No one would fault you for thinking you’d arrived at some kind of modern day tropical village the moment you entered the central courtyard of this oceanfront family dwelling on the Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii. At night, pathways are lit in the most sculptural manner, forcing you to communicate with the surrounding environment.
The structures appear elemental – beefy, wooden beams that promise to last forever, and roofs soaring above open pavilions scattered across a verdant lawn dotted with tropical foliage. Cool stone walls, floors and pillars grant a solidity to the structures.
Think of the residence as a “deconstructed house” tossed with great care onto an arid, volcanic landscape. Hawaiian tradition of separating each to its own place. Our task was to bring these separate elements back together into a cohesive whole. This was done by complementing the deep, rich wood of the structure with koa, ipe and teak in the floors, ceilings and furnishings. Everything was further accented by using light-colored neutral fabrics throughout the home. Original tables and tabletops were created from beautiful “found” woods.
