Villa PALM SPRINGS (GEM)

Gouverneur

Drawing inspiration from the streamlined 1960's elan of its SoCal namesake, as well as from the ingenious works of the renowned architect Dame Zaha Hadid, Villa Palm Springs (GEM) glows with the energy of a clear aesthetic ideal. The main structure of the property refines and reinvents the West Indies "case," the simple one-story design of four walls and a pyramidal roof seen throughout the islands. Here the roof is elevated above the interior living space until they are effectively separated, and the kitchen, living/dining area, and master bedroom suite comprise a free structure beneath the peaked roof. This "cube within a cube" is shifted by just a few degrees so that it faces slightly more west than the exterior walls around it, accentuating its independence and guiding the viewer's eye to the blue horizon as well.

Villa GEM's large living area and kitchen are completely open to the terrace, pool, and spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea, thanks to an ingenious system of floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. Two entire walls vanish out of sight without any supporting columns remaining, breaking down the definitions of indoor and outdoor. Just outside the living area, a hardwood dining table seating ten is sheltered by a cantilevered roof. During the morning, the living area and the convenient and open kitchen appear as a cool refuge from the sun, while they are fully illuminated by sunlight throughout the afternoon. In the evening, well-placed recessed and indirect lighting give the space a warm and welcoming ambiance. The wide deck around the infinity pool offers the comfort of chaises in the sun as well as a shaded seating area beside the garden of bougainvillea and coconut palms.

The master bedroom suite continues the same level of design consciousness, with custom cabinetry in Brazilian wenge wood, polished concrete floors and carefully planned lighting. The ensuite bath offers facing Jack and Jill vanities and a pebble-stone tiled, rain-head shower. Villa GEM's three other bedrooms, each with its own private bath, reflect the stylistic influence of the master bedroom re-imagined in different color schemes. The woodwork and upholstery throughout evoke an updated sense of 1960's lines and form, perfectly adapted to a tropical setting. In a crowning touch right out of a Bond film, one of the bedrooms provides a picture-window view into the crystal-clear water of the infinity heated pool. Also on the lower level is an air-conditioned fitness room with treadmill and step machine, as well as a secluded outdoor space perfect for yoga or massage.

Villa GEM offers a rare blend of tropical immersion and sophisticated design--palm trees and sunsets alongside white-leather upholstery and Slim Aarons photographs. It is the realization of the dream of its owners, an exceptional home in an exceptional Gouverneur location, among the most desirable on the island.

Daily continental breakfast included during High Season (except on Sunday).