Less trimming. Fewer perfectly edged hedges. A little more space left to grow, to flower, to exist without constant intervention.

It may not be the norm yet. But it is a direction worth moving towards.

Back to the 80s, when you would run through the grass and pick dandelions, Bermudianas and the wild lilies that would sprout after the rain, when you could pick stinging nettles for your mother to boil for tea.

Somewhere along the way, that changed.

Lawns became tighter. Edges sharper. Spaces are more controlled. The use of pesticides on sidewalks became commonplace, with no regard for runoff into the ocean. And in that shift, much of what once supported Bermuda’s natural life quietly disappeared.

Although much has been lost, and some things may never fully return, there is space for recovery.

Reversing that shift starts with how we choose to care for the spaces around us.

According to Heather Bottelli of the Bermuda Audubon Society, restoring that balance does not require a complete overhaul. It starts with small, intentional changes at home, one person at a time, one home at a time.

“Biodiversity isn’t just a word,” she explained. “It’s something we can act on.”

She said Bermuda’s native and endemic plants developed over hundreds of thousands of years, carried by wind, ocean currents and migrating birds, and that these plants continue to support both resident and migratory species today by providing food sources such as berries, nectar and insects.

Ms Bottelli emphasised that Bermuda plays an important role as a mid-Atlantic refuge for migratory birds, particularly as global bird populations face increasing pressure due to habitat loss.

In practical terms, that means rethinking what a garden is meant to do. It is not only about how it looks. It is about what it supports.

The idea of a “well-manicured lawn” was not always the norm.

Lawns were born out of 17th century British aristocratic culture. Wealthy landowners kept large areas of land just for grass to show they did not need to use it to grow food. It was wealth visibility without sustainability.

In Bermuda, in years gone by, communities lived close to the water, relying on fishing and the land for sustenance. Yet they were abruptly moved to make way for hotels and golf courses that supported the exponential growth of the tourism industry. Well-manicured landscapes and golf courses replaced working land.

Planting native and endemic species is one of the most effective ways to begin restoring function to the spaces around us, while confronting issues of access and equity in how land is owned and used.

Planting native, endemic and compatible species is one of the most effective ways to attract wildlife, particularly butterflies, bees and birds.

“Milkweed and lantana provide nectar for butterflies,” Ms Bottelli said, “while Darrell’s Fleabane, an endemic plant, supports bees.” She added that hummingbirds are drawn to red, tubular flowers such as salvia and honeysuckle during their migration.

Even plants that are often pulled out or cut back too quickly have value. “Thistles, dandelions, and goldenrod provide important food sources for birds,” Ms Bottelli noted.

She said birdbaths can make a difference, as long has they’re kept clean and positioned away from predators. Small ponds can further support wildlife by creating habitats for insects, which in turn become food for birds.

Ms Bottelli added: “Lizards and tree frogs help control insect populations, feeding on ants and mosquitoes. Ladybugs reduce aphids and thrips, although their numbers appear to be declining, likely due to pesticide use. Wasps serve as both pollinators and natural pest control. Even spiders play a role by managing unwanted insects.

“Each species contributes to balance and removing one element can have wider effects.”

The post From manicured to meaningful appeared first on RG Magazines.

Survival was top of mind for the settlers. When they arrived in the 1600s, the easiest materials to access were Bermuda cedar and palmetto. As such, they built houses almost entirely from wood.

Although there is an element of uncertainty, it’s a history laid out by the Bermuda National Trust. According to its website, timber frames were set into the ground, with gaps “likely” filled using cedar lathes and coated in a limestone-based plaster. Roofs were thatched with palmetto leaves — quick to assemble, but far from durable.

According to the Trust: “No buildings finished in this manner survive so it is impossible to be certain how they were built.”

By 1687 structures were better documented. Governor Sir Richard Robinson recorded 579 houses on the island: 29 had stone roofs, 63 had wooden shingles, and the rest were thatched.

At that stage, stone construction was still rare. As shown in a detailed 1624 map by John Smith now on display at Verdmont, a Trust property in Smith’s, the only buildings known to have been built that way were forts, and the State House in St George’s.

Things began to change towards the end of the 17th century as Bermuda’s economy evolved. Shipbuilders were using increasing amounts of cedar, leaving less available for house building.

Limestone proved itself to be a more durable alternative and in 1693, land granted in St George’s came with a condition: build in stone.

Even with that, change was gradual until nature intervened.

Two powerful hurricanes in 1712 and 1715 tore across the island, causing widespread damage. In the aftermath, practicality began to outweigh tradition.

As stated by the Bermuda National Trust: “In some cases the wooden walls of standing buildings were replaced by stone rather than by total rebuilding.”

It was a practical solution — and one that helped define what would become Bermuda’s vernacular architecture.

Evolving styles

Houses were built to last, but also to work with the landscape. Gable roofs, supported by substantial chimneys at either end, became common. Windows were tucked just under the eaves, helping to keep interiors cool while allowing air to circulate.

Many homes were just one room wide, with additional sections added over time, often at right angles. Steps leading up to the entrance were sometimes straight but often flared outward — a feature now known as “welcoming arms”.

With weather in mind, placement mattered and homes were frequently built into hillsides or along sheltered shorelines, keeping them out of the wind and away from valuable farmland.

Living spaces were raised above cellar areas. There were also outbuildings, used as kitchens, butteries or, in some cases, as accommodation for slaves.

Examples can be seen today in places like the Old Rectory and Fanny Fox’s Cottage in St George’s, and Carter House in St David’s.

Influenced by the Georgian style popular in Britain, buildings in Bermuda became more symmetrical, more formal and, in many cases, more expressive of status during the 18th century.

As described by the Trust, gable roofs gradually gave way to hipped roofs. Facades were balanced, with centrally placed doors and evenly spaced windows. Decorative elements such as pilasters and quoins appeared, framing corners and entrances.

Aesthetic appeal

The evolution from function to form continued into the 19th century. Roofs became shallower in pitch, verandahs were introduced, and details grew more elaborate. Semi-circular windows appeared above doorways, while decorative detailing around doors and windows became more common.

Windows shifted from the traditional six-over-six panes to simpler two-over-two designs, allowing for larger panes of glass and clearer views out. Bay windows were introduced, projecting outward from the wall they brought in more light and created a greater sense of space inside. Chimneys, once purely practical, became increasingly decorative — with some built in octagonal forms and, by the late 19th century, others added simply for show.

Although Bermuda never lost its architectural roots, appearance began to matter more.

Some roofs were covered with slate laid end to end instead of the traditional overlapping style still used today, and moulding around eaves and corners became increasingly ornate.

However, after the First World War there was a renewed interest in the island’s earlier cottage-style buildings — the very forms that had developed out of necessity in the 18th century. Architects and builders began revisiting these designs, blending traditional elements with more modern layouts.

Figures such as Rupert Carlyle Hollis Hallett and Wilfred Onions helped shape that revival, while wealthy overseas buyers in the 1920s and 1930s also played a role, restoring older homes with care.

Colour, too, remained a defining feature. The pastel shades seen across the island today are not a modern addition, but part of a tradition that dates back centuries.

“Bermuda’s architecture is stand-alone in the world as is its widespread and renowned use of building colour,” the Bermuda National Trust notes.

That history is now being preserved more deliberately. In 2018, the Bermuda National Trust partnered with Texas A&M University to analyse paint samples from historic buildings across the island, creating an authentic palette based on earlier finishes.

“This is the first nationwide effort in the Greater Caribbean region to create a set of historic paint colours,” the Trust said.

The post How Bermuda built its homes appeared first on RG Magazines.

Yet how many of us really understand the laws and the language as we sign our life-changing documents?

To help break it down, we enlisted the expertise of Neil Molyneux, a senior associate in the Bermuda office of law firm Appleby, who is a property law specialist and a member of the firm’s property team.

The legal framework:

• Bermuda’s land law is based on English common law but modified by statutes and Bermuda court decisions which address Bermuda’s particular requirements. The primary legislation governing the transfer of land is the Conveyancing Act 1983 as modified by the Land Registration Act 2011.
• For unregistered land, title is demonstrated through a “chain of deeds” going back at least 20 years. After land becomes registered, title is demonstrated by obtaining a copy of the register for the property from the Land Title Registry.

Property in Bermuda is held under two distinct legal interests:

• Freehold (or fee simple), which represents ultimate ownership, with absolute rights over the land and buildings forever; or
• Leasehold, which represents an interest for a fixed time period, often 999 years for an apartment/condominium.

Co-ownership is as:

• Joint tenants, where a deceased’s interest automatically passes to the survivor; or
• Tenants in common, where each owner holds a distinct share that can be bequeathed to heirs or separately sold.

Mr Molyneux said: “Due to limited land, the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956 imposes restrictions on foreign ownership.”

The term “internationals” refers to those who are not legally Bermudians or Belongers (British Overseas Territory citizens). Permanent Resident Certificate holders are internationals for property purposes (with some concessions beyond this article’s scope).

• Licensing: internationals must apply to Government for an Acquisition Licence. This process involves vetting financial standing and character references.
• Annual rental value restrictions: internationals are restricted to high-value homes, eg, a minimum ARV of $126,000 for standalone homes.
• Inventory limits: internationals are typically prohibited from purchasing vacant land.

Mr Molyneux added: “Bermuda has no capital gains tax, but transactional costs are high.”

Payments to Government are:

• Stamp duty: calculated on the value transferred on a sliding scale, reaching up to 7.35 per cent for high-value properties.

• Licence fees: internationals pay a one-time fee for their Acquisition Licence, which ranges from zero per cent (for a hotel/resort unit placed into hotel inventory), to 12.5 per cent (for a standalone home) of the purchase price depending on the property type.

• Land tax: all property owners pay a bi-annual tax based on the property’s ARV (set by government).

Regarding zoning and planning, Mr Molyneux said: “Development and building permits are controlled by the Department of Planning. The Bermuda Plan dictates land use, conservation zones, and building heights.

“Given Bermuda’s tough environment (high humidity, salty air and being situated in ‘hurricane alley’), the building code requires features, such as concrete blocks and white-stepped limestone roofs, which allow for water catchment.”

The process involves distinct classifications:

• Planning permission (using Form DAP1): required for most development, including new buildings or material use changes. This involves public advertisement and review by the Development Applications Board.
• Building permits: with planning approved, a building permit ensures construction meets the safety standards set by Bermuda’s Building Code. Note the code is updated from time to time. Older plant and apparatus, if installed to code, is grandfathered, however modifications require retrofitting to current code.
• Permitted development permits: minor works may bypass full planning review, which the Department aims to process within five working days. This permit confirms planning permission is not required.

Planning Department applications are submitted via the online Customer Self Service portal. Fees are based on project type and square footage.

The post Know your Bermuda land laws appeared first on RG Magazines.

If you want a Bermuda garden that feels like Bermuda, going endemic is not a trend, it is a decision.

It decides whether your Sunday afternoon is spent battling plants that thrive on takeover or building a garden around species that evolved for this limestone, this salt air, this wind, and the wildlife that depends on them.

For gardeners, the first hurdle is misunderstanding.

Myles Darrell, head of national heritage at Bermuda National Trust, said: “One of the most common misconceptions is that Bermuda’s native and endemic plants grow slowly or struggle to establish.

“In reality, many of them grow very quickly when planted in the right conditions.”

He points to the Bermuda cedar as proof.

Another misconception is that native plants are less attractive than imported ornamentals. “That simply isn’t the case.”

Mr Darrell loves the coastal sophora for its bright yellow flowers and its ability to thrive in windy coastal conditions where many imported plants fail.

The practical argument is straightforward: landscapes built around native and endemic plants can be established quickly, require less maintenance, and stay resilient in Bermuda’s climate.

If you have ever wondered what restoration looks like beyond a before-and-after photo, Mr Darrell describes it as a living shift you can feel.

When a site begins to recover, it is the small signals that matter. Native plants returning. Birds and insects are using the space again. Sunlight reaches the forest floor, where invasive vines once smothered everything.

“Walking through a restored landscape genuinely makes me a little giddy,” Mr Darrell said. He imagines what the space could look like 10 or 20 years from now, “if the work continues.” It is a hope with dirt under its nails.

The Rebecca Middleton Nature Reserve in Paget shows what “continue” looks like in real time.

When restoration began, the reserve was heavily dominated by invasives, particularly balloon vine. Anyone who has fought balloon vine knows it does not politely share. It races, climbs and chokes. With consistent work and community support, Mr Darrell says the transformation has been remarkable.

Today, more than 60 per cent of the reserve is dominated by native and endemic species. Trails are accessible again. Biodiversity has increased. Just as important, the community uses the space.

“When people begin to take pride in a restored landscape, that’s when conservation truly succeeds.”

This is why invasives are not just a gardening nuisance. Mr Darrell calls them “one of the most serious environmental threats Bermuda faces”.

They displace ecosystems that evolved here naturally, turning diverse habitats into dense monocultures that support far less wildlife. They change the land’s look and function. They even affect our coastlines. Casuarina, he notes, often falls during storms and can take sections of coastline with it. When invasive plants replace healthy native ecosystems, our natural resilience weakens, at the exact moment climate impacts are growing.

If you want the perfect Bermuda garden specifically for your home space and you are not sure where to start, visit a nature reserve with a notebook, pay attention to what thrives without constant intervention, and build from there.

And if you want to go beyond your fence line, reach out to organisations doing this work, including the Bermuda National Trust, and join in on restoration efforts or education programmes already underway.

The post Get your hands dirty and go endemic appeared first on RG Magazines.

However, in Bermuda, you can add the build-up of mould, moss, algae, dirt and rust stains, on a vast variety of exterior surfaces to that list.

Our very damp climate is the perfect breeding ground for the growth or development of such irritants on the roofs, walls and grounds of our properties.

To address those concerns, property owners are calling on entrepreneur Seth Ming for assistance.

Mr Ming, set up Peak Performance Pressure Washing in April 2024 and now serves both residential and commercial clients seeking to maintain and refresh their properties.

The business restores properties by offering both pressure washing and soft washing services, stain removal, and roof and tank cleaning.

Mr Ming said pressure washing and soft washing are the perfect treatment for surfaces such as concrete driveways, mouldy walls, patios, brick and stone.

He has built his own soft washing system where he can apply measured solutions with the turn of a switch.

The low-pressure cleaning approach is used on house washes and brick to get rid of mould.

Mr Ming said: “I also use it to pre-treat and post-treat concrete areas.”

He said the process uses a gentle mixture of cleaning solutions to result in a deep clean with long-lasting results. Bacteria are killed at the source, without damaging delicate surfaces, or painted surfaces.

Chemicals in the cleaning solution do most of the work, killing black mould, algae and mildew off walls, concrete or any other surface.

It is a longer process than pressure washing as the solution must stay on the target surface for up to 20 minutes to remove the residue before Mr Ming administers a freshwater wash.

The detergent used, which is a percentage mix of water to chemical solution, is altered to fit the task.

Mr Ming said: “I customise the ratios according to the job. I have a different solution mixture from pressure washing to soft washing.”

Bringing an idea home

He first had the idea to begin a pressure washing business when he saw a soft washing job being done while enrolled in a heavy equipment operator’s course in Florida.

Returning home from the course in 2010, Mr Ming operated heavy equipment for a range of employers in the construction sector before becoming a driver in the trucking business in 2014.

All the while, he was thinking about the promising potential of a pressure washing business in Bermuda.

Mr Ming said: “I’ve had it in the back of my head ever since. I was thinking of things that could be a valuable business and help people on the island at the same time because this island breeds mould.

“I’ve been on a countless amount of site visits where I have slipped and slid due to the black mould.

“When people call and ask what else I can clean, it’s pretty much everything external on a residential or commercial property that I can clean. I’ve got special solutions for everything!”

In the beginning, Mr Ming worked his trucking job alongside the launch of Peak Performance, offering power washing services to family and friends so that he could build up a portfolio of work.

He went full-time with Peak Performance this January after a busy pre-holiday period last Christmas.

“Last summer was pretty busy with a lot of pool decks, patios, house washes and roof jobs, but everybody wants stuff clean for Christmas. My schedule was through the roof!

“Nobody wants their auntie coming with the Christmas turkey and slipping on the drive and falling. That’s the time that people want stuff spic and span.

“I’ve also got people calling me because they have elderly people staying in their properties, and they want to avoid ‘slip and falls’, so I can help people in that regard too.”

Plans to grow

In addition to being hired by property owners, Mr Ming said the business is now getting referrals from painting contractors, who need exterior walls or roofs cleaned before they start their projects.

Sometimes, he said, residential customers prefer a soft wash of exterior walls rather than a full paint job.

The service is customised to the property being worked on. An SKB roof, for example, is treated differently than a traditional limestone slate roof by adjusting the pressure of the water being applied.

Mr Ming said: “With an SKB roof, you can get a little more aggressive with pressure. With the older style roofs, you are gentler when you are washing them clean and getting the dirt off the roof.

“I did a house last year that was built in 1703, which is without a doubt the oldest roof I’ve stepped foot on. You’ve got to be extra careful with an old cottage like that.”

As a teenager, Mr Ming and his older brother assisted their father, Roderick Ming, who operated Ming’s Contracting.

He said: “I left my full-time job to operate Peak Performance Pressure Washing because I like to be independent, I like to make my own hours, and I like to do my own work.”

Now that the business has his sole attention, Mr Ming said he wants to hire summer students and plans to expand Peak Performance in the future.

Already, five or six people are reaching out to him daily, offering their services and expressing an interest in learning the business.

Peak Performance has a presence on Facebook and Instagram and soon will launch a Google Ads campaign.

Mr Ming said: “It’s going well, but there is definitely plenty of room for growth. It’s just how fast I want to grow. I want to expand in the right way.

“My plan is to be the biggest exterior cleaning company on island.”

The post Performing under pressure appeared first on RG Magazines.

As recently as 40 years ago, locally available art was largely dominated by stylised depictions of island landscapes and architecture – and you can still never go wrong with traditional images featuring those pink and turquoise hues that our island is famous for.

Today, however, what constitutes ‘Bermuda art’ is much more diverse, and in some cases a lot more experimental.

Many local collectors favour emerging artists who utilise abstract expressionism to convey political and social messages or push the boundaries of aesthetic conversations by introducing found or industrial materials into their work.

Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art

For more than 30 years, the mission of the Masterworks Foundation has been to discover new creative interpretations of Bermuda and to preserve and display that art for generations to come.

Nestled in the tranquil Botanical Gardens, the museum houses a wide spectrum of creativity, from vintage paintings by visiting artists such as Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley and Ogden Pleissner, to contemporary pieces produced by gifted locals such as Charles Zuill, Graham Foster and Bill Ming.

“Masterworks was built around a core collection of Bermuda subject matter, including works by renowned international artists that carried no racial, social, economic, political or religious agenda,” said retired Masterworks founder and creative director Tom Butterfield.

“Its role was pure and simple: pleasure, enjoyment, education and awareness.”

Jasmine Lee, curator of contemporary art at Masterworks, said: “Today, we have evolved to the point that we are a cultural hub and are always looking for new ways to interpret our collection.

“We inspire conversation by exploring themes that are relevant to our collection and encourage the expression of creativity in all its forms.”

Building a personal collection

A thoughtfully chosen work of art can transform a living space, adding colour, character and a distinctly Bermudian sense of place – but it can also speak volumes about the person who chose to display the piece.

“We all look at artwork in different ways with different interpretations and enjoy different subject matters but no matter what in my view it must be emotive,” Mr Butterfield said.

Ms Lee said: “Beyond its decorative function, art can have many purposes. It can inspire emotions such as joy or serve as a conversation starter. In that respect, each piece says a lot about the person who has chosen to bring it into their home.”

Attempting to balance personal taste, space, colour and budget while searching for a piece that not only complements your décor but also speaks to you on a deeper level can be a daunting task – unless you view it as a journey of discovery.

“If you are not an established collector, the easiest way to start acquiring Bermuda art is to simply start attending local shows,” Ms Lee said.

“Regardless of whether the show is at Masterworks, or one of the other island galleries, all you need to do is bring your sense of curiosity and see what sort of pieces you are drawn to.

“Once you identify a piece that catches your eye, challenge yourself to consider exactly what you are drawn to. Is it how the colours make you feel, or small details such as the type of medium being used, or the way that the brush strokes are composed?”

Finding a theme in what you love

“Art shows are a great opportunity to talk to artists and learn what interests and inspires their work, allowing you to select what resonates with you personally,” Ms Lee said.

“You might discover that you prefer art that challenges the viewer with a political message, or expansive multimedia pieces that leverage the bold use of abstract colour.”

Sometimes it is simply the thrill of being able to meet each artist personally that binds the pieces in a collection together.

The key is to appreciate that there is no wrong way to collect art for your home, but the more thought and energy you put into your collection, the more you will get out of it over time.

Ms Lee said: “You might even say that choosing art to adorn your living space is a subtle means by which we can each express our own creativity.

“Why did we choose to frame or not frame a particular piece? Why did we choose to group these particular pieces together – and yet leave another piece all on its own?”

Beyond paint and canvas

Collecting Bermuda art is about far more than filling an empty space on the wall or finding a landscape that compliments the tones in a beige sofa. Each piece is an opportunity to carry forward the story of our island, and the artist who created it.

While traditional Bermuda art was frequently created with oil, watercolour or gouache on paper or canvas, today the range of materials and media has expanded considerably and might include any combination of charcoal, acrylic, photography, digital imagery, collage, textiles, pottery, sculpture, wood, wire, welding, concrete, plant material, or found objects.

The range of what you can collect and ‘the why’ – your raison d’être for purchasing each piece and bringing it home – can also be as vast as your imagination.

When you purchase a piece of locally produced art, you don’t just enhance your own life – you support and inspire artists in their personal journeys towards excellence and the island art movement. You also add another chapter to your own evolving journey of creative exploration.

For more information on The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art and upcoming shows visit, www.masterworksbermuda.org

The post Painted in Bermuda appeared first on RG Magazines.

These homes were built in the days before electric tools, cranes and concrete. They don’t have neat right angles or straight walls. They were built primarily using limestone and cedar. Their chimneys stand thick, strong and high above their white stepped roofs and their wooden shutters protect them from storms.

Whether large or small, built by rich or poor, all of these houses tell stories of our past and have histories we can learn from. To those who appreciate traditional houses, they have charm and character.

But what are they actually like to live in today? Can they be modernised without losing their character? And, are they worth preserving?

As researchers for the Bermuda National Trust, Margie Lloyd and Linda Abend have seen more historical homes than most and they care deeply about Bermuda’s unique architectural vernacular.

They agreed that, in order to appreciate the features of an old house however, it helps to have an interest in its history; and, while they can be expensive to maintain, all homes in Bermuda, old or new, require regular maintenance.

“They always say damp,” Ms Lloyd said. “But an awful lot of damp is caused by closing it all up, putting in air conditioning, never opening the windows.”

Another common problem is bubbling walls.

“The core of my house is old, it’s an old barn, and we have so much trouble with efflorescence. It’s where the wall starts to bubble and you get this white powder,” Ms Abend said.

“They say that older houses are costly to maintain but really, every house in Bermuda, it’s the weather, it’s the climate.”

If you live in an old home, when you renovate, it’s vital to respect the original features of the house, otherwise you risk ruining it.

Examples include a home where the owners removed the opening arms staircase from the front of the house, and another where they added a concrete plate to raise the roof.

“In an old house, the windows are up by the eaves,” Ms Abend said. “It doesn’t look old anymore. It could have been built yesterday. It’s amazing how just lifting up the roof, one layer, what a difference that makes.”

Other traditional features that stand out for them are chimneys, butteries, domed tanks, wooden verandahs and fanlights over the front doors, which allow light into what would otherwise have been dark rooms.

Mount Wyndham

Someone else with a passionate appreciation for traditional Bermudian architecture is Kristal Bartram, who owns grade two listed Mount Wyndham in Hamilton Parish.

The home was built during the 1780s and enjoys views over the entire East End of the island. Most famously, the house was leased in 1812 to the British Admiralty, to be used during the war between Britain and the United States.

When Ms Bartram bought the property ten years ago, it was derelict, and she has been painstakingly restoring it to its former glory ever since.

“I love traditional Bermuda architecture,” she said. “The house had been on and off the market for quite a while before I was able to purchase it and so I had seen it, and the view was spectacular. I loved everything about the house.”

While Ms Bartram was excited at the prospect of bringing this stately property back to life, the most common question people asked her was: “Are you crazy?”

Did she ever think she was? “Sometimes,” she smiled.

Her initial priority was to make the house liveable, so the plumbing, electrics, windows and doors were the first to be fixed.

After that, she set about carefully restoring and modernising the house. Now, it is a spectacular four-bedroom, 3½-bathroom multi-generational home, which has retained all of its historical charm and much of the original craftsmanship.

The former outside laundry room is now a one-bedroom cottage, which she rents out as a bed-and-breakfast, and the former outhouse is used as garden tool storage. This structure had a wooden window opening, which was four pieces of wood that she replaced.

“I’m trying to keep the integrity of the house,” she said. “Everything is the way it is for a reason.”

This ethos underpinned every aspect of Mount Wyndham’s restoration. It was, therefore, important to chose designers, contractors and craftsmen with experience working on historic homes. These included L&S Design’s Shelley Ray, Byland Construction and mason, Dean Saunders.

A number of Bermuda stone features on the property were refurbished by Mr Saunders, using lime, which is the building material that would have been used when the house was first built.

Elsewhere, the roof does not have latex, which allows it to breath. Ms Bartram has kept all the Bermuda cedar in the roof and on the ceiling, and when restoring the internal structures, she made sure that the contracting team were mindful of the original handcrafted dovetail joints, collar ties and beams.

“Someone who isn’t familiar with that type of construction can really do damage to the house,” she warned.

Such was her determination to honour the history of the house, that she not only kept an upside down cedar banister, wrongly installed by a previous owner, but she had another upside down one installed to match it. “I like this story,” she laughed.

She said she has no damp issues because she didn’t install air conditioning.

“It’s high on a hill, two storeys, so the crosswinds are amazing,” she said. The house also has high ceilings.

She admitted that the upkeep is hard work. The cedar doors need to be sanded and revarnished every three years and she gets her roof redone annually.

For her, it’s worth it.

“I think this is the only opportunity for a bridge between what that life was like and what our life is like now,” she said. “We’ll never see that again.”

The post Living in history appeared first on RG Magazines.

Cedar carvings, Hogge money coins, antique bottles, stamps, vintage Bermuda books, banana leaf dolls, maritime relics and Gombey memorabilia are all part of what collectors affectionately call Bermudiana.

But today, Bermudiana is no longer confined to antiques. Contemporary artists and craftspeople are increasingly embracing the tradition, creating works that capture the island’s essence by incorporating locally sourced materials and translating them into pieces infused with botanical, cultural and marine references.

Reimagining Bermudiana

Collecting pottery and sculpture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of ‘objets d’art’ that embody the island’s heritage – but perhaps it should be.

Along the island’s coastlines, shards of historic pottery remain visible, representing some of Bermuda’s oldest surviving artifacts.

While Bermuda’s comprehensive environmental protection laws prohibit the removal of these items from their resting places, contemporary artisans offer an accessible way to bring that same sense of history, texture and place into the home through thoughtfully crafted pieces that reflect both Bermuda’s past and its present.

Potter Jon Faulkner and sculptors Stratton and Claire Hatfield create distinctive works that translate Bermuda’s colours, textures and natural forms into both functional and decorative pieces, offering effortless ways to introduce Bermudian elements into any living space.

Here, they share where they find inspiration and how they infuse the island’s raw elements into their designs.

Jon Faulkner Pottery: Bermuda in a bowl

“All of my pieces are thrown by hand on a wheel and fired in a kiln that I built myself,” Mr Faulkner said.

“I start each of my firings by burning casuarina wood, which covers all the work in the kiln with fly ash and starts the glazing process. I also like to experiment with mixing Bermuda cedar and casuarina wood ash into the glaze itself.”

This hands-on approach allows each piece to carry a direct imprint of Bermuda’s natural environment and underpins a journey of endless experimentation.

“I get a lot of unconventional inspiration from an old landfill located next to the sea-glass beach near the Dockyard,” he said.

“I’m fascinated by the flow, colour and texture of the rust on the objects I find there and have developed my own technique for infusing some of my work with a similar effect.”

His locally inspired products include Bermuda rockpool bowls with turquoise and deep blue glaze and a rough gritty exterior inspired by the coastline and coral reef system.

“Through trial and error, I have managed to develop a glaze that closely resembled the ocean. These pieces are literally Bermuda in a bowl.

“I also create historical reproductions of a Bellarmine jug composed of salt glazed stoneware that was excavated from the Sea Venture.”

Yart: preserving nature in all its forms

“I’ve always been interested in botanical plants,” said sculptor Stratton Hatfield.

His wife, Claire Peverelli, explained: “Our work is a blending of my interest in art psychotherapy and how we connect with nature and Stratton’s interest in 3D interpretive sculpture.”

Together they are developing a unique method of imprinting, or fossilising, local floral into handmade sculptural pieces for interior and exterior spaces. Their decorative and functional pieces are crafted using free form moulds that they fashion from soil and beach sand and then fill with white Portland concrete in stages.

They also consider the interrelationship between endemic, naturalised and invasive species in Bermuda, leading them to include anything from palmetto to banana, bay grape, elephant ear, Chinese fan palm or loquat leaves in the same piece.

“Initially many of the pieces were small wall sconces, bowls or table centrepieces,” Ms Peverelli said.

“We now do public installations that we refer to as collages in that they are composed of several individually cast pieces that are displayed in a harmonious combination.”

Mr Hatfield said: “Our work continues to evolve and involves a lot of trial and error.

“The challenge has been to figure out how to make increasingly large and complex pieces that are durable enough to be displayed outdoors and yet light weight enough to be mounted on a wall.”

An ever-evolving process

“Bermudian art is moving away from the pink cottage look that was popular in the 1980s,” Mr Hatfield said.

“Young artists are generally creating work that is more socially challenging but, on the whole, we belong to a different generation from those who have the funds to collect.

“What is considered ‘collectible’ in Bermuda is in the midst of transition.”

Mr Faulkner said art is a never-ending journey.

“The shapes of my pieces are quite consistent, but the end products can vary a lot depending on the techniques that I employ during the glazing process,” he said.

“Everything from the ingredients that I mix into the glaze, such as iron or cobalt and chrome oxide, to the position where an object is placed within the kiln when it is fired, can alter the resulting colour and texture of the finished object.

“I’m always surprised how things will turn out, and I find that very inspiring.”

As Bermudiana continues to evolve, today’s artisans and craftspeople are not only preserving the island’s heritage, they are also shaping what future generations will one day recognise as culturally significant and collectible.

For collectors, this shift offers an opportunity to acquire beautiful objects, and to participate in an ongoing collaboration – curating and shaping our heritage one piece at a time.

For more information on Jon Faulkner Pottery visit www.jonfaulknerpottery.com. For

The post Collecting Bermudiana appeared first on RG Magazines.

Many of these evolved out of necessity: the need to collect rainwater, reflect the sun, protect against hurricanes and access a house built into a slope.

Over the past ten years however, more modern architectural features have started to become the norm, made possible by more advanced technology and available materials, such as large windows with hurricane-proof glass, narrow frames and no shutters.

Many of these homes were designed to have clean lines and interesting shapes, defined by a mixture of roof styles, often without eaves.

On the inside, gone are the lower ceilings, narrow openings and small rooms. Instead, new build or renovated homes tend be designed to reflect more modern ways of living, with open plan indoor outdoor living spaces, basements, home offices and gyms.

In spite of these modern approaches to traditional design, the aesthetic still remains distinctly Bermudian.

At the forefront of many of the island’s more contemporary interpretations of traditional home designs are architects, Jonathan Castro and Ché Caines of E Se Studios.

They explained what is influencing the new designs, which modern features are most popular, and the aspects of traditional Bermudian vernacular that should never change.

“Architecture is very much in touch and in tune with society in Bermuda,” Mr Castro said. “In the same way that they would say construction is an indicator of how well a country is doing.

“If there’s construction, then it’s prosperous. With architecture, it is an evolution of what the industry is and what it means.”

Evolution

Bermuda’s architecture has always been influenced by where we are from.

“If you were talking to us 50 years ago, the large majority of people building homes would have been local Bermudians or those with a lot of history and roots in Bermuda,” Mr Castro said.

“With the advent of the Permanent Resident’s Certificate and statuses, you have a lot of people who are not actually born here in Bermuda, but want to put roots down in Bermuda. They are the ones who are setting up the stage for this new architecture.

“In that event, the modernisation of Bermuda is a catalyst that’s coming from those who are taking all the bits and pieces of development from everywhere else that they see and wanting to apply it here in a thoughtful way.”

One of the most common conversations with clients is about door and window heights. Traditionally, they tended to be around seven feet. Now, the demand is for eight feet or higher so that homeowners can have as much natural light and connection with the outside as possible.

“Technology with windows and doors is advancing, so now we can have larger doors, larger windows, bifolding, sliding, pocketing, whatever you wish depends on your pocket book,” Mr Caines said.

Thinner aluminium windows and doors are also becoming increasingly popular, as are interior skylights, to get natural light into what would otherwise be a dark space.

It’s not just windows and doors that are changing.

“Spatial hierarchy, materiality and natural lighting are primary factors that dictate that transition from traditional vernacular and a more modernised approach,” he continued.

“The way in which living spaces are laid out, so you see most modern houses, they have higher ceilings, for example. They have larger opening spans because now we have the materials to do so, like steel beams that weren’t around when we were building out of stone. You can do large spans to have a large, open plan living space.”

To keep these large, open plan areas clutter-free, and for extra storage, basements have also become popular, which older Bermudian homes didn’t tend to have.

Ms Castro said the basement can also house “non-essential back of house services”.

Being practical

Bermuda’s homes have always been built with the island’s climate in mind, and this hasn’t changed, but how it looks has.

Large, covered overhangs and hurricane screens allow homeowners to use their outside spaces whatever the weather.

“People want that open air living that you can get in places like California, but they want the ability to close it up when it’s also 95 degrees outside, and 89 per cent humidity,” he said.

The architects emphasised, however, that in order to modernise traditional architectural features, you first need to understand their original purpose: eaves, for example, which the modern barn-style aesthetic doesn’t have.

“The reason you have an eave line is to drip the water off the edge off your roof, so it doesn’t hit your building,” Mr Castro said.

“In response to that, you create an eave detail that captures as much water as possible so the only drops you have coming over are not that much.”

Another option is the overhang which is “ever so slightly angled so that’s shooting the water off”.

He explained: “So, any water that is coming is being propelled because the angle is a little bit steeper at that point.

“Once you know the reason behind something, you can change things and make it different or make it unique, which is why you’re seeing the newer takes on Bermuda roofs, why parapet flat roofs are becoming a thing now.”

In recent designs, E Se Studios has introduced these different roof styles, creating interest and a modern aesthetic through a mixture of pitched and flat roofs.

What always ties the design back to Bermuda however, is the white steps, and in Mr Caines’ opinion, this, along with the pastel colours of our homes, should never change.

“The danger with everything progressing and technology evolving and styles evolving is losing our identity, and who we are and how we build is a primary force in architecture,” he said.

“There’s different ways in which we can build, but still retain the look and feel of our architecture. Those are two key characteristics that make Bermuda, Bermuda.”

The post Bermuda made modern appeared first on RG Magazines.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in large-scale hotel overhauls, new office buildings, newbuild homes and renovations.

While there is a broad variety of project types producing work for contractors, construction is not in “boom” territory relative to recent history, according to Alex DeCouto, managing director of Greymane Construction.

“I don’t think you can single any category out – there is a healthy amount of investment in property happening, but certainly nothing approaching 2008 levels of employment and projects,” he said. “This is the level of investment that the industry needs on an ongoing basis.”

Indeed, government employment statistics show there were 2,163 full-time jobs in construction in 2025 — about 1,500 fewer than in the employment peak of 2008.

However, firms whose expertise can gain them a share of hospitality, commercial and residential work are thriving in today’s construction environment.

Commercial Glass & Aluminum Co, for example, is working on a range of residential upgrades and window replacements, while also working on the redevelopment of Grotto Bay Beach Resort. It will also install 581 showers as part of the Fairmont Southampton overhaul and is the provider and installer of glass for the new Luscar Place office building, going up in west Hamilton.

Steve Barber, managing director of Commercial Glass, who took over the business in 2015, said working on major projects helps to build a company’s reputation and leads to more opportunities.

“With every year, business has got a bit better,” he said. “You get too big, too quick and you get in trouble. I’m still being cautious, but I’m confident we’re moving in the right direction.”

Hospitality projects

The Fairmont Southampton is a massive construction project, a $550 million overhaul by owner Westend Properties, a subsidiary of Gencom. Reopening of the 593-room hotel is scheduled for August.

By early January this year, work was picking up pace. Westend said roofing was complete in the north wing and work had begun on the resort’s west wing and ballroom roofs, while a complete renovation of the guest rooms was under way. Work was also ongoing at the resort’s Ocean Club and Beach Club, where a new resort-style pool was being installed.

Last August, the company said more than 150 Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians and permanent resident’s certificate holders had been involved in the redevelopment project. And the work looks set to continue, given the 2023 government approved of a special development order to build up to 250 units on the property.

At the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, ongoing development includes the construction of two three-story buildings comprising an 53 additional guest rooms, and additionally a new sewage plant. This follows expansions to the Castle Harbour property’s dining rooms.

Looming ahead is a major redevelopment at Elbow Beach, where The Loren Group plans to demolish the main building of the Paget resort, place a 75-key building on the current site of tennis courts and erect a combination of 27 estate homes and cottage-style accommodations.

Stephen King, the co-owner of The Loren Group, hopes work will be completed in late 2028 so the hotel is ready for the 2029 season.

There are also plans for a new hotel in Hamilton, to be called Sankofa House. Ay Ay Holdings Bermuda Ltd has received support, on appeal, from the Department of Planning for its proposal to redevelop the vacant Victoria Hall, in Hamilton, into a nine-storey, 94-room property.

And in Warwick, plans to convert the former Riddell’s Bay Golf Club clubhouse into a brewery and restaurant were approved by the Development Applications Board in April last year.

Commercial property

Perhaps the most visible construction site in Bermuda is Brookfield Place, at 91 Front Street, a nine-storey office and retail development, scheduled to be completed this year.

A short walk away, at 69 Pitts Bay Road, just east of the Bacardi Building, is Luscar Place, a seven-storey building that will provide 130,000 sq ft of prime office space.

The Green family, who have already left their mark on west Hamilton with their transformations of the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, Waterloo House and Point House, are the investors behind Luscar Place.

The new complex, which will be solar-powered and will also comprise two ground-floor retail units, is scheduled for completion in July 2027.

A more unusual commercial building project for Bermuda is the Google transatlantic cable landing station on a 5.9-acre site at Burrows Hill, St David’s.

The plan comprises a 35,000 sq ft single-storey building, along with a small guardhouse and parking for 14 cars and 12 motorcycles, as well as a mechanical yard housing six generators. Google also plans an 8ft security fence.

A planning report filed with the Development Applications Board said the work would involve “significant and extensive cutting and filling” to create a level area on the property, with rock cuts as high as 30ft.

Residential

Government capital spending has the potential to play a significant role in the pipeline of future construction work.

As Mr DeCouto observed: “We will be watching closely what Government does in the housing space and with Corporate Income Tax funds specifically, as housing minister Zane DeSilva has been making lots of noise about projects in the pipeline.

“I’m hoping he can pull some things off, because most of our middle- and lower-income citizens need help with housing.”

Mr DeSilva has spelled out his hopes to roll out up to 1,500 affordable units over the next decade. High on his list of potential development sites are Victoria Row and Albert Row in Sandys; a vacant lot near Dr Cann Park in Southampton; Tommy Fox Road in St David’s; 13 Ewing Street in Hamilton; and Harbour View Village, in St David’s. All these sites are managed by the Bermuda Housing Corporation and the Bermuda Land Management Company.

The ministry is looking at prefabricated and modular construction techniques to deliver homes as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. With more than 350 households on the BHC waitlist as of the end of 2025, social need may be a strong driver of residential construction investment.

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