Set on 17,000 square feet of land, this Montego Bay residence is a model of open-plan living, a fitting tribute for an American family living in Jamaica. Spend an afternoon with Kathi Constanzo, and you will be taken back to your childhood, before innocence was lost. You’re cheeks will hurt from smiling so much. You will rediscover that bounce in your step, and vow to eat better and exercise more. Visit her in her home, an inviting estate set in the hills of the Rose Hall Estate, and you will never want to leave.It was a case of “bringing his work home”, when Constanzo’s husband Dennis—the president of the Palmyra Resort & Spa in Montego Bay—decided to build their family home. “Dennis is the creative mind behind the house,” Constanzo says as she plays the model host, pouring coffee, Set on 17,000 square feet of land, this Montego Bay residence is a model of open-plan living, a fitting tribute for an American family living in Jamaica.

A Home of Two Cities and serving ginger snap cookies—remember, you will never want to leave. However, this was the first home that Dennis had constructed for his family. While the couple met in Los Angeles, they moved to Jamaica in 2005, with their two young children, Alexandria and Michael. “To be honest, I never really felt at home, until we settled in here,” she says leading us from the kitchen out to the pool. “This house really reflects who we are as a family, and as Dennis was behind each and every decision, it became that much more personal.”

The 17,200 square-foot property is an example of open, American-style living, yet one that blends seamlessly in a Caribbean surroundings. The spacious living room is designed for a family, with plush sand coloured sofas plays against the dark wood and stained wicker details. With a colour palette that overwhelmingly sticks to natural woods and brown, a boldness is added to the blend through distinctive Jamaican art pieces including work from Stafford Schlieffer; Belissario’s Sketches of Character prints; and other local artists that capture the Jamaican landscape. Black and white photographs of the children frolicking on the beach line the walls, along with a photo of Constanzo with her “other” children—local school children she helps through her post as chairman of the Palmyra Foundation. “Dennis picked most of the furniture,” Constanzo admits with a smile, but she is quick to share her find: two majestic indoor water fountains that flank the entrance. “We wanted to create a home that was modern, but timeless, traditional in a modern space,” Constanzo says. And it is through soft billowing sheer curtains, plump cushions and velvety fabrics, and ceilings at towering heights that they are able to create the perfect balance in this clean space. While there is an easy American aesthetic, Asian touches abound, in red lacquer Chinese boxes and small elephant statues with upturned trunks.

Keeping the space open, tall wooden shuttered doors invite sprawling views of the pool, the hills beyond, and the sea beyond that. “You really just don’t want to leave when you come home,” says Constanzo, “the breeze, the view, everything is so relaxing and calming.” She adds that the natural light was an important feature, combined with the easy flow of sea breeze. Another important fact is that this is a “working” house, and not one for show. As the children come bounding home from school, homework done, their splashing in the pool brings a welcome break to the calm. They are of course joined by the family’s rottweilers, Buddy and Pal, whom the children named—and even married! Back on the tour, Constanzo leads us down the dark, cool corridor to the master bedroom suite. Tall ceilings allow the home to feel even more open, with clean, sleek lines that draw the eye to the open rafters. In the bedroom the warm and easy colour scheme continues in a chocolate brown sofa that operates perfectly as a reading corner. His and hers wardrobes lead into a modern bathroom. The childrens’ havens are also refuges for escape. They are not the traditional children’s rooms, and instead are defined by a sense of clean and simple style, little touches of blue and pink indicate whose room is whose. They are eager to show us their rooms as they cleaned up especially

The long regal hallway bathed in soft golden light. / The home offers ideal space for entertaining.

A small stylish bedroom doubles as a reading room. / The minimal master bathroom.

When it was originally planned, the house was designed as an open, one-level home. However, after the area was cleared, the Constanzos discovered that there was substantial land to accommodate a second level. As they built down, they found space to add an additional five bedroom suites (including one that operates more as a studio), a yoga room, a gym, extensive storage space and a games room. But what is most magnificent, is the dark and sensual, long hallway, bathed in gold, with a cherry wood ceiling accompanied by slowly rotating ceiling fans. More Jamaican art lines the sides, lit by sexy spotlighting. It feels elegant and regal—that is until Michael bolts down on his rollerblades. While the additional space enables the family room to grow and enjoy, they admit that it is a little more than they need. Their plan? To build exactly the same house, on the beach, only smaller.

Text by Leisha Chen-Young photography by Tiffany Lue Yen