Villa Jasper, a Philip Johnson Island Retreat in Terres Basses

Villa Jasper carries the rare sort of provenance that makes a house feel collected, not merely decorated. Once owned by the American artist Jasper Johns and designed in the mid-1970s by celebrated postmodern architect Philip Johnson, this three-bedroom villa in Terres Basses has the bones of an island studio: clean white planes, terracotta warmth, stone walls, and long, disciplined lines that pull the eye toward Simpson Bay Lagoon.

The recent renovation has brought the comfort level firmly into the present, with air conditioning, smart entertainment, a generator, water filtration, a wine fridge, and a kitchen ready for proper vacation cooking. Yet the original spirit remains intact. Johnson’s own line, “All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space,” feels particularly apt here. Villa Jasper is spare, yes, but never cold. The greenery does half the painting.

Set in gated Terres Basses, close to the French and Dutch sides of St. Martin, the villa rests in a lush hillside position with sweeping water views and sunset skies over the lagoon. The single-level layout keeps life easy: three king bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, are arranged for three couples or a small family with older children. Exterior doors open the living areas toward the terrace, outdoor lounge spaces, gazebo, barbecue, and private pool, so the house breathes in that very St. Martin way, half indoors, half outside, shoes increasingly irrelevant.

Days here can be deliberately unambitious. Coffee on the terrace. A swim before anyone checks their phone. A late lunch assembled in the kitchen with the help of the blender, juicer, ice maker, and proper cookware. Then sunset, perhaps with something chilled from the wine fridge, because restraint has its limits.

Amenities include:

• Three king bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom
• Private outdoor pool with pool chairs and sunset views
• Beachfront setting in gated Terres Basses
• Terrace, patio, gazebo, garden, barbecue, and outdoor shower
• Air conditioning, living room fans, shutters, and room-darkening shades
• Smart TV, satellite or cable TV, Wi-Fi, sound system, stereo system, and desk
• Fully equipped kitchen with oven, stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, coffee machine, kettle, toaster, blender, juicer, ice maker, wine fridge, and Urban Cultivator
• Housekeeping, linens, bath towels, beach towels, bathrobes, shampoo, and essentials
• Generator, security system, safe, safety equipment, gated property, parking, city water, cistern, and water filtration system
• Washing machine, dryer, iron, hair dryer, hangers, extra pillows and blankets
• Complimentary airport arrival and departure transfers, welcome box on arrival, and a personal guest experience specialist

Villa Jasper sleeps six guests and accepts children aged four and above, as well as infants. Events may be considered on request. For travelers who care about architecture as much as sunshine, this is one of those houses with a pulse: composed, private, and quietly glamorous in a way that does not need to raise its voice.