the sea, and was completely closed off on the garden side. The couple chose to reorient it to face the sea, in order to enjoy the full potential of the plot. To do this, they added new windows and built a terrace on that side. “Exposure to the wind also allows for natural ventilation,” Aurélie says.
The building had been modified several times by the previous owners and was made up of various mismatched elements. It was therefore necessary to pare down and standardise the whole place. Aurélie and Pierre did the whole job on their own. They demolished several parts of the house to make room for a new add-on. “We tore out the concrete ‘igloo’ of sorts that was originally standing there to create a wooden add-on.” Today the house has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a linen closet and a living space that combines the living room and kitchen.
The building had been modified several times by the previous owners and was made up of various mismatched elements. It was therefore necessary to pare down and standardise the whole place. Aurélie and Pierre did the whole job on their own. They demolished several parts of the house to make room for a new add-on. “We tore out the concrete ‘igloo’ of sorts that was originally standing there to create a wooden add-on.” Today the house has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a linen closet and a living space that combines the living room and kitchen.
“We also did a lot of work on the garden, which had considerable potential,” says Aurélie. “The advantage with Guadeloupe’s climate is that cuttings quickly become huge plants. It was therefore easy to rearrange the vegetation around the house.”
Now, tropical pants of all kinds surround the entrance and the alley opposite the garden, and shade the house. “From this angle, you don’t feel like you’re coming to a house, but rather to a wooden shelter,” Aurélie says.
Want to introduce the tropics into your home? Go green with jungle-inspired leaves
Now, tropical pants of all kinds surround the entrance and the alley opposite the garden, and shade the house. “From this angle, you don’t feel like you’re coming to a house, but rather to a wooden shelter,” Aurélie says.
Want to introduce the tropics into your home? Go green with jungle-inspired leaves
A large wooden door opens onto a hallway that leads to the living room. The first impression sets the scene for the whole house. Several pieces of furniture stand in the corridor, some of which were found through bargain hunting and some made by the owners themselves. The latter includes a redwood and driftwood console table and a small cupboard. The line of school slates organised according to the days of the week was something Aurélie had found in France before leaving. “The bust of the face is a thank-you gift from a sculptor who had visited us a few times for vacations,” Aurélie says.
The small terrace at the end of the hallway was built at the very beginning of the renovation, before the large one was put in. It faced the original kitchen, which stood behind the red wooden door in the background of this photo. Today, the couple use this space as a coffee corner.
Aurélie found and restored the table and two chairs: “I like to go skip diving and that’s how I found these pieces of furniture,” she says with a smile. She kept the framework, but repainted it and added the wood.
Aurélie found and restored the table and two chairs: “I like to go skip diving and that’s how I found these pieces of furniture,” she says with a smile. She kept the framework, but repainted it and added the wood.
The swimming pool and the large covered terrace were built later. Aurélie and Pierre made them from scratch to completely open up that side of the house. “With the exception of the liner for the pool, we did everything ourselves and put the renovation knowledge we’ve built up over time to good use,” says Aurélie.
The pool is elevated above the garden and extends from the edge of the terrace. “It seemed natural to us to arrange it this way. It simply required more concrete work than an in-ground pool would, although [otherwise] we prefer to work with wood, which is a less restrictive material and has a warmer aesthetic.”
The pool is elevated above the garden and extends from the edge of the terrace. “It seemed natural to us to arrange it this way. It simply required more concrete work than an in-ground pool would, although [otherwise] we prefer to work with wood, which is a less restrictive material and has a warmer aesthetic.”
The terrace is divided into two parts: one dedicated to a living space and the other to a dining area, with a small flat-top grill in the corner. It is sheltered from the sun and the rain by a wooden pergola, which allows the space to be used at any time of the day or year.
Here, as in the corridor, Aurélie and Pierre’s creativity shines through in the furniture. “We have trouble buying ready-made furniture in stores and prefer to create pieces ourselves, as we did here with the wood left over from building the deck,” Aurélie says. They designed the cushions with fabric brought from France by Aurélie’s parents. The straw pendant lampshades are the only elements of the terrace that Aurélie did not make. “In Guadeloupe we have a lot of stores with Balinese influences, like the one where I bought these lampshades. We got the terracotta flowerpots at a garden center.”
Here, as in the corridor, Aurélie and Pierre’s creativity shines through in the furniture. “We have trouble buying ready-made furniture in stores and prefer to create pieces ourselves, as we did here with the wood left over from building the deck,” Aurélie says. They designed the cushions with fabric brought from France by Aurélie’s parents. The straw pendant lampshades are the only elements of the terrace that Aurélie did not make. “In Guadeloupe we have a lot of stores with Balinese influences, like the one where I bought these lampshades. We got the terracotta flowerpots at a garden center.”
The wooden shelves fixed above the windows are typical for Guadeloupe and had already adorned the original building. They have simply been moved to fit the new design. “Because of the tropical climate we don’t have windowpanes, and shutters are the only possible way of closing the house. To make it easier, we installed roller shutters on the large openings.”
The terrace leads to the main room of the house, which is a combination of living room, kitchen and an office corner.
Just like most of the furniture in the house, the living room sofa is the owners’ own creation. It is made of pine which has been treated against termites and exposure to high levels of sun and moisture. “This material is resistant to both the insects and the climate of the region, and its price is more appealing than that of the exotic wood. It was also easy for us to get on the island.”
Just like most of the furniture in the house, the living room sofa is the owners’ own creation. It is made of pine which has been treated against termites and exposure to high levels of sun and moisture. “This material is resistant to both the insects and the climate of the region, and its price is more appealing than that of the exotic wood. It was also easy for us to get on the island.”
The coffee table has been in the family for several years. Aurélie has always adapted it to the décor of each house in which she’s placed it. In this case, she repainted the wrought-iron legs slate gray and replaced the glass with parquet.
To make the desk, Aurélie and Pierre sanded wooden boards to give them the look of bleached pallets. The desk is framed by a floor lamp bought on the island and a branch of driftwood found on the beach. “I love driftwood,” says Aurélie. “I often use it to create accessories or furniture, but I thought this branch was so pretty that I kept it as it was.”
The surfboard hanging above the desk embodies the family’s shared passion: kitesurfing. “We thought it was pretty, with its old Hawaiian look,” says Aurélie, “so we hung it up as decoration. From time to time, we take it down to go surf and then hang it back in its place.”
Originally, the kitchen was located in a closed room and did not overlook the terrace, where the family have most of their meals. Aurélie found this impractical and chose to move it to the terraced side of the house to make it easier for the family to interact with one another. “I didn’t want to feel locked inside this space, and I wanted it to be turned towards the view of the garden, the pool and the forest.”
Originally, the kitchen was located in a closed room and did not overlook the terrace, where the family have most of their meals. Aurélie found this impractical and chose to move it to the terraced side of the house to make it easier for the family to interact with one another. “I didn’t want to feel locked inside this space, and I wanted it to be turned towards the view of the garden, the pool and the forest.”
To make it more welcoming still, Aurélie organised her kitchen around a central island, turning it into both a social and a cooking space.
The cupboards of the old kitchen were dismantled and reused for parts of the new one; they have been repainted and framed with wood to adapt them to the dimensions of their new location. The old-looking clock, located above the worktop, was actually bought in a shop on the archipelago. “In France, we used to bargain hunt for old objects, but this is difficult in Guadeloupe. So we try to adapt and find things that look a bit old.”
Like the idea of upcycling but don’t know where to start? Check these tips out
The cupboards of the old kitchen were dismantled and reused for parts of the new one; they have been repainted and framed with wood to adapt them to the dimensions of their new location. The old-looking clock, located above the worktop, was actually bought in a shop on the archipelago. “In France, we used to bargain hunt for old objects, but this is difficult in Guadeloupe. So we try to adapt and find things that look a bit old.”
Like the idea of upcycling but don’t know where to start? Check these tips out
Attached to the house, the add-on the couple built now holds two bedrooms and a bathroom. The original concrete has given way to a wooden structure for a warmer feel.
“After getting rid of the concrete ‘igloo’, we wanted to reuse the space, which was big enough to accommodate two children’s rooms. However, since they had already chosen their rooms on the other side of the house, we decided to create our master suite here instead,” Aurélie says.
Open to the terrace, the master suite has a nice view of the swimming pool and the garden. “From the bed there is a clear view of the forest and you can regularly see birds and iguanas,” says Aurélie. To protect the room from the sun and rain, awnings compensate for the lack of glass.
The master suite has a bathroom tailored to the couple’s needs. The furniture is made of old driftwood and there is a sink made of lava stone, typical for these volcanic islands.
The master suite has a bathroom tailored to the couple’s needs. The furniture is made of old driftwood and there is a sink made of lava stone, typical for these volcanic islands.
Each of the children has his or her own room. Here, Aurélie and Pierre’s son’s room is furnished with a homemade pine bed and a headboard of aged wood, covered in different colours and stencil patterns. The room’s original flooring was sanded for a brighter effect.
The neighbouring room is arranged the same way, but its décor is more feminine. Bedside lamps made out of stones and driftwood create a seaside atmosphere.
“My daughter’s room is the only room in the house that is not all white. I had fun with lines on the walls and the wardrobe, which is made from an old tack cabinet [a closet for storing saddles and other riding equipment] I found at an equestrian centre,” Aurélie says. The furniture is completed by an easy chair; Aurélie replaced its webbing with wood.
The main bathroom stands out because of its outdoor shower. “It feels like you’re taking a shower outside, but the cement structure and the abundance of surrounding plants protect privacy,” says Aurélie. It’s quite fun and we regularly share this space with a little frog.” To accentuate the shower, Aurélie added a pebble arrangement and repainted part of the shower base grey.
The shower is separated from the rest of the bathroom by a door, so that the space can be closed off at night and when the family are not home. The interior has a lava-stone basin, placed on a custom-made pine cabinet. The whole area is decorated with finds from the beach.
Since the house is located in an earthquake zone, Aurélie and her husband initially wanted to strengthen the stilts. That was when they became aware of the space under the building and decided to use it to create an independent apartment with its own garden. “As we live in the Antilles, we receive a lot of long visits from our relatives, so the bottom of the bungalow presented itself as an ideal solution.” It includes a bedroom, a bathroom and a living area, consisting of a kitchen, a living room and a private terrace.
A wooden fence preserves the privacy of the guest apartment’s terrace, keeping it from being visible from the pool. It is also useful when there are heavy rains. The furniture here was designed by Aurélie and Pierre, too. “We added a lot of wood onto the walls and in the furniture to balance out the concrete walls of the building,” Aurélie says.
The couple’s personal stamp can be seen in the guest apartment’s décor, elements of which are either recovered or homemade. All the furnishings are constructed of pine and driftwood and make the space visually dynamic.
The bed is equipped with a mosquito net to ensure the guests’ comfort.
The bed is equipped with a mosquito net to ensure the guests’ comfort.
Aurélie has not finished renovating the apartment or the bungalow. In particular, she plans to add a bac à punch (a small pool) in the apartment’s garden to make it even more welcoming for guests. However, now it is time for a break, as the couple have just finished the construction of a second house, which they plan to lease, on their land. “We haven’t gone on a vacation since we bought the house and have constantly been busy renovating it,” says Aurélie, “ but the advantage of living in Guadeloupe is that you feel like you’re on vacation as soon as you put your tools down.” However, the couple would like to give themselves a break to visit their daughter, who is studying in France, and to dedicate themselves to their second passion – sailing.
What do you think of this fantasy house? Would you set up home abroad? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
What do you think of this fantasy house? Would you set up home abroad? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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What an amazing life style they must have. As Gerry says, why are we here? Lucky, lucky people. (But I guess it isn't luck, is it? It's brave, adventurous people - good for them).
So beautiful. I love the simplicity, particularly of the kitchen. I can't imagine what it'd be like to live on the island. But it's wonderful to see the photos.
To echo Gerry Rust's comment - I too wonder why I don't live in the Antilles sharing my outdoor shower with a little frog - I have come to the conclusion it must be down to bad karma... Sighs...what a lovely place.