ISLAND inspired

Having bought a small cottage near the marina in Lyford Cay, in The Bahamas, the new owners came to the architecture team with a singular driving vision for its redesign.

- By Nancy A. Ruhling

WHAT GENEROUS ROOM, flanked by diminutive dependencies, was square in design and had a tall, vaulted ceiling.

Great room aside, the house called Littlegate presented big challenges, some of which did not make themselves known until construction.

Its ill-proportioned windows were arbitrarily low in height; the bedrooms lacked basic modern amenities, such as closets; and there was no adequate space to sit down for a meal with family and friends. Worst of all, there was no sheltered outdoor space to enjoy island vacations. The large back garden, adjacent to a school, was clearly an unrealized opportunity.