Alex Thursby, Owner at Pearns Bay House, Pearns Point
What attracted you to Antigua and why did you choose to build a home there?
When we were looking for a property in the Caribbean, we also looked at some of the other islands. We chose Antigua not only because of its natural beauty and the fact that it is a fantastic place with fantastic people, but also because it has common law. We could also get a freehold title on the land that we bought through the land registry in Antigua.
Can you describe your perfect day when you are in your home in Antigua, or what you love most about living at Pearns Point?
Pearns Point is a very special place in lots of ways but the best thing is the uninterrupted view of the sunset. I genuinely think it is one of the best spots to watch a sunset on the island (if not the whole Caribbean). As an Australian, I also appreciate the proximity to the beach. The fact that we are on the Caribbean Sea side of the island means the sea is perfect for swimming in! We are just a hop, skip and a jump away so a sea dip is possible at any time of the day. You can’t beat it.
Why did you decide to buy at Pearns Point/what stood out for you?
We looked at a number of pre-built houses on the market in the Caribbean. A lot of them either needed quite a bit of modernisation or weren’t quite our style and it was important to us that the house felt like a home. We loved Antigua and with Pearns Point, we were able to get exactly what we wanted in a fantastic location. Pearns Point had both privacy and tranquillity with direct beach access on the Caribbean Sea side of the island (which as anyone in Antigua will tell you, is the side of the island you want to be on if you like swimming in the sea!) Plus by buying a plot rather than a pre-built property, we were able to create something completely bespoke to our wishes and requirements.
What was your inspiration behind the design of Pearns Bay House?
We took our main inspiration from the sloping forms of Pearns Point and the wider area. Being mindful to the surrounding environment was very important to us so we wanted to ensure that the house worked in harmony with the landscape and ocean. With the beach side location of our plot on Pearns Point, the design of the house needed to make full benefit of that, focusing on the idea of seamless outdoor and indoor living.
It was also important that the house felt like a home and a place we could enjoy as a family and with our friends. We have a large collection of art and furniture that we have collected over the years and this was very much considered during the design process with Piet Boon to ensure we got that home-like feel. We spent a lot of time with the team and they even came to see us in the UK so they could get a good idea of our house set-up, how we lived and our interior tastes, taking inspiration to inform their design.
What we have at Pearns Bay House, is something that fits that brief perfectly. The house is distinguished by a series of terraces which nestles into the environment, using local, natural materials, to create natural transition from indoor to outdoor. We have sea-level bedrooms, each with their own terrace space which means that as soon as people wake up, they can walk out of the door and are met with the blue hues of the Caribbean Sea. Pearns Bay House also has a range of communal areas, both inside and out which make it perfect for hosting and entertaining, as well as plenty of private cosy spaces for guests to enjoy some time to themselves and some R&R.
How important was sustainability in the design of Pearns Bay House?
It was a very important consideration when building Pearns Bay House. We were building into untouched land, so we wanted to ensure, our impact on the environment was kept to a minimum where it could be. Being in such a special spot meant we were very aware of the important of protecting it. Where possible, we’ve made sustainable choices. We’ve used sustainably sources, natural materials to build the majority of the house – the old classics of stone and wood – because we wanted to create a house that would last 100 years at least!
The design of the landscaped garden was also a key part of ensuring the house worked in harmony with the environment. In keeping with the area, we filled it with native plants, flowers and fruit trees which helps to sustain the local ecology. With vegetation like banana trees, we are also able to reap the benefits of the garden helping us to make small steps towards reducing our food miles. We made sure in the design that we could also collect rain water to use on the gardens.
The house is mainly powered by solar panels. Although we also have a back-up supply, when we stay and when we have guests staying we encourage them to be mindful of the energy they use to ensure we can be as close to 100% solar powered as we can possibly be.
Now that the house is built, we still ensure we make sustainable choices, everything from the paper we use to the toiletries in the bathrooms.
Pearns Bay House is available to rent. For more information visit https://pearnsbayhouse.com/