Residential · Project story

The VILLA

This 600 sq. ft. Villa faces the Caribbean Sea. The location inspired the design scheme for this home, incorporating blues, greens and the sea.

Condo Refresh
Bathroom Remodel
Paint and Refinishing
Furniture Plan
Local Artisan Pieces

Chapter 1: The Concept

Purchased during a time of uncertainty, this villa embodies a story of resilience and reverence for Belizean culture. Respecting the treasures left by the previous owners, sea fans, shells, and driftwood, we transformed them into artful arrangements, weaving their story into the home's soul. Rejecting the predictable coastal palette, we embraced deep navy blues and emerald greens, refinished rich mahogany surfaces, and revitalized the space with the heart of Belize. Every piece of furniture and art is crafted by local artisans, including a stunning live-edge cabbage wood bed built by my husband and finished on the mainland. This villa is more than a retreat; it's a celebration of Belizean artistry and the enduring beauty of life by the sea.

The kitchen before: wood cabinets, a white refrigerator, plain white backsplash tile and driftwood along the tops of the cabinets.

The kitchen after: deep green walls, the same wood cabinets, a black and white accent tile backsplash and the driftwood arranged over the cabinets.

The bedroom before: yellow walls, a plain bed under the window and wicker nightstands. — Before and after

The bedroom after: navy walls and the live-edge cabbage wood four-poster bed dressed in blue and white bedding. — Before and after

Chapter 2: The Plan

The floor plan lays out a 144 sq ft bedroom, a 254 sq ft living room, an L-shaped kitchen, the bathroom and the bay window. The furniture plan places the bed between two nightstands, a round table for four, the sofa, an armchair and a seat in the bay window.

Dimensioned floor plan of the villa: a 144 square foot bedroom, a 254 square foot living room, an L-shaped kitchen, the bathroom with its shower, and a bay window and double doors on the living room side.

Furniture plan: a bed with two nightstands, a round dining table with four chairs, a sofa, an armchair, a coffee table, a TV console, a cushioned bay window seat and ceiling fans.

Chapter 3: The Details

Deep green walls in the living room and kitchen and navy walls in the bedroom sit above the wood wainscot. In the kitchen, the driftwood, sea fans and shells now sit along the tops of the cabinets, and black and white accent tiles are set into the white backsplash.

Driftwood, sea fans and shells arranged along the tops of the kitchen cabinets under a white drum light, against a deep green wall.

The kitchen corner: a black cooktop, a white backsplash with black and white accent tiles set on point, a wood shelf and a painting of a sunset over the sea.

The Bathroom

The shower floor is black pebble tile with a new black shower drain and a niche built into the shower wall. The bathroom floor is 16 by 16 inch black tile on the diagonal with 8 by 8 inch white tiles, finished with a black metal curved edge.

Sherwin-Williams SW 6244 Naval paint swatch — Specifications

White wall tile set on the diagonal — Specifications

Chapter 1: The Concept

Chapter 2: The Plan

Chapter 3: The Details

The Bathroom

Chapter 4: Life by the Sea