Photography by Yianni Skordas.

Jerusalem gold antique limestone gives the tactile experience underfoot of being outside, while natural beach pebbles, arranged artfully in waves, soften the interior and make the transition from outside to in seamless.

Central to enhancing the sense of flow, water is an ever-present design element: from the two shallow pools flanking the entrance to the tranquil waters in the interior gardens all the way through the house to the magnificent infinity edge pool and, the magnum opus – the ocean beyond. No surprise then to hear the man behind the blueprints is renowned international architect and interior designer, Yianni Skordas of Skordas Design Studio in New York City. True to his belief that, “Water [is] the source of life,” Skordas has done the seemingly impossible: created a dwelling where the visual connection to the sea is rarely severed and the landscaping, quite literally, becomes a design feature of the interior.

“One of the big challenges,” he recalls, “was to design a structure for a very transparent, intricate planthat was not based on any traditional grid.” By masterfully positioning each room at a forty-five degree angle to take

fulladvantage of spectacular views across the harbour, prevailing winds and the movements of the sun, one’s vision is directed towards the corners, highlighting the desired view. With the absence of a structural column at the corners, and the addition of beautiful mahogany sliding doors that open from both sides, there is a tangible sense of projected space. In fact, the rooms appear much like an ingenious play set with the theatrical ‘fourth wall ’ boundaries between inside and out to leave one mesmerised by the drama unfolding within.

Offering a dramatic vertical shift, the master bedroom suite, stacked atop the great room, boasts expansive verandas to the east and west to capture the risingsetting of the sun in almost cinematic splendour. With custom-designed furniture specially manufactured in Greece from mahogany and distressed oak, Capanna Lussa uses elements of the traditional Bahamian vernacular like the high, hut-style ceilings in all the rooms, to keep detailing true to its Caribbean roots while always ensuring a refreshingly modern twist. An earthy and subdued colour palette  was chosen in deference to the  natural exuberance of the tropical environs, while oversized sofas and chairs in natural cottons andsilks – materials that work effortlessly with local climatic conditions – combine to create a home that invokes warmth and comfort without sacrificing sophistication.

In terms of design, Capanna Lussa is a home that ‘swims with the tide’. It manages effortlessly to balance the energies of space and place, creating a sense of harmony with nature that is on the cutting edge of style. Like some magical open-air theatre, the sheer curtains billow in the tropical breeze, as the lights go up on what must surely be one of Paradise Island’s most dynamic productions.