Dream House | Barrett Town retreat speaks through architecture and design

This house, as improbable as it might seem, might just be speaking to you! As you walk through its inner walls, you might hear a voice only you are aware of. No one else!

No need to be distressed my friends, your sanity is quite intact. You are not experiencing a psychotic episode. Auditory verbal hallucinations (hearing voices that are not there) are not always a manifestation of being mentally unwell. Far from it. In this case, the house is just reaching out to you, pridefully articulating the hallmark of its architecture and interior layout. Listen to it.

The unheard-of, newly built residence, vocalises its presence on a steep one-acre lot, on the summit of a mountain, by Barrett Town, St James. Finding it is easier said than done.

The concept behind its origination was from a simple and profound idea: intermixing the majesty of the outdoor greenery and the sublime Caribbean Sea in perpetual view, with the notion of ‘home’. It is influenced by the colour snow white, with accents of cobalt blue for visual and emotional value.

The house tells us about its outward appearance of arches and columns, permeated by tinted glass doors and windows. It further communicates its 10, huge climate-controlled bedrooms (with glass-railed balconies and porches), all with en-suite bathrooms, and a powder room. Its airy, sunlit, living areas (there are more than one of them) also connect to porches. The dining room brings you into conversation with the granite, eat-in kitchen, ringed by glimmering recessed lighting. An entertainment loft exists.

The swimming pool (with underwater massaging jets) is in dialogue with the roofed wet bar, while a waterfall cascades, a gazebo relaxes, and a greenhouse grows crops.

American Annette Doctor, who is in law enforcement, and her Jamaican husband, Donnie, a senior engineer, both met at college in the United States. It was at a campus social event that this innocent, quiet young lady, was introduced to this young man who wanted all the girls! She would change that. Forty loving years later, this married couple have now built their absolute dream house to permanently reside in.

It has been said, that silence is golden. However, this house has something to say.

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