So the floorplan that we admire is basically emphasizes the great room, which is in the center of the entire house. I love that idea. We live in basically half of our house. I despise the formal dining and living room, and I don't want that kind of configuration in my retirement. The central aspect of the room is a fireplace, which sounds silly in Hawaii, but few Hawaii homes have heaters or air conditioners. I love a good fire in the winter--even if the cold snap is only about 68 degrees. Here are some ideas for a fireplace/TV/bookcase combo. I intend to use two chairs that I have from my grandmother's estate for the front of the fireplace, which will promote reading, conversation, and general lolling around!
I started this blog as a way to feature ideas and dreams about our dream house in Hawaii. We just purchased the property, and we intend to build our home in a few years. In the meantime, I needed a dream space--a place to make visible my hopes and plans. My husband, cats, and dog are all looking forward to the day I retire, and we pack up our belongings and move to our spiritual home in Hawaii.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohbz3zfLVkM
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Naming the House
So my husband and I have been searching for a name for our new cottage. I had originally thought Hale Maluhia was a good name. It means house of peace. Unfortunately, there is already a house on the big island that bears the name, and so we needed to turn our attention and imagination to another option. The house will be on Pualani Road, and in Hawaiian, "pualani" means heavenly flower. I am thinking about Heavenly Flower Cottage, but we need to sit with it for awhile before we decide. Like a baby, you only get one shot at naming the house. The other option is "kakahiaka cottage" because the windows we have for the front door depict Mucha's depiction of daylight. Kakahiaka means "day" in Hawaiian.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Backyard Heaven
We have the least ideas about what to do with the backyard. Because the
backyard faces the ocean, we want to keep tree plantings to a minimum so that we
don't block the view. However, we are very committed to a koi pond with a
waterful. In our current home, we have four fountains and a pool. We love the
sound of water. To have the sound of water and the view of the Pacific will
make an absolute heaven!
This one is my favorite, since we have rock walls around the property already
We also really like the idea of having either a fireplace or a fire pit in the backyard. Something about a fire that is so cozy. Besides, it's Hawaii! We need elements of both fire and water to imitate the natural beauty of the environment.
Front Doors and Porch
We have purchased two of these windows for some custom-made front doors to the house. The windows are based on Mucha's painting "Day" but they seem to have an island flair that matches our Hawaii home.
I love theis front entry and would love to recreate it. It's so warm and welcoming! I think our glass will be beautiful in doors like these.
I love the colors of this house: sand siding, white trim, and turquoise shutters!
I also love the idea of a swing on the front porch! Maybe something like this:
Guest House Ideas
Because we anticipate becoming very popular when we move, we are planning to build a small guest space on the back of the garage. This will be a one bedroom, one bath studio-like apartment. Here are some ideas for small spaces.
We are, however, going to reverse the plan so that the porch is next to the house. It's also good to build it as a one story so that my parents don't have to climb stairs to stay with us. Just enough for guests to have privacy so that they will stay for a nice visit without feeling like they are intruding. Those of you who are invited know who you are!
Here is another flooplan we are considering. The local hardware supplier has a kit for this house, which saves costs and complications. I think it's great! Nice little porch and a good living space for guests or for my parents.
Here is the floorplan we are considering for the guest house that we will build on the back side of the garage. The CC & R's require that a garage apartment above the garage cannot exceed 60% of the space, which would make it too small--unless we built a massive garage. We do not need a massive garage to hold a truck and a beater beach mobile.
Here is another flooplan we are considering. The local hardware supplier has a kit for this house, which saves costs and complications. I think it's great! Nice little porch and a good living space for guests or for my parents.
Master Bedroom
I love the colors of these two bedrooms. I want to create a tranquil and peaceful retreat for my husband and me. The bedroom doors will face the backyard and the ocean. We are thinking about putting in folding french doors that will open completely to the outdoors. Right outside the bedroom, we are hoping to build a koi pond with a waterfall!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
House Plans
Here is a drawing of the outside of our plantation style Hawaii home.
Here is the floorplan of the house that we intend to build!
Here is the floorplan of the house that we intend to build!
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