Filed under: Bedroom, Your Home, Living Room, Design, etc, House Tours, Furniture
One of the posh amenities at Frenchman's Lookout -- located on the West End of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands -- is a backyard pool, complete with chic chaises. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
Every celebrity needs an island getaway to escape the paparazzi, and for British model Kate Moss it's a privately owned villa on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Owned by a Massachusetts man, and available for weekly rentals, it's a sister property to the place where Bill and Hillary Clinton spent many summers on Cape Cod.
Frenchman's Lookout is perched on the top of a hill, which affords practically unobstructed views of St. John, the Sir Francis Drake Channel and the surrounding turquoise waters -- with the occasional yacht cruising past. The 10,000-square-foot villa has five bedrooms spread across two floors.
Now we realize that you (like us) may not have a salary like Ms. Moss or the flexible vacation time for that matter. But that doesn't mean you can't copy this amazing villa's decor style, which evokes island living at its best. We're talking fresh white linens, perky-patterned pillows and shades of blues, greens, browns and khakis. These are complemented with simple wood furnishings and plantation-style accents.
Still, don't let the villa's beauty intimidate you. There are plenty of design ideas to be stolen! Let's start outside...
A hammock provides a quiet place to nap or sleep on the villa's wrap-around porch. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
Even if you have just a small front porch, or a tiny patch of grass in your back or front yard, spend less than $100 and install a hammock. You now have a place to wile away the day with a good book -- or simply close your eyes and snooze with a cool breeze on your face.
Brightly patterned pillows really stand out against a neutral palette of earthy brown and white. Framed pictures of nautical scenes are perfect eye candy for a rainy day if you're reluctantly stuck indoors. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
2. Add Caribbean color
Spice up a blah interior with blues, greens and yellows -- in the brightest shades possible. Look to globally inspired shops and boutiques for something that screams beach-vacation paradise -- from the Caribbean to Hawaii.
Wicker steamer trunks at the foot of these two beds hint at vintage nautical scenes from day's past. Twin sets of turquoise pillows mirror the nearby water's pure blue color. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
No longer just for the patio or porch (or grandma's house!), modern wicker works wonderfully indoors too. Small trunks, like the ones photographed here, are one option, but you can also look to other inexpensive accessories such as wastebaskets, side tables or decorative baskets to hold house keys, jewelry or outgoing mail.
In each room are 12-foot ceilings, a carefully made design decision to cultivate an open-air feeling, even when the double French doors are shut. Dark-stained woods, a ceiling fan and a four-poster bed continue the plantation-style decor. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
4. Go dark with furniture
Many Caribbean resorts, especially those in the plantation-style like this one, opt for dark-stained furnishings. Without redoing your entire house, you could start by incorporating photo and art frames that are constructed of darker woods.If you like the look, try staining a few pieces of furniture.
During the warmer months, replace your window treatments with sheer white curtains to billow in the wind right before a storm or on a breezy summer night. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
With longer days of light in the summer, you don't need to pull the shades shut until well after dinnertime. Choose sheer white panels to allow as much light as possible through the windows before the sun finally sets.
Like the rest of the rooms, the living room does not have wall-to-wall carpet. Instead, area rugs are carefully arranged over smooth tiles. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
Large, chunky tiles for flooring not only feel cool to your bare feet -- a bonus during summer -- but the look is more like a resort than a private residence. Practically speaking, it's also easier to clean up sand and water when you have tile flooring. Even in a landlocked setting, it adds an airy, casual feel.
Even if you only have a small outdoor space -- and lack this postcard-perfect view of St. John -- ditch the plastic or wrought-iron chairs in favor of a teak armchair with comfy cushions and bright pillows. Photo: Frenchman's Lookout
Chairs, tables and chaises designed for outdoor living should be an extension of what's inside your home. (You wouldn't put plastic chairs around the fireplace, would you?) Spend a little more money on weather-resistant teak wooden chairs for your outdoor space and chances are you will use them more often.
Plus, outdoor furnishings -- even if you buy them at a big-box store like The Home Depot, which sells teak chairs for $298 a pair -- are a nice focal point for your front or back yard. Don't forget to adorn them with inexpensive cushions or pillows!
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The Top 10 Most Over-The-Top Celebrity Homes
Plus, browse through ShelterPop's archive of cool homes!