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Drum: INTERIORS
“With property prices in the Caribbean on par with the UK’s, and
to dig out those last wills and testaments to discuss with your
hildren of the Windrush generation will sometimes find
themselves owners of land in the Caribbean left to them by
‘passing’ parents or grandparents. A good few will never
actually pursue their natural rights to this land, or may find that
other relatives have already usurped their inheritance, resulting in
costly legal battles when it comes to staking a claim. With land and
property prices in the Caribbean on a par with the UK, and anything
near the sea at a premium, it would be foolish not to dig out those
last wills and testaments to discuss with your lawyer whether you’re
still in line for a place in the sun.
C
Luckily, our Newts had no such problems. His land in Port of
Spain was bought from the Aranguez Corporation in 1992. It was
originally a family plot belonging to the Manning family since 1956.
At the time of purchase the land consisted of one wooden structure
with an area set aside for crop cultivation. In 1993, Newts started to
build his new house for his wife and two sons who lived in London.
The couple had decided that in ten years time they wanted to return
to the Caribbean to live and work while the sons remained in the
London home continuing their studies.
The house that Newts built was therefore conceived as a two-storey
family affair. It would be based on a grid system of reinforced concrete
beams and columns with infill blocks for the outer skin, and internal
partitioning demarcated on the first floor by a master bedroom suite,
which would incorporate a walk-in closet and fully fitted bathroom
for him and the wife. The first floor had to include a guest bedroom
with en-suite bathroom, two additional bedrooms for the boys, a
family-sized bathroom, and a separate storeroom and study.
The ground floor was always seen as an open plan space with a
raised entrance lobby to the living quarters. The staircase, being the
main feature of the property, would lead gracefully to a first floor
mezzanine gallery covered by an atrium ceiling in solid teak.
Sidelights would illuminate the staircase with natural daylight.
Modern electrical fittings had been specially designed to illuminate
its walls and artwork during the darker hours. The staircase would
also provide ample storage beneath its ‘void’ spaces to incorporate
a guest cloakroom and wash area. »