Farewell Hope Hill

I had a silent, secret bee in my bonnet for a couple of years. I quietly thought it might be time for a new house, a new project and a new chapter.

Deciding if it was a crazy idea or a brilliant one to leave Hope Hill, quite possibly one of the most magical houses in Lyford Cay, was not easy.

I was also reluctant to chat to anyone about this as I did not need all the opinions and noise.

I confided in a few besties and all were a bit shocked at first. When I expressed interest in building a new wonderful house I got a little traction for the plan.

Without putting the house formally on the market, a perfect family, like-minded and full of love and kindness showed up with interest in Hope Hill. The stars were perfectly aligned. We quickly made an elegant deal and now the moment has come to move out to a rented cottage whilst planning the new house.

Hope Hill has been our beloved house for almost 13 years. We depart with hearts full of love, taking with us a legacy of cherished moments and so many hopes for the next family. It is a departure full of excitement over sentimentality. For me the future is always a place I love to live in, so full of dreams!

As a designer, the allure of a new project is irresistible. Eliza and I are so excited to create something just for us. We have made long lists of all the things that we love about Hope Hill, and a short list of things that could be improved. We are tasked with making the new house equally full of magic.

Hope Hill's consistent routines taught me so much. Doors are opened at a prescribed time in the morning letting the morning breeze in, candles are lit at twilight. These and other little consistent rituals became a wonderful part of Hope Hill's dazzle. We lived so well there.

Hope Hill has witnessed both triumph and heartbreak. Three years ago we said goodbye to Orjan. In the face of loss, Eliza's wish for us to stay happy became our guiding light. We embraced our blessings, our health, our love and the unwavering support of our friends, our colleagues and community. As we prepare to start a new chapter, I can only believe we are being guided by divine light and timing.

In the spring Eliza and I picked out a lovely ridge property with the exact heightened views of Hope Hill and just a short breeze down along the same ridge. It is a wonderful, forested plot, full of possibilities. 

Doodles and sketches and inspiration images have been traded back and forth with Maria de la Guardia, our architect. Maria and Teofilo, her husband and design partner, have designed all our family houses for 25 years. 

Maria and Teofilo's studio is very, very busy. My meetings with Maria happen when inspiration and time allow. I so look forward to these dynamic times to dream and work on what might be. 

Maria's recent trip to Italy resulted in a previous iteration of the house going in the rubbish bin and her entire flight home re-drawing after seeing something wonderful on her trip which inspired her.

Eliza and I are forever grateful for the love for and life we had at Hope Hill and for the future wonder for our next adventure, Sunningridge, named after Orjan's childhood Nassau house.