Inside Caerula Mar Club with Sarah Baeumler
By Nicolette Little
During a family boating trip in 2017, Sarah and Bryan Baeumler found an abandoned 1960s resort, set against the shores of the Bahamas’ pristine Andros Island. Their inquiries determined the resort was for sale and, after visiting with local guide Dennis Brown, it struck them that their lives were about to change.
Sarah and Bryan had a vision. They would buy the property, and – between Bryan’s construction skills and Sarah’s interior design sensibilities – turn it into a boutique resort of utmost elegance. To make this dream a reality, they moved their family of six to Andros, then got right to work.
The result of the Baeumler’s dream is Caerula Mar Club, a resort whose name translates to Azure sea. Now fully renovated, it is impressive outside and in, with villas, restaurants, clubhouses and landscaping crafted to provide an exceptional getaway for guests.
“Caerula Mar is a respite where our guests can unwind after a day on the island, or start their morning by making the very first footprints in the sand,” Sarah explains. To create this sense of idyllic calm, as well as foreground the ocean’s natural beauty, she chose a neutral and simple, but warm, palette. Caerula Mar is designed so that “the interiors, furnishings, and artwork showcase the island’s natural beauty in its truest form,” Sarah says, continuing, “We opted for a warm aesthetic with touches like crisp white linens, understated furnishings, and fixtures that evoke elements of barefoot luxury and life on the water.”
While each villa has a unique feel, they are united by the fact that their design takes its inspiration from the natural surroundings.
Sarah explains that the Someday Suite, with its blue palette, evokes the ocean’s depths. This room, which offers an additional bedroom with two single beds, is an ideal space for families. Pink Sands, on the other hand, is Caerula Mar’s honeymoon villa. Drawing in the warm hues seen in other areas of the resort, it is privately located steps from the ocean. Here, to create the perfect haven for newlyweds, Sarah chose layered lighting, tile, and textured wallpaper. Pillows in shades of pink and blue, and crisp, white luxury bedding, add airy accents to the space. Finally, in the Emerald Palms villa – which bears the resort’s original name – guests can enjoy an incredible view of the ocean from bed. This suite honours the history of the Bahamas and its people by including island-inspired design elements and local art. A monochromatic palette highlights lofty, white, wood-beamed ceilings, a luxurious four-poster bed and tasteful furnishings throughout this space.
Sustainability is another driving motive behind Sarah’s designs. She explains that she and Bryan committed early on to sourcing materials locally, or importing them from Canada when necessary. Caerula Mar has also been designed to avoid single-use plastics. Water bottles, cups and bathroom amenities are refillable throughout the resort, while bathroom products are biodegradable, reef and septic safe, and organic.
Like the villas, Caerula Mar’s restaurants are island inspired. At Switcha, a whimsically decorated caf with tropical patterned wallpaper, guests enjoy a morning coffee or post-workout smoothie. Driffs, an ideal spot for lunch or afternoon cocktails, is located steps from the shore. Lusca, the club’s fine dining establishment, offers a menu that changes nightly, based on the availability of the freshest fare and Executive Chef Sebastian Perez’s inspiration for the day.
Caerula Mar’s soft opening in December, and recent Grand Opening in February, presage the resort’s certain success. Caerula Mar is undoubtedly another triumph for Canada’s ‘power couple,’ the Baeumlers.
