What is West Indies?
Style Spotlight: West Indies
The West Indies style of architecture is a huge trend right now hitting new home design in Southwest Florida and other parts of Florida. Since Weber Design Group began designing homes over twenty years ago, we have seen many Architectural trends come and go, but West Indies is certainly making a strong impact especially on the coastal and inter-coastal communities here. We are also seeing this style being blended with the Key West Architecture that is not too far away. It is really not surprising at all that folks would want to design a residence that mimics an island getaway, and you won’t find a more perfect place to do it than Naples Florida. Architects here, such as Weber Design Group, are certainly taking notice of this trend and its influence in design is obvious in many of the new homes being built in our area.
Our Grand Turk House Plan
What is West Indies?
The West Indies style is inspired by the homes built in the British islands in and around the Caribbean in the British Caribbean colonies during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The settlers of these islands originally imported the formal Architecture that they were familiar with, but over time it was adapted to the less formal style of life that we all know and appreciate while visiting an Island today. West Indies architecture can be found in the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Kitts, Grenada, and Dominica to name a few. Its hallmarks include spaces defined by columns, louvers, railings and shutters as well as inviting outdoor living areas, with clean lines, covered porches and no shortage of windows. These features, now sought after for aesthetic purposes, were originally chosen to address the local excessive heat, harsh sunlight and generous rainfall often found in the islands.
It is typical to find the first floor with stucco and second floor with siding, the soffits adorned with tongue and groove roof decking and then topped with a metal roof. These homes also feature distinct West Indies elements such as large wooden verandahs, traditional railings, finials and cathedral ceilings.