Houses of Enchantment


As construction of my future home looms near, I am left to ponder the beauty and practicality of houses built in the tropics. The wisdom of their design —meant to defend against hurricanes, rise over floods and preserve against excessively sultry climate— almost pales in comparison to the power of their evocative beauty.

Casa Rosa, Old San Juan

Photo credit: By courtesy of BeeLoop SL (The Mapware & Mobility Company)

Perhaps the optics of my childhood, both vivid and hazy, betray any meager attempt  at being clinical…but to this day, Caribbean houses always appear to be either haunted or enchanted.

From Spanish revival houses adorned with sultry jalousies and stained glass transoms that were meant to keep the secrets and cosy routines of discreet and eccentric families, to the charming countryside cottages will forever hold treasured childhood memories. From stately Art Nouveau town homes boasting handsome and overgrown courtyards to sunny beachfront homes you never wanted to leave behind… From Key West to Barbados, from Havana to San Juan….

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Houses will never be mere objects. They will never be just shelter. They are living, breathing witnesses: of life, of moments and of history. They are our most enduring legacies and our most trusted story tellers. Because while they are created to keep our secrets, they often reveal our most profound truths.

 

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For a collection of these and more beautiful Caribbean and island houses, follow my Pinterest board “My Island Life”.

 

  • September 23, 2015
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carolina
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