Before & After: In the Caribbean, a Couple Bring an Old Wooden Prefab Back to Shipshape Condition

The air shifts on the narrow, winding road from El Limón to Playa Estillero, growing richer and slightly earthier with the smell of damp soil and sun-warmed wood. All is quiet as we arrive in this coastal enclave on the Dominican Republic’s Samaná Peninsula, except for the sounds of palm trees swaying lazily in the ocean breeze, construction in the distance, and rhythmic calls from roosters, woodpeckers, and frogs.

Tucked behind a veil of fruit trees and tropical plants is a kit building, originally imported from Brazil in 2003, that was once a reception center for a tight-knit sailor’s club before it was converted into a private home. The three-bedroom beachside cottage has more recently been revamped by Jennifer and Kenard Bunkley of Queens, New York, to serve as a getaway for themselves, their three children, and their relatives—including Jennifer’s mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Santo Domingo—as well as the occasional short-term guest.

Before: Kitchen

"We tried to utilize the resources here as much as we could, so most of the things in the house are handmade."

—Jennifer Bunkley, designer and resident

After: Kitchen