When the owners of Silver Sands purchased the property in Thompson Cove on the north shore of Providenciales in 2004, they weren’t unduly concerned by the property’s modest size. Given its position – at the water’s edge on a quiet, undeveloped beach, with plenty of privacy and wide, open ocean views – it was a property ripe with potential.

For the couple, who are keen scuba divers, Turks and Caicos was an ideal choice for a vacation home, and with four children all living in different parts of the world, it was somewhere they could meet and reconnect on sunny holidays. With only three bedrooms, however, the house could not accommodate them all, so an extension was on the agenda from the start.

But rather than dive straight in, the couple did their due diligence, using the house in its existing condition for the first two years to get a sense of how best to make it work for them. They also invited their longstanding friend and architect, Stanislav Fiala, to spend time at the property and get to know the surroundings, before drawing up any plans.

As he toured the island, Fiala predominantly saw modern, all-white structures and tinted windows that were hermitically sealed against the elements, he says. But he found the setting – the untamed beach, the constant breeze, the proximity to nature and the connection to the ocean – demanded something more organic that would preserve the original Caribbean spirit of the property.

“To say that he ‘contributed his ideas’ would be an understatement,” the owners say. “It’s more the other way around – after seeing Fiala’s initial drawings we would offer some of our ideas and together we would agree on the best solution.”

In 2006, a major rebuild and extension began. The existing property was stripped right back to its shell and rebuilt in the original footprint: two bedroom suites and a movie room on the ground floor, with a great room and a master bedroom above. At the same time, a second structure of similar dimensions was built, connected to the original by a covered breezeway, that created five additional bedrooms, three downstairs and two upstairs.

The pitched roof, coral stone walls and timber cladding maintained the Caribbean style on the outside, while indoors, vaulted ceilings with exposed beams on the upper level, and louvered windows across the length of the façade that allow the trade winds to blow through, embrace the traditional principles for cooling homes.

Within this authentic Caribbean framework, wife and architect worked closely together on the interior design and decoration, to create spaces that were modern but relaxing, sleek yet organic.

“First and foremost we wanted to create something that was comfortable,” she says. “So we chose natural materials, breathable fabrics and earthy colours.”

The beautiful slate floors used throughout the property became the starting point for the interior palette, and all the soft furnishings were colour-matched with the hues of the stone.

The huge, open plan great room, which includes kitchen, dining, living and study areas, is a perfect example of this, where different types of hardwood, neutral sofas, luxurious rugs and plump cushions all enhance and reflect the tones of the floor and the combined effect is warmly welcoming.

Much of the furniture, including the huge Corian-topped dining table that seats 16, was custom made, as was the stainless steel and ipe wood kitchen. Other pieces were sourced from Italian and Scandinavian brands, chosen primarily for comfort.

“Although the furniture pieces are all great designs,” the owners observe, “it’s not the overriding priority. You just enjoy how comfortable each piece is.”

Asymmetrical and irregular shapes, such as several free-form tables and organic elements like the weathered tree trunk light fixture suspended over the kitchen island and the knobbly wooden railings in the bathrooms – all driftwood pieces collected from the beach – inject a natural element that connects the interiors to the great outdoors.

Because the bedrooms in the older building were constructed within the original footprint, they are smaller than those housed in the extension. By panelling them in warm hardwood, however, they have created an ambience that is reminiscent of a luxury ocean liner of old – inviting and intimate, with just a hint of decadence. The bedrooms on the upper level, in contrast, are bright and airy, with vaulted ceilings, exposed whitewashed beams and private terraces that overlook the beach or garden.

The extension also included the construction of a vast ipe wood deck, surrounding a large pool fed by two waterfalls, with views out to the ocean. Something of an anomaly for the Caribbean, rather than being painted or tiled, the pool is lined with sheets of stainless steel that were welded together in situ. It’s a durable, low maintenance material, the owner says, that lends the water a very beautiful pale blue tone.

Another unusual feature introduced by the architect was the use of stainless steel netting in the place of railings around balconies and terraces.

“I love the mesh because it’s almost invisible from a distance and when you are sitting on the terrace it doesn’t interrupt the view out at all,” Fiala notes. “It’s also a practical choice as it is strong, weather-resistant and requires fewer columns to support it, and it also enhances the security of the property.”

Perhaps the most unique feature of this property, however, is neither in the home nor the gardens, but in the sea. Because the property was built prior to regulations that dictated a certain setback from the sea, Silver Sands sits particularly close to the water’s edge – so much so, that the owners not only built a rocky breakwater in the shallows to mitigate beach erosion, but they also went to considerable trouble and expense to create an artificial reef in the bay.

“It was quite an operation,” they say, “first to transport, position and sink these concrete reef balls, and then to have marine conservationists transplant corals on to them, gluing each individual piece in place.”

Their efforts have been rewarded though as the corals have taken and are growing, creating homes for other marine life. Now they have a new snorkel site, as well as a structure that will break the force of the waves and help to protect both the house and the beach.

Like any work of art, a home can be tweaked, refined, and revised endlessly and a decade or so after the extension, the owners made some additional changes, to enhance the experience of living there. A spiral staircase was added to allow direct access between the movie room and the living room above, and a long, covered terrace, stretching the length of the great room, was built. This is now a favourite place to sit and read, or to watch Peter and Patricia – the resident pelicans – feeding, while above it an open observation deck is a privileged spot for sunset viewing and stargazing.

After 18 years, Silver Sands now works perfectly for the owners and their guests. But that doesn’t necessarily mean their work there is finished. Now they are turning their attention to the garden, planting native trees, adding colour here, vegetation there. Like the ‘house reef’ in front of it, Silver Sands is a property that will continue to evolve, mature and improve with age.