Twila Wilson nearly traded her shot at paradise for a job in England. The interior designer spent two months on St. Croix before leaving to start a new full-time job. But by the time she reached Britannia, she knew she'd made a mistake.
"I said to myself, 'Wait a minute, I just left paradise.'"
Wilson followed her heart back to St. Croix, where she founded Java Wraps boutiques. Enjoying smashing success selling her line of colorful sarongs, Wilson decided to purchase the ruins of a 1730s sugar mill located in Estate Clairmont on St. Croix.
"The mill was a white elephant, really," says the 6-foot blonde with supermodel good looks. "It had linoleum floors that were actually bubbling. But the breezes were remarkable, the view incredible and the mill was the heart of the house."
Hurricanes made matchsticks of her renovations twice, but Wilson wouldn't give up. She engaged Tortola architect Michael Helm, who shared her air-and-texture aesthetics and anchored it all with solid stormproofing.
Today Clairmont Mill is an intriguing five-bedroom villa. Stairs wind up the interior of the mill tower. At the top is an eagle's aerie of a bedroom with big window seats perfect for endless contemplation of the sea.
Down below in the center of the old stone tower, the modern kitchen reigns supreme. A stone archway connects the kitchen to the great room. Nearby, the master bedroom with a romantic four-poster bed has views on three sides. Outside, separate pool and patio areas survey the sweep of St. Croix's northern coast.
Designing with detail, Wilson complements the collection of Balinese furniture with colorful fabrics as well as terra cotta and ceramic tile from places as far-flung as Indonesia and Denmark.
"It's been a wonderful challenge," she says. "To put treasures from all my travels into one of the most beautiful locations in the world and to build around a part of history is the chance of a lifetime."
HOUSE GUESTS
Twila Wilson has lavished too much love and dedication on her home to keep it all to herself. Rates for the five-bedroom villa are $4,500 to $5,100, depending on the number of people (children welcome), for seven nights in low season ($8,000 high-season flat rate). The villa includes cable TV and a VCR in each bedroom, stereo, a gourmet kitchen, dishwasher, laundry room and weekly maid service. Visit www.mclaughlinanderson.com or call 800-537-6246.
Posted online 06/01/01.
