SO’s feature on where to spend a romantic Valentine’s weekend continues this week with an exclusive peek inside Cottage 6 at Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios.

The Way We Were

The design team of Kathryn May and Rachel Chen of Artsmiths Design was asked to convert a simple two-bedroom timeshare cottage of just over 1,000 square feet into a luxurious waterfront villa.

The Look Of Love

Jamaica Inn is revered for its traditional feel, so it was important to maintain a few original pieces of furniture and introduce new custom elements.

David Gordon is the artisan responsible for the chunky driftwood mirror installed on the back wall of the private bar, while Dana Baugh created the sea glass pendant light in the bathroom.

The colour palette is dominated by the muted shades of natural materials and white, with a few pops of sea green.

The effect is a comfortable breezy space where the lines between inside and outside are blurred.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

The immediate challenge was the location of the cottage — on a small footprint of land. The bonus, however, was the magical view and private access to the sea.

The first design decision was to completely open the cottage to the view while maintaining a deep sense of privacy.

Next was the new cliff-side plunge pool with wraparound steps leading guests to their own entrance to the Caribbean Sea.

A romantic outdoor bathing experience was created along with new barn doors that would open the interior spaces to the outdoor tub and shower garden.