Artist & Designer Junior Sealy on Building a Sustainable Home in Barbados

Give us a breakdown of the three unique structures?

In its most basic terms I spliced a singular structure into three instead. You have the Moon, which is 289 sq ft, 17 x 17ft, and Heaven is 336 sq ft, 16 x 21ft with a loft space that is 96 sq ft and almost 30ft off the ground. When complete, the Cloud will be 240 sq ft, 12 x 20ft, with a 12 foot walkway eventually between Tsuki and Tengoku. I'm drawn to the connected outside walkways in Japan; the goal is to connect all three this way. The Moon is an indoor/outdoor living space consisting of four skylights, a sleeping loft with a foyer, kitchen, bathroom, dining area, and indoor/outdoor lounge area.

Tsuki Dining Area

What exactly is a Chattel House?

Bajan Chattel Houses are considered iconic here because of the people who built them, how and why, and what they represent. At first, constructed by slaves, these distinctive small wooden homes, with timbers pre-cut in standard lengths of 12 to 20 feet (even numbers), were built to move after Emancipation. Made without any nails (to easily disassemble), resting on a base of coral stone blocks or a groundsill, so their 'newly-free' homeowners weren't dependent on plantation land to live. In a nutshell, Chattel means home or property. So they represent freedom in many ways.

As with my home, there are three units. In a traditional Chattel House a single unit, the first step composed of two rooms, was nicknamed a "one-roof house." Next, the shed was in the back. Add another roof, a "shed roof," the three units became commonly known as a "one-roof house and shed." Usually roofs were made of corrugated metal—its durability makes it an excellent green building material for today too. The reflective properties keep your house a lot cooler, as it doesn't absorb heat like stone can; that's the reason I've incorporated it so much.

Tsuki View from Loft

How long did the build take in total and how much did the materials cost?

In total, from fabrication to completion took three years! There's a reason for that; it was a cash-only build. No loans. I paid as I earned, working on-site construction three days a week. It saved me at least $30,000 Barbadian dollars (~$15,000 USD). If we built steady, me and Scribbz (a local seasoned mason), would have taken maybe 90 days to complete each space.

Tsuki was the first space finished out of the three before the pandemic hit. Including interior and exterior materials, foundation, and well, the cost of first house would be about $20,000 BBD (~$10,000 USD). The second space cost about $30,000 BBD, with timber, tiling, plumbing, and the corrugated metal exterior's application stage.

The land was inherited, passed down through generations in my family. To buy a few acres of land on the East Coast—which is cheaper than the South or West—with this view, even for a local the land alone would be about $300,000 BBD.

Describe some other unique materials and techniques you used?

I'm so proud I got to use more unconventional materials. Heaven was finished with the corner flashing, galvanized clipping at some joints, and then windows and doors. I did tons of sanding and staining on the exteriors, then used clear corrugated polycarbonate for the doors and the upper windows.

Shou Sugi Ban (the ancient Japanese art of wood-charring by fire) wasn't just used for its artsy bohemian allure. This siding technique serves as an excellent treatment in the tropics, for exteriors, helping with termites, rotting, and waterproofing. I researched all this before I started; every detail, I'm the true definition of a Virgo. Very analytical and organized, which has helped me the most, honestly. If not, I would have LOST my mind.

Coffee Table and Interior Design by Sealy

Did you have any previous woodwork, DIY, or architectural experience?

Nope, none. Apart from an apprenticeship to teach me how to use tools before getting into building furniture, a hobby that's now my partial income. I think being good with numbers helps. Between myself and Scribbz (the mason) we had an inventory of necessary tools for cement mixing, siding, framing, and drilling foundation holes if needed. I tried to focus on specific areas at any given time.

Why a tiny sustainable home, and why were you drawn to the East Coast?

At first, the plan wasn't to return to Barbados permanently. Then I saw the plot again, that shed, and fell in love. By Bajan standards, I'm pretty country at heart; I remember when it was just banana trees and a hill to fly my kite.

Bathsheba lends to being off-grid and more outdoorsy. Naturally, it's more isolated and less developed. You get a real sense of being on an island. I'm a non-traditionalist in my fashion aesthetic, as a creative director, my general way of living. So it was a no brainer for me to choose something that wasn't exactly 'the norm,' I guess.

Then I began to deconstruct the Chattel House, which by design is a small space. A well designed small space is better than any gaudy McMansion—you don't need that to live life comfortably. I'm also super mindful of the landscape, the parish, and the history. It's what maintains the charm of the East Coast.

Also, who wants to clean?

For more of Junior Sealy's impressive self-build, check out a roundup of behind-the-scenes images and video in his saved Instagram Stories.