RL

THE DECKHOUSES AT THE RITZ-CARLTON | 3

>

Grand Cayman’s most captivating living community – The DeckHouses at The Ritz-Carlton, Dragon Bay.Words by Juliet Austin. Photography by Gary White.

the stuff thatdreams are made of

French philosopher,Voltaire wrote:“Perfection is attained byslow degrees; it requiresthe hand of time,” andsuch is the story of how

The Ritz-Carlton’s Dragon Baypeninsula would one daybecome one of the mostdesirable living communitiesin the Caribbean. Two and ahalf years in conception, TheDeckHouses were imaginedinto being by a dream-teamof experts who were givencarte blanche to create avision that aspired to onesimple ideal: be the best ofthe best. Seeking inspiration, the

team (including professionalsfrom Zurcher Arquitectos –responsible for buildingCosta Rica’s Four SeasonsHotel), boarded a private jetfor a six-day, three time zone,twelve-country, thirty-two-resort odyssey. Theirmission? To discover theultimate ingredients forluxury living, bring themhome and create from them acommunity of distinctionunlike any other. Ironically,like many legendary queststhat have gone before, it wasonly upon its return that the teamdiscovered that the quintessentialelements had been here all along: aperfect location, breathtaking tropicalwaters, access to uncompromisingservice and amenities - the perfect placefor those seeking privacy and respite

from the frenetic demands of life.What defines The DeckHouses is the

elegant simplicity of a design that payshomage to humanity’s primal need tobe connected to water. This is thecornerstone of what has been createdhere on this extraordinary private

peninsula – a Caribbean Venice of sorts– a community uniquely connected bywater and to water. Whether it is thecurving stone-lined canals that windorganically to the North Sound lagoon;the numerous water-on-slate features ateach entrance way; or the magnetic arc

of water over the midnight blue infinitypool, the sensual ebb and flow of wateraccompanies every twist and turn ofthis development. “We wanted to createa place where people would feel at onewith the environment – a sanctuarywhere our owners could step away

from the pressures of busylives and immerse themselvesin nature,” explains LisaSloley, Project Director forThe DeckHouses.In a stroke of genius that

belies the ‘beyond-the-box’philosophy of the developers,The DeckHouses offer ownersthat remote, private islandexperience but, ingeniously,with a host of world-classamenities at their fingertips. Inbetween each house,individually excavated covescreate a secluded private islandescape, complete with beach,hammocks and outdoor torches– hard to conceive that a resortwith five onsite world-classrestaurants, Silver Rain a LaPrairie Spa, shops, galleries,marinas, Nick Bollettieri tenniscourts and the fine GregNorman ‘Blue Tip’ golf courselies literally a pebble-skip fromone’s front door. In another innovative move,

every home was strategicallyoriented on its quarter to half-acre lot tooptimise the breathtaking views andrefreshing breezes. Owners can accesstheir secret enclave via the palm-bankedcoral-stone driveway (courtesy of localcontractor, Cayman Stonewalling), orbetter yet, can elect to navigate the

THE DECKHOUSES AT THE RITZ-CARLTON | 5

RL

lattice-work of waterways by boat. While homes come complete with a

personal family golf cart – ideal foroutdoor living – the trademarkboathouses incorporated seamlessly intoeach house design, mean that ownerscan travel with ease by water to anynumber of island destinations. In thisway, a boat becomes a natural part ofeveryday life. Guests can arrive directlyfrom the airport via private Riva andmoor up at home without the slightestglimpse of traffic. Far from utilitarian,each boathouse boasts classic tongue-and-groove stained wood ceilings andcrisp white beams giving even the boatlift a look of elegant nautical chic. Whatis more, thoughtfully configured floorplans mean that the house can beaccessed directly from the dock withconvenient storage nearby for anythingfrom suitcases to coolers for a day out onthe Sound.It is these thoughtful touches that

enable the five bedroom, four-and-a-halfbathroom DeckHouses to stand headand shoulders above the rest. Theclapboard siding and Plantation-stylepillars offer a pleasingly symmetricalfaçade, while inside Ipe hardwoodflooring is used throughout the midand upper levels with vanilla-creamlimestone floors on the base level. Trayceilings inlaid with distressed woodenbeams give relief while the endlessviews remain, without compare, atcentre stage.

In excess of 7,000 square feet, eachthree-storey home rises up out of itslush, heavily landscaped garden oasis,reminiscent of the sweeping tropicalgardens of an old Jamaican GreatHouse, where pretty sandstone pathswind up from heavy wooden gates,through Oleander, Seagrape and GreenButtonwood to the entrancing secondfloor entrance way 18 and a half feetabove sea level.Step inside the living and dining

areas, and one is immediately struck bythe recurring motif of the naturalworld. Every minute accent is imbuedwith a distinct sense of harmony. 14foot ceilings and innovative floor-to-ceiling hurricane-rated glass doorsoffering expansive 180˚ views of thewater, gardens and golf course open uponto a trademark wrap-aroundentertainment deck. It is almost as ifthe walls fail to exist – as if what is notthere becomes equally as important aswhat is there. In total, each propertyoffers over a staggering 2,500 squarefeet of additional outdoor living spacein the form of shady terraces, wrap-around porches and sun decks eachlined with cable rail to provideunobstructed views of the constantlychanging vistas of the great beyond.Insistent on using only the most

timeless of authentic materials –hand-hewn hardwoods and thebeautiful properties of natural stone -the interiors are at once characterised >

by an understated elegance andarresting aesthetic beauty. Designedexclusively by Pamela Hughes ofHughes Design Associates, ownersmay opt for one of two interior designschemes with expertly coordinatedfinishes and fixtures. To say that thesehomes are turn-key properties is a vastunderstatement. In their commitmentto ‘endless service’, the designers haveeven gone so far as to select table andkitchenware ranging from top-of-the-line Christofle cutlery and Le Creusetcookware to Peugeot pepper mills, allexpertly selected by internationallyrenowned celebrity chef, Eric Ripert.There is even an option to utilise thepersonal butler service – no stone hasbeen left unturned.The essence of chic, The Modern

Collection features sleek, contemporarylines with a captivating texturalinterplay of glass, solid dark wood andmetal. Fabrics may be selected from thecrisp Ivory Coast range which utilises aneutral, pearlescent palette of ivory,cream and gold or alternatively, theAzure Cove’s vibrant island blues,greens and aquas. Custom-designedhardwood furniture and upholsterycombine with the nautically-inspiredlighting collection to create an eclectic

and stylish fusion of influences.Bathrooms feature mosaic and pebbletile inlays and border accents all ofwhich enhance the sense of tranquillity.The classic West Indies Collection

favours a more traditional Caribbeanambience with its curve-legged one-of-a-kind pieces, rattan detail and moreornate, rustic elements. Fabrics areoffered in two separate colour palettes:the striking Verdent Palm Collectioninspired by the luxuriant greens oftropical island foliage or the elegant

CeruleanSeaCollectionechoing theexquisitehues of thebreathtaking

Caribbean Sea. Here, hardwoodfurniture comes with an authenticdistressed, antique finish tocompliment custom designed wroughtiron light fixtures including wallsconces and the stunning dining roomchandelier courtesy of West Hollywooddesigner Paul Ferrante.What is clear is that the designers

have been given free rein to createwithout inhibition: not only is eachhome practical to a fault but one

RL

CAYMAN’S BLACK MAGIC MAN | 7

RL

cannot fail to be moved by the morewhimsical elements of design. With adramatic screened entrance creating anair of mystique, the master suite on thethird level rewards you with stunningviews (quite literally in some cases)across the entire island. 10 and a halffoot vaulted ceilings, coupled withbeautifully crafted millwork, give thefeeling of being up in some enchantedtower. Not content to offer solely luxuryrain-head showers with massaging jets

or tempting deep-set baths, theDeckHouses’ innovative upstairsoutdoor shower shows that no holdshave been barred on perfection here…ifyou can dream it, they have done it.In this idyllic seclusion it is not hard

to imagine the families that willconverge every year in the summerkitchen – enjoying the simple pleasuresof a barbecue on their own privatebeach; the friends who can retire to thecosy guest cottage or wind their way up

the exterior spiral staircase to gather inawe as the sun sets on another day inparadise. Here they have dreamed thedream, the stars have aligned in theCaribbean sky as the doors open on TheDeckHouses at Dragon Bay.

For more information about The DeckHouses visit

www.TheDeckHouses.com or contact (345) 815 7777