This California client found me through Houzz, interviewed me thoroughly by phone, flew me to San Francisco to see how he lived – and then hired me. If I had not seen in person how he lived I would not have fully understood the manner in which he wanted to re-create his California home in Hawaii – albeit with a tropical bent as his new vacation home was right on the beach. An experienced modern art collector, he had...
Read More
Maui must have thousands of condos – most of which I call ‘vanilla’ – as they are finished and furnished in the same bland theme. This particular condominium in Kihei was ‘vanilla’ when my clients bought it. However, after multiple conversations when, for example, they told me they liked old vintage woods but at the same time liked modern lines and colors – I told them they can have both. When the renovation was...
Read More
A two generation family bought this 30 year old vacation condominium in Wailea, on the gorgeous beach of Keawakapu. What I didn’t realize at the start was how difficult it would be to ensure both generations got what they wanted. I’m accustomed to working with spouses who have different views on how they want to live, but not with parents and their offspring who will share the same space. The older couple are in their 70s, and didn’t...
Read More
After finishing this client’s Maui home, they hired me to redo their home in Arizona. It was a fun challenge to re-orient myself to desert colors, styles and themes, which are completely opposite of what is found in Hawaii. The light, for example, and in particular, changes dramatically throughout the day, causing the rooms to look starkly different at 9:00 than they did at 2:00, than at 5:00. The result? More trips to the paint...
Read More
I recently moved. I was going from a 2600 square foot house on two acres in the jungle to a 1460 square foot condo with a lanai in town–from a house of grand proportions full of collectibles and oversized furniture to a modern, clean-lined condominium. I knew I had to downsize and let go of things, but I wanted to do so in a way that left me not missing anything. How did I do this? It started with the clothes. I had worked for...
Read More