and elegance of that period. Located squarely on the western side of the Paget arwick border, it sits right on Harbour Road. Until the construction of the Inverurie (now Palm Reef) Hotel, it would have had a magnificent view of the Great Sound.

On the southern side of the house, a welcoming arms staircase leads to a delicate pair of doors in painted wood and topped with small lights, the subject of a painting by artist Bruce Stuart. Marine Villa is big, with seven bedrooms and large reception rooms. It is also a warm and embracing home.

This beautifully-proportioned residence was the childhood home of sisters Shirley Asbury and Adrianna Goodfellow. When Mrs. Asbury and Mrs. Goodfellow and their parents moved away from Marine Villa in the early 1950s, the Harbour Road house was rented and it remained leased until last year. The sisters then began the task of restoring and modernising it, and dividing it into two large and elegant apartments with the help of architect Peter Advice of Barker and Linberg. The renovations lasted about 10 months. "It has been a major, major job,'' Mrs. Asbury says. "There was a lot of rotten wood and termites.'' As part-owners of the Horizons Group, the sisters are responsible for the interior decoration of the properties and are known for their unerring taste, blending magnificent antique furniture and other pieces with traditional Bermuda vernacular architecture with precision and ease.

Their influence is evident in the restoration of Marine Villa. The termites and the rot has been banished and this elegant home has been restored to its former glory. The delicate and detailed mouldings and doors topped with small mullions, have the elegance of an earlier time.

Douglas Hassell's Tri-M Construction & Associates restored the structure, and added and upgraded kitchens and bathrooms. This glorious house has exceptionally high ceilings, and large, airy rooms.

Mrs. Asbury explains her sister's room was panelled, which they were forced to remove because of the termite damage. In the process they discovered a canopy of rough hewn beams.

"We restored and exposed them, and added a third window. In my bedroom, there is a fireplace, and a balcony with a view of Hinson Island and the yachts.'' Mrs. Asbury says the difficulty was to know when to stop. "You could go on and on.'' Above: A baronial stone fire place forms the focal point of the front recption room. Right: The Marine Villa entrance is the subject of Bruce Stuart painting.

RG MAGAZINE JULY 1993