Perched on ironwood stilts, a modest yet storied little blue house on South Church Street has stood the test of time, its shiplap timber walls and shingled roof whispering tales of love, legacy and Caymanian craftsmanship.

Built in 1870 by skilled shipbuilder, Conton Waide Coe, the Blue House was constructed using durable Nicaraguan wood, its porch embellished with his delicate, hand carved gingerbread fretwork. Pastor William Mearns Coe Jr., a founder of the Church of God in Cayman, and his wife Cissie were the first occupants of a home that would come to hold one and a half centuries of Cayman’s living memory.

Since then, the home has served as both wedding venue and film set. A picturesque porch draws passersby – including many a curious cruise ship passenger, who stray just beyond the sidewalk to rest in the shade, enticed by the home’s historic charm. Framed by blooming bougainvillea and fragrant frangipani flowers, the Blue House’s facade is a vibrant vista that transports onlookers to a bygone era, when front gardens were a source of pride and traditional verandas were a meeting place for the community.

This legacy is now lovingly upheld by Beverly and Andrew Edgington and their daughters, Grace and Emilie. Longtime residents, the Edgington family are firmly woven into the fabric of Cayman. To them, homeownership is not about possession, but stewardship. As Beverly says, “You never really own a home, you borrow it from the next generation.” It’s a sentiment echoed by watchmaker Patek Phillipe, and one the Edgingtons embody in both word and deed.

The Blue House is, in every way, a borrowed space: borrowed from the past, borrowed for the future, and still vividly alive in the present. The family moved into the home in 2020 as renters, but just six weeks later the home was listed for sale. Recognising the importance of keeping one of the oldest homes in Cayman in caring hands, the Edgingtons made the decision to purchase. As the pandemic brought the world to a standstill, the proud new owners found themselves in a world of their own, painting walls and uncovering the secret histories held by their heritage home.

Beneath a bed, they unearthed a trove of Caribbean artwork, including original pieces by Bendel Hydes and John Broad. In the attic, a dusty box of love letters surfaced – heartfelt notes exchanged decades earlier by a young Caymanian couple, now married. The letters were returned to their surprised and delighted authors.

Within the original walls of this heritage home, big and small histories unfurl in every corner. But history isn’t just tucked away in forgotten spaces, it’s in the well-worn original floorboards, trodden smooth by generations past. It’s in the traditional layout, where an open front door channels straight to the back of the house – an architectural feature pre-dating air conditioning that optimises natural airflow and cooling. History inhabits this home alongside the Edgingtons.

From architecture to artwork, the home’s sense of place is never lost. In the cosy sitting room, walls are adorned with local artwork. Beside works from Joanne Sibley, Avril Ward and Ruby Marr, are pieces by Jason Kennedy, Stoak’d and Ren Seffer, a vibrant and treasured collection of Cayman’s creatives.

Though the Edgingtons opted out of modern luxuries like walk-in wardrobes and an en-suite master bath, they gained something more valuable: integrity of character.

Every detail is a gentle negotiation between memory and modernity. In the soft, sage green master bedroom, new built-in wardrobes blend seamlessly into original timber walls, while four generous windows lend an airy openness to the modest footprint. Grace and Emilie’s bedrooms offer a playful juxtaposition of contemporary lives in a heritage setting – creative, lived-in spaces filled with keepsakes, where glossy pink subway tiles meet historic shiplap walls.

This delicate dance of old and new began before their time. An authentic louvred door topped with delicate stained glass opens into an area the family affectionately calls 'the new house' – a kitchen-living space added in the late 1980s to extend and modernise the home. But history remains, this time in the utility room, where an original mahogany folding ironing board remains affixed to the home’s panelling, an enduring relic of simpler times when ironing was a porch-side ritual.

The new house’s spacious living area doesn’t break from the past, it blossoms from it. Light pours in from sliding balcony doors while the open-plan kitchen flows to a communal dining and seating area. Designed for gathering and sharing, community and connection remain at the heart of it all.

The home spills onto a traditional wraparound porch with views of the verdant back garden. Recently expanded to accommodate an outdoor dining area, the ginger-breading was removed and reinstalled to the extended footprint to preserve the historical integrity of the space. With twinkling lights strung overhead, it’s a whimsical space for hosting.

Like the house, the garden is a space where the past gives freely to those who nurture it. Bats nest in the arching branches of an ancient, sky-scraping naseberry tree, whilst heavy avocados and papayas ripen and mangoes drip from laden branches. And as the garden grows, so too does the immutable bond between land and home.

From shipbuilder Conton Coe’s steady hands to the thoughtful care of Andrew, Beverly, Grace and Emilie, the Blue House has been held, never owned. Lived in with love, it stands as a keeper of stories, a gallery of art, and above all, a deeply rooted reflection of history. Marrying the historical and the contemporary, it is a living testament to tradition, and for the Edgingtons, it is their very own something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.