OUR STORY
Today, London-born Jethro Huie is the Founder of Huie Designs, an architectural design consultancy specialising in luxury real estate. The father of two is in demand as a property designer on the Caribbean continent and beyond.
Huie has over 20 years of experience in property development and design, working in the UK, Europe and the Caribbean. To date, the consultancy has facilitated the vision for multiple clients’ residential and commercial projects with their acclaimed, professional design service.
Born in London, England, to Jamaican and English parents, Jethro inherited his father’s sense of adventure, love of travel and strong work ethic, along with his mother’s artistic creative flair. Huie’s father was part of the Windrush generation, who on arriving in England from Jamaica in the late 1950s had to quickly establish themselves with few if any resources. The family lived in a council flat in West London and although they didn’t own their home, Huie’s father encouraged him to pursue big dreams and make his mark on the world. His mother, an artist, encouraged Jethro’s love of design and drawing. The young Huie loved architecture, always thinking about how the structure of a building could be improved. He’d spend hours drawing replicas of the buildings he saw locally, with his take on how the designs could be enhanced.
“Growing up on a council estate in the middle of Notting Hill, I was surrounded by multi-million-pound homes. Even the school commute gave me constant exposure to a multitude of varied and beautiful properties. I believe observing this juxtaposition made me curious about space, environment and how it makes you feel, from an early age,” said Huie.
As an infant, Huie spent many summers visiting family in Jamaica. His father saw the importance of exposing him to his heritage and immersing him in the island’s rich culture. It was here in Jamaica that Huie’s interest in building design was ignited, upon seeing the house that was built for his grandmother by his father in Lacovia, St Elizabeth.
As a teenager, Huie had an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong desire to get out into the world and make his mark. Huie’s love of travel saw him venture into buying property in Europe and then he set his sights on the place that had always felt like home, Jamaica.
In Jamaica, he was to reach his goal of buying land and building bespoke luxury properties from scratch. Starting with a blank canvas, the design and build process allowed Huie to work collaboratively with architects, learning the process of how to bring his vision to life. His portfolio expanded and larger developments followed. Huie was influenced by Californian modernism and tropical modern architecture which had an emphasis on the direct connection between indoors and outdoors.
“Nature is so often breath-taking, and our creations are designed to wrap around that beauty, spotlight and elevate it. Our entire approach is about working with, rather than imposing on, nature.”
As demand has grown, Huie has utilised his talents to bring together an expert team consisting of architects and engineers, leading to the formation of Huie Designs; a design-led consultancy that creates beautiful contemporary homes and commercial properties.
“We design projects globally which support optimum living. I know the power of environment and post-pandemic when as a collective we were confined to our spaces, there has never been a greater awareness of how our environment impacts our psyche.”