Enmore Cottage is a brand-new home with a whole lot of character.
Who doesn’t love the look of an old Bermuda cottage? With it’s antique charm, historic character, cedar woodwork and homely feel. As any owner of an old Bermuda building knows, however, with old homes often come ancient problems.
When the owners of Enmore Cottage decided to build their dream home on a family plot overlooking Harrington Sound in Hamilton Parish, they wanted all that old-world charm, but without any of the old-world maintenance. Helping this young couple realise their dream was Mollie Bigley, architect and founder of Mollie Bigley Design & Architecture.
The result is an enchanting 2,600-square-foot light, bright and spacious home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, traditional architecture, multiple outdoor spaces and, despite being brand new, full of history.
A millstone incorporated into the front porch stoop, for example, had been on the property for years and began its life at the historic Loyalty Inn. The owners also sourced a smaller millstone for their mudroom porch. The cedar front door was reclaimed from a family-owned storefront, as were the large, stand-out cedar windows either side of the fireplace in the living room. Reclaimed Bermuda cedar beams, complete with original antique nails, have been incorporated into both the kitchen and dining room ceilings, and a large reclaimed red sink and Dutch door, which came from an antiques store in New England, have found a new lease of life in the couple’s mudroom.
All the new fixtures and fittings have been designed and picked out to fit with the historical feel of the home. Traditional-style cabinetry, designed by Bigley and expertly custom-made in Bermuda by BS&R, adorns the kitchen, dining room, mudroom and bathrooms and even includes a statement blue floor-to-ceiling bookcase in the main bedroom upstairs. Assisting Bigley with the interiors was designer Katie Britten, who sourced tiles, flooring, lighting and décor that was all in keeping with the historic theme. Touches include antique wire mesh in the dining room cabinet doors and antique mirror backsplash, Mandarin Stone limestone flooring from Bermuda Brickyard, ceramic kitchen pendant lights with a “crackle finish,” a large antique-looking round pendant from Etsy above the dining room table, and unlacquered brass hardware from HRL Brass. “The limestone floors downstairs offered durability, an indoor-outdoor lifestyle they love, and an old-world style that suited the house,” explains Britten, who adds that “most of the tile choices were simple and classic with the exception of the downstairs guest bathroom, where we used Riad’s Estrella Green ceramic tiles, a fun pattern and an opportunity to tie in one of the clients’ favourite colours, green.”
Incorporating fun and personal details alongside the historical and traditional features was also a design priority and the colour green features both prominently and subtly. In addition to the green ceramic tiles, a large emerald green Ilve range has pride of place in the kitchen, and the surrounding cabinets are a very light, subtle shade of green. Also green is a particularly unique sink, by Concretti, in the powder room beneath the stairs, a room that is small in size but big on character. “The clients lived in New York for five years and loved how New York City restaurants and bars had totally unique, curated powder rooms in the tiniest spaces imaginable,” continues Britten. “They wanted their powder room to invoke this vibe, and knowing it wouldn’t have any windows, figured it would be a fun opportunity to include a moody and dark underwater feel in an otherwise bright and airy house.” The prominent underwater feel very much comes from the dazzling Glass Eye Fish wallpaper from Adam Ellis Studio which was discovered by the owners. The wallpaper then dictated how the rest of this dynamic little room was designed.
One of the main benefits of building a new house to look old is that the actual building design can be custom-made for modern family living. As a young family with a dog, fun outdoor spaces, indoor-outdoor living and an easy flow throughout their home was vital, as was making the most of their spectacular water view which you can appreciate the minute you walk through the front door, thanks to Bigley’s meticulously designed sight lines. For easy access to the outdoors, and maximum natural light, there are large glass-fronted doors wherever possible: From the living room and dining room out to the large, undercover outdoor seating area, and from the kitchen and dining room out to a side yard and BBQ area. She also added an outdoor shower, with timber surround, outside the mudroom door.
The open-plan design of the downstairs, however, is cleverly flexible. Bigley has also managed to create cosy, individual living and dining spaces by using tall, wide glass-panelled pocket doors between the kitchen and living room as well as the kitchen and dining room.
“They wanted the feel of a smaller house that felt like it was built back in the day, but with the feel of open-plan living,” explains Bigley. “So, we had this idea, if you want to keep it cosier, you have these pocket doors so you can seal off different areas.” This is particularly useful if they want to enjoy an intimate dinner party. Further defining the kitchen from the dining room is the thick panelled threshold between the two rooms, painted in Benjamin Moore’s dramatic blue Twilight which boldly contrasts with the Swiss Coffee colour painted on the walls of the kitchen.
Upstairs, the home is equally light and bright, and Bigley included as many windows as possible, including in the shower and walk-in wardrobe. “I like to make sure there’s a window in a closet because, as we know, living in Bermuda, the light is our friend in terms of keeping away the damp and mould,” she laughs. One of the best views from the house is from the primary bathroom where a Signature Hardware soaking tub is nestled in between five large windows. And when the owners aren’t enjoying the view, they can admire their beautiful West Elm chandelier or marble hex floor tiles.
For a “new, old Bermuda home, they nailed it,” summed up our judges.
Contractors & Suppliers
General Contractor – F. Lewis Maintenance Ltd.
Project Manager – Keystone Construction Project Management
Electrical Contractor – Niches Electrical
Engineer – Entech Ltd.
Roofing – J.W. Gray & Co. Ltd.
HVAC – Efficiency
Plumbing – SRM Plumbing
Flooring and Tile Supplier – Bermuda Brickyard Limited and Pembroke Tile & Stone
Flooring Installer – Aptech
Millwork – BS&R
Paint Supplier – Rowe Spurling Paint Co.
Windows/Doors – BITCo
Blinds – Bermuda Shutters Ltd.
Storm Shutters – Sew What Shop
Lighting – Visual Comfort Co.
Brickwork Supplier – Horsfield Landscaping & Design
Brickwork Installer – Aptech
Kitchen – BS&R
