A great home often reveals its essence IF you simply stand in one particular spot and take a look
around. At Hawksbill Cove, a Caribbean plantation-style estate off the coast
of Antigua, that spot is in the main house, at the center of the large
living and dining area that opens to the outdoors on two sides. Above you soars
a pitched ceiling of pickled pine; around you, a floor of creamy Mexican
shellstone spreads to coral-tone Georgian columns and walls of pale blue, with
groupings of wicker and wood furniture that seem equally inviting whether you
are wearing a suit or sarong. Before you, through an archway and across a
vine-covered pergola, a lush garden beckons with the scent of frangipani, the
chirp of yellow-breasted bananaquits and the sparkle of a swimming pool
resembling a tropical lagoon. Behind you, just steps away, turquoise Caribbean
waters lap on a deserted ivory-sand beach.
 Located on a 300-acre private island two miles off
the coast of Antigua, Hawksbill Cove is comprised of a collection of pavilions
situated around a central swimming pool. Right: A one-bedroom guest cottage
overlooks the pond, which is located just behind the pool. (Click image to enlarge)
Airy and welcoming, poised between garden and sea, Hawksbill
Cove is undeniably a great home. Located at Jumby Bay—the Rosewood resort set on
an automobile-free, 300-acre private island about two miles off the coast of
Antigua—the estate has five bedrooms in separate guest cottages surrounding a
9,000-square-foot main house, which includes an office and library, an oceanview
master suite, and the central living and dining area. Six baths each have an
outdoor rainshower, and complementing the flood-lit tennis court are a viewing
pavilion and gym. Though privately owned by a British businessman and his
family, the estate can be rented.
Top: The dining area and great room are located at the
center of the estate. The arches at the right lead to the pool; at the left is a
walkway to the beach where the homeowners have one of the few private docks on
the island. Bottom: A second, more intimate dining area was added
to the home by knocking out the walls of a laundry room to create an
indoor/outdoor eating area, which the family often uses for breakfast and
casual meals. (Click images to enlarge)
"The central great room is the key to Hawksbill Cove," says its
designer, Antigua-based architect Andrew Goodenough, who has also designed
several of the island’s other homes. "The room draws everyone together and acts
as the heart of the house. And because it faces north and south, it’s protected
from the prevailing northeast-to-southeast winds. That’s why we could keep it
open."
Top: The pool marks the entrance to the main
living areas, which are beyond the tennis court and large lawn near the estate’s
front gate. Bottom: The master bathroom features an outdoor shower, a popular
amenity on the island, which can be used almost year round. (Click images to enlarge)
With the owners expressing a desire for a campus-style
residence, Goodenough’s main challenge at Hawksbill Cove was the relatively
plain four-acre site. "There was a gentle slope to the sea," says the architect,
who has designed homes for a mainly British clientele around the Caribbean. "We
needed to change the geography to make it more interesting. Our solution was to
place the pool behind the main house instead of between the house and the sea,
which is far more common. Having the sea just outside the great room creates
terrific drama."The residence is essentially contemporary in layout, though its
architecture does contain references to historical building styles of the
Caribbean. "In this region, we have a long tradition of Georgian architecture,"
says Goodenough. "The columns at Hawksbill Cove, and the way the roofs and
verandas work together, are all part of the local idiom."
Top: A one-bedroom guest cottage is contained in
its own pavilion and overlooks the ocean. Bottom: The great room’s north-south layout protects it from strong
winds, allowing it to stay open. At night, the area becomes the hub of the
home. (Click images to enlarge)
The estate’s original garden has been extensively reworked by
Paul Richnow, Jumby Bay’s horticultural consultant. "The Hawksbill Cove garden
has evolved into something very private, very lush," Richnow says. "There are
lots of palm varieties as well as ground orchids, heliconia, bromeliads and
staghorn ferns. It feels like an organized version of a tropical jungle." The owners selected the furnishings, many of which they picked
up during their travels around the world. The furniture, mostly in natural wood,
lends the residence an aura of simple, relaxed elegance—exactly what the owners
crave as an antidote to their busy lives back in England. And though Jumby Bay’s
restaurants, watersports, putting green and other amenities are at their
disposal when they are on the island, the owners frequently stay close to home.
"This estate is a sanctuary, a refuge," says Goodenough. "It represents
Caribbean living at its best."
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