Inside An 18th Century Barbados Estate Reimagined By A Tony Winning Set Designer

A relative and close friend of royalty, a Tony-award winning theatre designer, and a camouflage officer put on a mission to disguise Somerset pillboxes during World War II, Oliver Messel was one of the most renowned set creators and costume makers of his day.

But by 1966 Messel was tired of the work. Exhausted by a demanding theatre season and recurring arthritis, Messel retreated to the beauty and calm of Barbados. Though 62 and suffering from cancer, the surrounding tropics revived his energy and imagination, drawing him into a new career of designing, building and transforming homes across the Caribbean island.

His first project in his new paradise was an existing property named Maddox – a bay house perched above a small beach on the St James coast which he transformed with a theatrical flair combined with the traditions of island architecture: think Greek columns, flattened arches, white-on-white interiors splashed with bright spots of colour, and elaborate plaster mouldings to create a baroque and classical feel.

Soon wealthy friends were commissioning him to do their own. And so Leamington House and Pavilion (for the Heinz family), Crystal Springs, Mango Bay, Cockade House, Alan Bay, the Garrison headquarters and this stunning house, Fustic Estate, were added to his portfolio. 

Though built back in 1712, Fustic Estate has lived many lives over the years. In the 19th century it was owned by journalist, travel writer, and historian Charles Graves, the less famous brother of the poet Robert Graves. It wasn’t until the 1970s that Messel reimagined the home. Today, his influence can be best-observed by the spades of ‘Messel Green’ which coat the walls – a light sage green shade named for the designer and heralded for its quintessential Caribbean nature.

Since then, a Plantation Wing was added in 1999 in a collaboration between architect Ian Morrison alongside a Portuguese architect, the Pavilion Wing was built in 2003 by a Cotswold architect, and a new parking area plus additional upgrades were completed in 2023. And thanks to the work of Messel it’s now considered one of the most architecturally significant estates in the Caribbean. 

Having sprung from a well-to-do family, Messel’s nephew Antony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) went on to marry Princess Margaret. When Messel was lured away from Barbados by his friend Colin Tennant to his private island home of Mustique – where he was commissioned to design all of the houses on the island – one of the 30 homes he drew-up was Les Jolies Eaux, home to Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret and her husband. The pair even famously stopped by to view Fustic Estate while en route to Mustique.

Today, Fustic Estate is owned by the chairman of L’Occitane Group UK, Kit Braden. He and his wife first viewed Fustic Estate in 2011 and fell in love instantly – especially with the gardens, which reminded him of the lush landscapes of Provence typically associated with L’Occitane. 

Spanning 11 acres of grounds, the fully enclosed estate sits atop an elevated plot of land with sweeping views across the Caribbean sea, and is set back on a newly built internal road. Key features of the tropical grounds include a dramatic lagoon-style pool carved into a coral ravine with a natural rock waterfall, and a Dartmouth-inspired reflective pond with floating stones and oak benches – both designed by Messel. And if maintaining 11 acres of grounds sounds like too tall of an order, the estate comes with 15 staff, including four gardeners. 

The staff will certainly be needed to manage the 13,000 sqft of internal living space too. Arranged across three distinct wings, the main house includes the primary suite and a second suite, both with sea views, while the plantation wing offers more private suites with garden access and a games room. The pavilion suite, meanwhile, provides a quieter space suitable for use as a meeting, conference or lounge area. 

In total the property boasts seven en-suite bedrooms, plus a commercial-grade kitchen, large enough to be suitable for weddings and events with over 100 guests. Beyond the main structure there is also a private beachfront parcel with two seaside structures capable of accommodating up to eight guests. Elsewhere the estate boasts solar infrastructure and a 48-hour water reserve, a gazebo ideal for massages, pilates sessions or meditation, while children can entertain themselves in the play area with a swing, see-saw, croquet and badminton. And if that’s not enough to keep you happy in paradise, the beach is only just a five-minute walk away. 

On the market for $22.5m, find out more at knightfrank.co.uk