Dream House | On the cliff of dreams

There’s just something thrilling about residing at the very edge of a cliff – a precipice if you will - with a steep 80-foot drop directly to the beachfront below.

Way up here, the staggering sea vistas, the melody of waves breaking on the shore, and the refreshing coastal breeze, all wonderfully collaborate to enkindle the dream of living above all else.

As for the beguiling house itself, get acquainted with its captivating external features: the pronounced, decorative woodwork in the uppermost triangular section of the roof (known as the gable roof truss). The distinct, attractive stone veneer, cladding columns, and beams.

How about the sheer walls of glazing (glass) sliding doors, leading to the plunge pool, hot tub, outdoor kitchen, shower, and cliffside observation deck — an intimate convergence of inside and outside.

The rousing, voluminous interiors have you in the lap of ultra-luxury, with floors and walls of marble. A staircase climbs in polished wood, and tray ceilings sparkle with recessed lights. The sleek, ultra-modern, euro–style kitchen, with its smooth, clean look, reveals a new wave in island kitchens —the waterfall countertop - which is also in marble.

Worthy of note is the principal bathroom, which blows you away with stunning marble, glass, double basins in wooden vanity, and double rain showers.

There exists five reposeful bedrooms with bathrooms ensuite, a powder room, lounge and entertainment areas, glass–railing balconies, leisure patios, and a porte-cochère (covered driveway at the front door).

The furnishing bears silent witness to the style of today, with walls painted in neutral colours.

The 5,400 square foot villa in Tower Isle, St Mary, presides over a half acre, in a controlled, secured community. The husband and wife Canadian owners (now Jamaican residents), not surprisingly, fell in love with Jamaica, its people, culture, and weather and just cannot find any excuse to return to the land of their birth. He was in the power industry and she was a designer and creative entrepreneur of jewellery, fashion, and graphics.

This undoubtedly is their dream home, newly constructed, which they found after an arduous two-year hunt. Both find their luxurious haven unique, without compare in Jamaica and for that matter, Canada as well.

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