SIGNATURE VILLAS

Despite the recent economic downturn and upheaval among Real Estate Development projects on Anguilla, for one local property development company, it’s business as usual.

Signature Villas, a self-financed property development company, continues to work on a robust construction timeline on all of its projects and guarantees on-time delivery of all its villa renovations and building projects.

The company was established in 2003 but has its roots firmly planted in Anguilla’s development for almost two decades thanks to the vision of founders John and Val Barker and Ian “Sugar George” Edwards and his wife Janine Edwards.

Originally from England, the Barkers have embraced Anguilla as their second home for more than 20 years. They conceived and thoughtfully designed two of Anguilla’s first luxury villas, “Turquaz” and “Indigo”, setting the standard for luxury property development throughout the island. Their pioneering role has helped to establish Anguilla as one of the premier luxury vacation destinations in the world.

The Edwards (both Caribbean nationals) meanwhile moved to Anguilla in 1995 following the devastating eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano in Montserrat. They launched their company, Sunset Homes with the construction of their first villa “Splash!” in 1999. They cemented their reputation as one of the leading home design and construction firms with the completion of their luxury vacation home Spyglass Hill Villa, which sits majestically on the cliff in North Hill overlooking Sandy Ground and which is now part of the Signature Villas Collection.

The Barkers met the Edwards in 2003 when they were looking for a contractor to build “Le Bleu”, the third villa in the Barker’s original Little Harbour Estates property development concept. The Barkers and the Edwards quickly discovered that they shared a passion for Anguilla and a desire to create a company that would build the island’s most prestigious and luxurious vacation homes in the most desirable locations. The Signature Villas Collection was born.

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“We saw Ian and Janine as younger versions of ourselves” recalls John. “Their enthusiasm and commitment to standards in design construction and most of all, genuine business professionalism and ethics, attracted us to work with them”.
“Val and John’s reputation preceded them” Janine explains.” When we met them, we already knew about their excellence in property development – having built two of the loveliest homes on the island – Turquaz and Indigo. They set the bar for Anguilla’s villa sector”.

“We felt very honoured to be working with such a talented and inspired husband and wife team who had built many successful businesses from scratch” adds Sugar George. “We were also very pleased that they had a very deep and genuine love for Anguilla and had been committed to the island for about two decades”.

The mission of Signature Villas is to give each homeowner the ultimate Anguilla experience. Attention to detail, design excellence and a commitment to quality and craftsmanship have blended to define how Signature Villas creates distinctive homes that reflect the quality and commitment that goes into building each home.

“Each of the Signature Villas properties is an absolute labour of love” says Sugar George. “The care in selecting and acquiring each property and the passion put into each design and build captures the heart and soul of our team. We build each property with as much care and passion as if it were to be our very own dream home”.

“Because we are a team, we are committed to giving our very best to each project we undertake” says Val, whose warm and inviting style is reflected throughout the Signature Villa collection. “Each one of us on the team is very different individually. We each bring our own attributes to the projects, which is a huge benefit to the client. We are all so personally involved in every detail of the design, construction, landscaping that our clients are getting the best of what we have to offer”.

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Signature Villas is currently overseeing six projects throughout the island, ranging from construction of prestige villas, to real estate development and property renovations. The recent world economic slowdown has not slowed down the objective of Signature Villas.

“We all have to recognize that there is a major economic downturn which has definitely affected properties worldwide” explains John. “Our view though is that there is still a market for the very top end, for unique and quality properties and we believe that all our properties fit into this category so we will continue to complete our projects to the very highest standards.”

The crown jewel in Signature Villa’s portfolio is The Beach House on Meads Bay. The setting for this incredible home is as stunning as the design. Built on one acre of prime beachfront land on the powdery white sand of Meads Bay in the island’s west end, with more than 14,000 square feet total living space, the Beach House is a modern masterpiece.

Set within beautifully landscaped gardens and offering seven spacious master bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms, the architecture of this inspired home is designed to capture the natural beauty of Anguilla, with its spectacular sunsets and ocean views. With more than a dozen dedicated outdoor deck and lounge areas, there is no shortage of spaces for entertaining or quiet solitude.

“When we looked at the glorious piece of property on Meads Bay beach, we realized that only an extraordinary design would do justice to capture the beauty of this setting – the sunsets, the sand, the surf, the blue” recalls Sugar George.

“The Beach House is a truly special place” adds Val. “The concept and design came naturally; it flowed from day one. All good design generally goes this way. The magnificent setting, the beach, the sea, the view all made it feel like the right decision to build. It is a truly unique and special house for a very special person who can appreciate all the finer details we have tried to incorporate into it.”

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The villa features a luxurious entertainment suite on the lower level which comprises a state of the art entertainment and leisure system allowing for control of the room’s sound, light, music and overall mood. A large home theatre with surround sound lends a whole new meaning to “movie night”. A tennis court, fitness room, a 44 foot infinity edge pool, an outdoor Jacuzzi and a games room are only SOME of the extras that owners can expect at the Beach House.

With construction slated for completion in the Fall of this year, crews are working feverishly on putting the finishing touches on this magnificent villa. To date all masonry work has been completed and tiling and electrical systems are being installed. Custom made windows and doors are expected to be installed by March as well as all kitchen and bathroom fittings. Landscaping and painting are in progress with completion carefully timed for the delivery of the project.

Across the island, on the island’s southern coast, Signature Villas has recently completed a multimillion renovation project on Villa Indigo in Little Harbour. The standard bearer for cool Caribbean elegance, Villa Indigo is often cited as Anguilla’s most inviting and gracious villa property as its estate setting harmoniously blends European sophistication with Caribbean chic.

Located within the protective waters of Cinnamon Reef, Indigo Villa captures breathtaking views of St. Martin and St. Barth’s. Indigo boasts its own private inlet beach and ocean sundeck with floating platform. Early risers are treated to a rejuvenating sunrise each morning amid a peaceful and serene setting.

This classic nine bedroom villa sits on 1.41 sprawling acres of waterfront land and embodies the idyllic indoor/outdoor living style of the tropics. The villa is surrounded by lush, meticulously cultivated gardens filled with palm trees, hibiscus and bougainvillea and features a spectacular freeform stone swimming pool.

The uniquely designed main lounge opens up onto to a large patio overlooking the pool, gardens and views of the Caribbean Sea. A romantic dining pavilion on the lower level offers the perfect spot for a dinner just for two or a gathering for friends and family.
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A grand, two-storey, entrance complex and tennis pavilion were recently added as part of the villa’s extensive renovation. The drive through entrance structure features two ensuite-bedrooms on the top floor with an intimate living room and galley kitchen as well as a gym and garage on the ground floor. A simulated grass tennis court, lighted for night play, and adjoining tennis pavilion with seating is also featured for tennis enthusiasts.

“Indigo was originally designed for family holidays for our large family, but our idea was also to make it a top end rental” explains John. “Our criteria was to create a venue where people could holiday together but also enjoy privacy and seclusion while still enjoying the company of the group. It has taken some time to evolve that concept but we just completed the final part the development with the renovations and I think we have captured our original vision to perfection.

Every detail of Villa Indigo was conceived and executed to provide total relaxation, comfort and privacy. While Indigo is one of the premium listings in Signature Villa’s real estate sales portfolio, the property continues to be a favorite on Anguilla’s holiday rental market, and the team assures that all confirmed rental bookings will be honoured in the event of a sale of the villa.

Indeed, it is this flexibility and dedication to the client that sets Signature Villas apart. “As a small unified team of four we can be very responsive and flexible to our clients’ needs” Janine emphasizes. “Whereas some other property development concepts are based on standardization and uniformity, Signature Villas offers something very personal and very different. Our stand alone residences are designed to reflect the elements of uniqueness, individuality and privacy so highly sought after by our discerning clientele”.

Visitors to Anguilla can arrange a tour of any of the Signature Villas sites by contacting the Sunset Homes offices at 264-497-3666 or mobile number 264-235-3666. More information can also be obtained online at www.signaturevillasanguilla.com or by email at info@signaturevillasanguilla.com.