A Miami couple spent 5 years building an off-the-grid holiday hut on an island in the Bahamas, and they did almost all of it by hand — check it out

Amanda GohAug 22, 2022, 07:13 IST

The exterior of the Brillharts' hut.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

A Miami couple bought a plot of land in the Bahamas and spent five years building a hut on it.
The Brillharts built the house frame in their Florida backyard, took it apart, and shipped it over.

Architects Melissa and Jacob Brillhart first set foot on Eleuthera in the Bahamas in 2015. At the time, the couple was working on a project for a friend, but it didn't take long for them, too, to fall in love with the island.

The Brillharts in their dining area.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

Architects Melissa and Jacob Brillhart first set foot on Eleuthera in the Bahamas in 2015. At the time, the couple was working on a project for a friend, but it didn't take long for them, too, to fall in love with the island.

They started the project in 2016 and approached it as a side project. Because their property was on a remote island with limited resources, one of the Brillharts' main concerns was that the hut should be easy to construct.

A model of the hut.Brillhart Architecture

They started the project in 2016 and approached it as a side project. Because their property was on a remote island with limited resources, one of the Brillharts' main concerns was that the hut should be easy to construct.

Jacob constructed the house frame in their Miami backyard, then took it all apart and shipped the parts to Eleuthera.

The Brillharts first built the frame of the hut in their own backyard in Miami.Brillhart Architecture.

After shipping the frame to Eleuthera, Jacob worked with a local builder to assemble the outer shell of the hut.

All the materials required to build the hut had to be shipped in a container.Brillhart Architecture.

The couple managed to complete the construction of the hut in early 2021, more than five years after they started working on it.

The frame of their hut as it's being constructed in the Bahamas.Brillhart Architecture

In addition to making sure the materials used were suitable for the subtropical weather, the Brillharts also wanted their home to blend in with its surroundings.

The exterior of the completed hut.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

The completed hut is about 600 square feet. There's a smaller outbuilding on the side of the home that's connected by a boardwalk that runs through the entire 1.8-acre lot.

The living room on the lower floor.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

The completed hut is about 600 square feet. There's a smaller outbuilding on the side of the home that's connected by a boardwalk that runs through the entire 1.8-acre lot.

The Brillharts originally intended for all the walls on the first floor to be made of glass, but ended up with a half-glass, half-screen design.

One side of the kitchen area is a glass wall while the other side is an adjustable screen that can be raised to create a covered outdoor space.Brillhart Architecture

Although the hut was meant to be a vacation home, it has turned into a satellite office for the couple as they take on more architectural projects in the Bahamas, Melissa said.

The bedroom upstairs comes with two skylights that provide unblocked views of the night sky.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

Although the hut was meant to be a vacation home, it has turned into a satellite office for the couple as they take on more architectural projects in the Bahamas, Melissa said.

The outbuilding has evolved over the years from its original design.

The outbuilding (right) houses a bathroom and a kitchenette.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

"We like to say that the outbuilding is actually very Bahamian in nature," Melissa said. "The design of it was purely based on its function and necessity."

The kitchenette in the outbuilding.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

At the end of the boardwalk is a deck that overlooks the ocean. The Brillharts say it's their favorite spot in the house.

The platform deck overlooks the sea.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

The Brillharts are planning to expand the property. They recently bought a neighboring lot, which they plan to turn into a pickleball court or an outdoor theater.

The exterior of the Brillharts' hut.William Abranowicz/Art + Commerce

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A Miami couple spent 5 years building an off-the-grid holiday hut on an island in the Bahamas, and they did almost all of it by hand &mdash; check it out

Architects Melissa and Jacob Brillhart first set foot on Eleuthera in the Bahamas in 2015. At the time, the couple was working on a project for a friend, but it didn't take long for them, too, to fall in love with the island.

They started the project in 2016 and approached it as a side project. Because their property was on a remote island with limited resources, one of the Brillharts' main concerns was that the hut should be easy to construct.

Jacob constructed the house frame in their Miami backyard, then took it all apart and shipped the parts to Eleuthera.

After shipping the frame to Eleuthera, Jacob worked with a local builder to assemble the outer shell of the hut.

The couple managed to complete the construction of the hut in early 2021, more than five years after they started working on it.

In addition to making sure the materials used were suitable for the subtropical weather, the Brillharts also wanted their home to blend in with its surroundings.

The completed hut is about 600 square feet. There's a smaller outbuilding on the side of the home that's connected by a boardwalk that runs through the entire 1.8-acre lot.

The Brillharts originally intended for all the walls on the first floor to be made of glass, but ended up with a half-glass, half-screen design.

Although the hut was meant to be a vacation home, it has turned into a satellite office for the couple as they take on more architectural projects in the Bahamas, Melissa said.

The outbuilding has evolved over the years from its original design.

"We like to say that the outbuilding is actually very Bahamian in nature," Melissa said. "The design of it was purely based on its function and necessity."

At the end of the boardwalk is a deck that overlooks the ocean. The Brillharts say it's their favorite spot in the house.

The Brillharts are planning to expand the property. They recently bought a neighboring lot, which they plan to turn into a pickleball court or an outdoor theater.

A Miami couple spent 5 years building an off-the-grid holiday hut on an island in the Bahamas, and they did almost all of it by hand — check it out