Purchasing and renovating a foreclosed condo may be enough to put any young couple, balancing fledgling careers, off future projects.
But for Sophie and Stefan Prior, it was the start of an inspiring and successful journey through the world of renovations.
Grabbing the bull by the horns, the couple turned the unit at Southern Skies into a beautiful home, completing the process in 2014.
“Southern Skies was our first foray into the world of fixer-uppers – and it was a serious one,” says Sophie. “It was a complete gut-job from top to bottom, but the process truly sparked something in us.”
The spark was enough to inspire a decade of renovating properties, with the couple now having three more under their belts, two of which are rental locations. “It’s become both a passion and a deeply rewarding outlet,” Sophie adds.
TEAMWORK
Stefan’s career as realtor, coupled with ex-lawyer Sophie’s creative talents (she founded and ran marketing agency Lustic Media until its acquisition by AirVu Media in 2024) make for a perfect team.
“Stefan’s deep understanding of the Cayman property market has been a huge asset when it comes to identifying smart investment opportunities,” explains Sophie.
“Combined with my own background in marketing, experience using vacation rental software, and a genuine love for the guest experience, we’ve found a great synergy in approaching vacation rentals, not just as properties, but as curated, memorable getaways.”
As well as expanding their property portfolio, their family has also grown, now consisting of Sophie, Stefan, 2-year-old daughter Frankie, and baby Milly.
Home base is now a 1970s home on the Seven Mile strip, lovingly called the Jungalow, which has also been transformed by the Priors, undergoing extensive renovation, with the results featured in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of InsideOut.
A unit at White Sands condominiums on Seven Mile Beach, and a Little Cayman getaway are the latest on their list of achievements.
HIDEAWAY
Images: Dan Legend
A pre-COVID holiday to Little Cayman took an unexpected turn when the couple viewed a property on the island’s southern coast on a whim.
“It had been on the market for four years and was in pretty rough shape, but I immediately fell in love with its potential and the stunning plot it sat on,” remembers Sophie.
Unfortunately, it was out of their budget, but everything changed when 2020 came around.
“The shifting circumstances gave us a chance to revisit the conversation with the sellers. Fortunately, they were open to negotiating, and the rest is history.”
That history began with a staged renovation, starting with exterior structural concerns, before cosmetic upgrades progressed inside, with the couple tackling the design process themselves, from planning, to sourcing, to styling.
“Our goal throughout was to stay true to the understated, laid-back spirit of Little Cayman, so the design is intentionally pared back – relaxed, functional, and in harmony with the island’s simplistic charm,” says Sophie.
Undertaking a renovation on an island of less than 200 people, where materials and specialist workers must be transported from Grand Cayman, is not for the faint of heart or wallet.
“We were incredibly fortunate to have a reliable property manager on the island who helped us navigate the process,” says Sophie.
“We’d love to do even more with the property in the future, but it’s certainly a major effort each time we take on a new phase.”
The Hideaway has since become a popular short-stay rental through vacation property rental websites.
WHITE SANDS
Images: Scott Brady
Back on Grand Cayman in 2024, Sophie and Stefan saw the opportunity to purchase a condo on Seven Mile Beach with their friends Lauren and Mike Joseph.
White Sands was already a successful one-bedroom short-term rental on the ground floor of one of the beach’s original developments, managed by Cayman Villas.
“The unit had good bones and was well maintained by Cayman Villas in terms of rentals, but the interior design felt quite dated… it definitely lacked the breezy, vibrant charm you’d expect from a Caribbean beach-side retreat,” says Sophie, who wanted to add timeless tropical charm to the unit, with the help of her friend, and designer, Lexi Papadakis of Casa Tropicana.
And bring tropical charm they did, with Lexi directing the colour palette towards fun and colourful, with Caribbean elements.
“A lot of the interiors here are grey and beige and throwing out their old rattan pieces which is sacrilege in my opinion, whereas we kept as many old pieces as possible and painted them if necessary and added colour wherever we could,” says Lexi.
“We also decorated with shells and a few vintage pieces found on travels around the world. I think the best interiors always have some old pieces in them to add character otherwise everything looks very new and sterile.”
The unit’s resulting aesthetic is perfectly layered, with authentic vintage touches, vintage-inspired additions, and a calming colour palette which Sophie says reflects Cayman’s natural beauty.
“Celadon sea green and coral pink became our signature accents, paired with rattan, jute, and other natural textures to create something warm, inviting, and distinctly ‘of its place’.”
The resulting aesthetic, and inviting feel of White Sands is now the most recent example of Sophie’s newfound passion for transforming property rentals.
“I love the idea of creating and sharing beautiful, thoughtfully designed spaces that allow others to experience the best of Cayman,” she says.
And while more transformations may be in her future, for now she hits the pause button.
“I’m currently embracing the joy (and chaos) of becoming a mum for the second time, so while rentals remain an exciting focus, my main priority right now is family life.”
WHITE SANDS GENERAL CONTRACTOR: TGCS Ltd.
WHITE SANDS INTERIOR DESIGNER: Lexi Papadakis, Casa Tropicana
