Jamaican Vacation/Outdoor Living

I recently visited my family in Jamaica and came away (as always) thinking about how well the islanders erase the distinction between indoors and out.  Being born in Jamaica and visiting family there lots throughout my life, I have an affinity for outdoor living spaces that allow you to be enveloped in nature and still comfortable.

At Amanoka, an amazingly beautiful Indonesian styled Jamaican villa, there is an inviting pavilion with sofas, a cocktail table, and side tables. There are bamboo shades for privacy or protection against the elements and the added comfort of a fan.  Everyone seems to gravitate to this spot to relax and chat throughout the day.

There are neat swinging chairs hung underneath a gazebo by the sea.  This is a great place to catch a breeze and watch the action on the bay.  There are usually people water-skiing, riding a Wave Runner, windsurfing, snorkeling, or just laying on a raft.

Tim Street-Porter wrote a beautiful coffee table book that I love called “Tropical Houses — Living in Nature in Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Java, Bali, and the Coasts of Mexico and Belize”.  He captures my sentiments about living in Jamaica exactly.  Here’s an excerpt:

The ambient warmth of the tropics causes architectural distinctions between indoors and out to evaporate, along with the walls that divide them.  Houses expand into the landscape, while the sights, sounds, and scents of nature waft through living spaces. Indeed, one of the pleasures of living in the tropics is an awakening of the senses that brings us closer to nature.

If you love pictures of stunning settings and exotic locales, recipes for great Island food, and cool stories of Caribbean Living, check out MACO magazine.

You don’t have to go to the Caribbean to live like this, though. Almost everyone is fortunate to be able to enjoy some nice weather for a few months out of the year.  An outdoor living area is the perfect way to take advantage of a nice climate and to maximize the enjoyment of your home.

MBM makes German crafted outdoor furniture that looks like it was made for a hip hotel in South Beach, but you could also buy a piece for your own outdoor area at home and capture that cool vibe.  Here are some of my favorites:

Get going on creating your own little outdoor oasis.  Whether it’s simply adding some potted plants and a fountain to a small patio, or buying an entire furniture set for a large lanai, make your space comfortable and get outside today!    According to the USGBC’s Commercial Interiors (Version 2.0) Reference Guide, Americans spend on average 90% of their time indoors where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that levels of pollutants may run two to five times — and occassionaly more than 100 times – higher than outdoor levels.  There’s some food for thought.