British West Indies Style

Sugar Beach Cottage Nestled in the Soufriere Hills, St. Lucia

I was browsing through vacation pictures last night and I got stuck on a set of our family vacation to St. Lucia, last year. It was actually quite an extended trip---two months of absorbing an alternative of the life we live here in Europe. The island moves at a crawl and you with it, perfect synergy if you ask me, because one has to move slowly when the sun is hot and the rum is icy cold.

Sugar Beach Luxury Cottage

I love all the islands but I have an extreme appreciation of St. Lucia--so green and lush with the sleepy volcanoes looming in the background, far less developed and less crowded than Barbados, and a lot more relaxed. My absolute favourite thing about the island is the old chattel house-style architecture you can still find here and there. Chattel Houses are pretty, colourful, moveable houses made usually from wood and corrugated metal. And I love that even the newer or newly renovated luxury resorts keep to the island's architectural theme--- and in defiance of the threat of hurricanes I might add. Sugar Beach is such a place.

 

 

Adorable Chattel with Jalousie Windows

Every time I go to St. Lucia I invariably revisit the Architectural Digest spread on Lord Glenconner and his chattel houses. The late Lord Glenconner, who is said to have dated Princess Margaret and gifted her 10 acres of his island Mustique, has an interesting boom and bust story. Sugar Beach (formerly known as Jalousie Hilton Resort) being our favourite place in St. Lucia, was also once owned by Lord Glenconner.

I love that Lord Glenconner appeared to have a fond appreciation for not just the island, but its people, the architecture and even the furnishing. And, actually if you want to see more of these old world West Indian interiors, take a look at British West Indies Style by Michael Connors --- a man who also gave input to Lord Glenconner's choice of furnishings for his chattel houses in St. Lucia.

Dapper-looking gentleman, no?