# @dwellmagazine on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DNgsAgtS6YP
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/33973651-dwellmagazine-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/31278122f5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-08-18T21:03:04.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Dwell (@dwellmagazine) — https://gondola.cc/dwellmagazine

## Caption

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. 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 to serve as a getaway for themselves, their three children, and their relatives, including Jennifer’s mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Santo Domingo. For Jennifer, a social worker, and Kenard, who manages programs for an anti-violence nonprofit, having a place on the island was a way to honor their cultural roots and family bonds. “I’m Dominican, and even though we live in New York, it was important for us to preserve that connection—and for our kids to have something here that’s truly ours,” Jennifer explains. The couple spent five summers vacationing in El Limón and the surrounding areas before discovering and purchasing the home, which they now call casamadera.dr, in 2024. Its structure, crafted from honeyed Brazilian peroba rosa wood, was in stellar condition—although they did renovate a few things to make it more accommodating. “We wanted to stay true to the house because it has so much character, so we had local carpenters build everything from scratch,” says Jennifer. At its core, the final home is about connecting to nature, to family, and to heritage. “We’re bogged down with so much back in New York, so we’re big on the humbleness and simplicity of life,” says Kenard. “The lifestyle here shows us that just being in nature can make people happy, without the need for having so much.” See more photos of Casa Madera at the link in bio, or in our travel issue.
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Photo by victorstonem
Story by mustluvmeme
Interior & Landscape Design by studiobunkley
#moderndesign #modernarchitecture #interiordesign #interiorarchitecture #modernhouse #renovation #renovationideas #renovationinspiration #beachhouse #beachhouseideas #beachhouserenovation #hometour #homeideas #homeinspiration

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homeideas, beachhouse, hometour, renovationinspiration, interiordesign, homeinspiration, beachhouseideas, renovationideas, modernarchitecture, beachhouserenovation, renovation, moderndesign, modernhouse, interiorarchitecture

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