Karin Eigner Designs Locally for a Nicaraguan Hacienda
One day while traveling through Nicaragua, Nicky Ray chanced upon a private 1.5 acre island near Granada and instantly knew two things: the existing 5000 square-foot property, spread across a main residence and pool guest house, didn’t take advantage of the stunning landscape and views; and that, with a little help, it could be her home away from home.
Enter Karin Eigner, who’s created residences and hospitality projects across the island for years. “Nicky had some experience remodeling several houses in the U.K.,” Eigner says, “so she had clear ideas of what she wanted and trusted me to take her vision further.”
The pair embraced a modern, tropical hacienda aesthetic, with exterior walls of adobe plaster and interiors of smooth lime plaster. Sliding doors and screens are oversized, and custom made of a local hardwood that, Eigner says, “in a tropical climate expands and shrinks with the seasons. To make them work smoothly and find the right hardware took months.” Not to mention the delay of bringing every single piece of the project onto the island by boat—the price of island life.
