Little Bay

For five years, Susanna and Palmer rented Little Bay on the bay side of the island in an area known as The Narrows. It’s easy to see why they keep going back to it. Particularly given the island’s small size, their house feels very isolated and set apart. If they don’t feel like taking their golf cart—as everyone on the island does— the beaches are a short stroll from their back door. 

When Little Bay became available for sale, they bought it without hesitation. I knew it would be a fun project because Susanna and I had done her primary residence in Houston, and we’ve worked on several projects together over the years. Our design sensibilities are very similar. That said, Susanna has her own style, to say the least.

The two-story house is in the traditional Bahamian style, which means that almost all of the interior walls are white. Because of the humidity, they have to be completely repainted every year. The walls that aren’t painted white are natural wood paneling, the appearance of which I really like. They look good and have an easier upkeep, which absolutely must be a primary consideration when designing any vacation house. Ski lodges, desert houses, and beach houses all have their own environmental challenges. For instance, people always ask how we got furniture over to the island. It’s not easy. It all has to be shipped to Florida and then shipped to the island on a container—yet another thing to take into consideration when making decisions. 

Aesthetics cannot be the only concern. Good design takes all the elements into account. Our starting point was Susanna’s love of the water. It was always on our mind as we designed the space. And how could it not be? The ocean is literally all around.