Designing Stone’s Throw

by Jul 24, 2021Discover

Stone’s Throw is a magnificent private home on a 3/4 acre parcel of land. Located only 40 minutes away from Kingston in Salt Hill, St Andrew it offers a breath-taking view of the Blue Mountains.  

Cut stone and timber farm house, perfect for the mountains. This 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom house was built from a collection of favorite travel haunts of designer Philippa Rousseau Epstein and partner Garth (Gary) Scott.

By Philippa Epstein, Interior Designer
“When asked to design a 4,400-sq ft house in Salt Hill, to be constructed on a site comprising of three acres of sloping land, all I could think of were the many obstacles that we would face transporting lumber, cement, steel and other building materials up a steep pothole-filled narrow road, 45 minutes from Papine. We managed to manoeuvre small trucks up the hill and in one year this beauty went from a dream to reality.

A second floor verandah allows the prefect view of the Blue Mountain peak. The old mahogany table grounds the space. The warm colours of the fabrics used in this space remind the owners that they are not at the beach.

A work yard was set up within the first month with a tiny shack constructed of zinc which housed tools, bags of cement and a few brave artisans who managed to cut each stone by hand. There was no flat land so 87 truckloads of earth had to be removed from the site before the construction could begin and the house oriented to perfectly capture the view of the Blue Mountain Peak.

Enter into a gathering room with an authentic English Pub feel. Honduran heart pine flooring warms the entire home. The typical liquor license application reminds that home is Jamaica.

My partner, being an engineer and having an extensive background in lumber, decided that different species of timber would be the dominant building material at Stone’s Throw — along with cut stone. Timber homes remain warm in the winter months and stay cool during the summer.

The mountains present many advantages in terms of climate but one of the many challenges is the high humidity in the air. Lining the closets with cedar is an example of how we eliminated the presence of moisture. The Honduran pine floors, left natural, resulted in warm floors while adding to the natural beauty of the interiors.

A spacious guest bedroom suite on the upper floor featuring fine, clean design. Collectables acquired on many travel adventures adorn the room.

While the one year of construction was in progress, with a clear vision of the interior design, I visited every estate sale I could find and made my way through all furniture establishments on the island. Fortunately for me, while travelling to purchase for clients I was able to find a few precious pieces to add to my collection. It is always such fun to be able to rummage through the furniture markets of Brimsfield and Red Top.”

Here is my local FFE (furniture fixtures and equipment) list:

  • Mirrors, Lamps, Furniture & Hardware – Lavange LTD
  • Rugs – Fontana Pharmacy
  • Antique Light Fixtures – DC Tavares Finson
  • Antique Photos, Accessories, Sugar Boiler – Nazralla Antiques
  • Plumbing Fixtures – Active Traders
  • Appliances – ATL
  • Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinetry – Edward Morris
  • Millwork – Benton Harris
  • Doors & Windows – Alcor
  • Roofing – Spectrum Roofing

Source: Style Observer. First published September 1, 2019

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