LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE
SOFT
MODERNISM
Above the shifting waters of Grand Cul-de-Sac, Villa
Alisea embodies Lisa Domenico Brooke’s vision
of understated Caribbean luxury, where Hélène
Guillon and Olivier Lempereur soften contemporary
architecture through light, natural materials, and an
intimate connection to the landscape.
REBECCA ETORIA
PHOTOGRAPHY: GAELLA LE BOULICAUT
The pool by Olivier Lempereur is complemented by thoughtfully specified outdoor furnishings by Penny Drue Baird, including sleek Gandia Blasco sun loungers and a Jwana Hamdan sofa and cushions. Together, the pieces create a serene outdoor setting that brings contemporary design into a refined resort-style atmosphere.
Villa Alisea feels less like a house placed onto St. Barths and more like a structure gently shaped by
the island itself. Perched above Grand Cul-de- Sac, the private residence, designed by Hélène Guillon and Olivier Lempereur for entrepreneur and HestiaLiving founder Lisa Domenico Brooke, embraces a quieter interpretation of luxury, one rooted not in spectacle, but in atmosphere, restraint, and an intimate connection to its surroundings.
From the moment of arrival, the home establishes its cadence. Trade winds move through custom white oak screens while soft natural light filters across pale stone flooring and warm wood paneling. The transition from exterior to interior feels intentionally gradual, almost meditative, allowing the landscape to unfold slowly rather than reveal itself all at once. Throughout the residence, architecture and environment exist in constant dialogue.
The living room is layered with custom and collectible design elements, including custom door screens, shelving, and a built-in console all designed by Olivier Lempereur. Raku balustrade screen by Fabienne l’Hostis. Vintage stool chairs sourced from Galerie Glustin with Penny Drue Baird add character alongside custom club chairs upholstered in Dedar fabric selected by Penny Drue Baird. The shelving displays an eclectic curation of Sophie Vaidie ceramic vessels, a Fractal Resin Fish by Pierre Giraudon circa 1970, and a handmade black and beige stoneware vase by Mylene Escande. Completing the composition are additional ceramic vases and an oak and bamboo box dating to circa 1950, carefully sourced by Penny Drue Baird.
“From the outset, the brief was to create a home that felt connected to the island rather than imposed upon it,” Brooke explains. “Light, air, and the surrounding landscape were meant to guide the design.”
That philosophy shapes every element of Villa Alisea. Unlike many contemporary luxury residences that rely on dramatic gestures or visual excess, this home moves in the opposite direction. The design is restrained, softened by craftsmanship, texture, and subtle shifts in light that transform the interiors throughout the day.
Morning enters quietly here. Sunlight stretches gently across limestone and oak surfaces while open sightlines draw the eye outward toward the sea. By late afternoon, the atmosphere shifts entirely as golden light settles across the terraces and reflects through the interiors. Brooke describes the house as something that “follows light rather than controls it,” an approach that gives the home a sense of movement and emotional fluidity.
That relationship between structure and environment becomes one of the defining architectural achievements of the project.
Guillon and Lempereur, both deeply experienced in designing within the Caribbean landscape, approached the residence with a sensitivity to climate and rhythm rather than formality. Windows and openings appear throughout nearly every space, allowing air and greenery to move naturally through the home. Interiors open effortlessly toward terraces, outdoor dining areas, and panoramic sea views, dissolving the distinction between inside and out.
“What I love most about the project is the way the house lives with its surroundings,” Brooke says. “The architecture allows the landscape to become part of the experience of being there.”
The kitchen is anchored by custom-built cabinetry and shelving designed by Olivier Lempereur, creating a sculptural yet highly functional culinary space. Christofle silver sculptures line both shelving displays, while limestone countertops and custom integrated travertine sinks add an organic elegance. Gessi taps complement the refined material palette, while hanging light fixtures by Pascal Oudet, selected by Helene G. and Olivier Lempereur, cast a warm architectural glow over the French travertine island table designed by Olivier Lempereur. A William Yeoward glass vase accents the island, paired with Bruno Moinard Pyla counter stools atop Marazzi Mystone Berici flooring.
That sense of ease extends into the material palette itself. White oak paneling designed by Guillon and Lempereur introduces warmth throughout the interiors, while natural travertine, limestone, and soft woven textures reinforce the home’s grounded calm. Nothing feels overly polished or ornamental. Instead, the materials carry an organic softness that reflects the tones of the island itself.
The craftsmanship reveals itself gradually.
As the project evolved, Brooke brought in decorator Penny Drue Baird of Dessins to help shape the final layers of the home. Together, they focused less on decoration and more on atmosphere.
In the kitchen, a sculptural French travertine island designed by Olivier Lempereur anchors the room beneath hanging fixtures by Pascal Oudet. Nearby, handmade ceramics by Sophie Vaidie and Mylène Escande rest within custom shelving, introducing subtle layers of artistry without overwhelming the architecture. Throughout the living spaces, vintage pieces sourced by Baird in both Europe and the US sit alongside custom furnishings upholstered in Dedar, Elitis, and Pierre Frey fabrics, creating interiors that feel collected over time rather than conventionally staged.
“It was important that the interiors felt quietly resolved rather than arranged,” Brooke explains. “Each piece was chosen with intention and placed with restraint.”
That restraint becomes one of the residence’s most compelling qualities.
In many luxury homes, there is a tendency toward visual performance, spaces designed to impress immediately. Villa Alisea takes a far more nuanced approach. Here, calm becomes the luxury. Rooms are intentionally uncluttered. Open space is treated as carefully as furniture placement. The architecture allows the eye to rest.
At times, Brooke says, the team would stop and reconsider whether a design element was truly contributing to the experience of the home or merely adding complexity. Those moments of editing ultimately strengthened the project, allowing simplicity and proportion to carry greater emotional weight.
The bedroom blends tactile softness with bespoke craftsmanship through Elitis wallcovering selected by Penny Drue Baird and a built-in bed designed by Olivier Lempereur. Custom cushions upholstered in Elitis fabric and bespoke Cittadini linens enhance the serene atmosphere, while the Flow light fixture by Wonderglass, selected by Helene G. and Olivier Lempereur, introduces an artistic focal point. Antique blue vases dating to circa 1930, sourced by Penny Drue Baird through Pelazzo-L’excellent, bring a collected and timeless sensibility to the space.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the home’s raku stair partition, by Fabienne L’Hostis which Brooke describes as the emotional anchor of the residence. Constructed from individually fired ceramic elements, each piece varies slightly in tone, texture, and dimension. What appears effortless required extraordinary coordination between craftsmanship and engineering, reinforcing the home’s broader philosophy that true luxury often lies in precision hidden beneath simplicity.
The outdoor spaces continue that sense of calm. Terraces open toward endless sea views while outdoor dining areas become natural gathering spaces from morning into late evening. The atmosphere shifts continuously with the island itself. Breezes move through shaded structures while the changing sky over Grand Cul-de-Sac becomes part of daily life.
Brooke describes evenings spent around the outdoor dining table as among the most meaningful experiences within the home.
“In the evenings, it becomes the perfect setting for long dinners with friends as the sun sets over Grand Cul-de-Sac and the moon begins to rise,” she says.
Even the pool terraces were designed less as entertainment spaces and more as places of pause and stillness. “Those spaces were intended to create a sense of pause,” Brooke explains. “It becomes less about activity and more about being present.”
The bedroom blends tactile softness with bespoke craftsmanship through Elitis wallcovering selected by Penny Drue Baird and a built-in bed designed by Olivier Lempereur. Custom cushions upholstered in Elitis fabric and bespoke Cittadini linens enhance the serene atmosphere, while the Flow light fixture by Wonderglass, selected by Helene G. and Olivier Lempereur, introduces an artistic focal point. Antique blue vases dating to circa 1930, sourced by Penny Drue Baird through Pelazzo-L’excellent, bring a collected and timeless sensibility to the space.
That philosophy feels deeply connected to both the island and Brooke’s broader vision through HestiaLiving, where craftsmanship, intentionality, and emotional comfort remain central themes.
“To me, living well is about simplicity, quality, and a sense of connection,” Brooke says. “It is about creating environments that feel considered without being overworked.”
Villa Alisea embodies that idea completely. The residence never competes with St. Barths. Instead, it amplifies the qualities that make the island so enduringly magnetic: light, openness, warmth, and ease.
In the end, the home’s greatest achievement may be its ability to feel simultaneously refined and entirely unforced. It is a house designed not around spectacle, but around the experience of living, gathering, slowing down, and allowing the rhythms of the island to quietly shape everyday life.
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