In the time that I do have to actually sit still, I've been trying to get my act together to consider interiors in the house we are building here in Hawaii. It will be a two-story "Old Hawaii" (read: Missionary Plantation style home with a touch of Asian influence) type residence, with a large front porch and a balcony on the 2nd level. Both the balcony and the porch on the first level will have french doors to enter the home.
I need this house to have good bones, ladies. & I want to do it right. I so don't want to put something in "just for now" and have me pining away for the thing I actually wanted year after year. The house is being built from the ground up, so this is my opportunity to get everything I wanted (and within budget's reach, bien sur).
My plan (because y'all know I am always -- ALWAYS -- armed with a plan) is to go with something I am calling a cross between Modern Island Classic. With a small Asian touch. I have Chinese antiques I've collected over the years that I want to incorporate into the house, but I also want to keep the house fresh and young. & uncluttered. I've found some inspiration in the pictures that follow and am always looking for your input, of course.
This picture above has good bones and the color scheme I'm looking for. It's a little more tschochke-filled than I would prefer and doesn't truly give the fresh young feel I'm looking for. Again, I like it more for the color scheme and the shutters in the back than anything else. I'd like to do something similar but less cluttered. Hubs and I are really drawn to very dark floors throughout the lower level (kitchen, living room, dining room (more on that later) and a bathroom) and white walls. We'd like to put a mix of dark wood plantation shutters and white linen drapes on thick, dark wood rods. We're looking for a light creme sectional a la Potterybarn for the living room and a large, natural jute or sisal rug. We already have a great antique elm Chinese cabinet to hide the behemoth that is our flat screen TV and a square chinese antique kang table that we'll use as a coffee table. I'd like to accent with a few bright and bold throw pillows from Thomas Paul for some color and fun. 
For the bedroom, I love this scene above. LOVE. We have a king-sized bed similar to the one shown. Again, white, dark wood and dark wood plantation shutters. Basically a bedroom version of the living room. :0) The master bath includes a jacuzzi tub, a separate shower with glass enclosure and a his/hers sink. The sink console will be white cabinets. But other than that, what do y'all suggest? I'm at a loss and I have to make decisions on what to do very soon! I'd like a spa feeling that goes with the idea that, "Hello! I live in Hawaii! & I'm on Hawaiian Time and I just want to walk around in yoga clothes in my gorgeous house!" What do y'all think would look nice to go with the ideas I'm throwing around for the master bedroom?
Our kitchen will have white cabinets, for sure. & dark wood floors as the living room and kitchen are merged into one great room. The appliances will also be stainless steel like the photo above. We're thinking of doing concrete countertops in a dark grey to sort of go with that minimal feeling. I'm not the girl who will seal granite or appreciate granite. I want something that gives a bit of a modern vibe against a backdrop of all the antique goings-on. My logic is that without all the small tchotchkes, the antiques can feel modern and young. With the tchotchkes, it can feel old and a little cluttered. Maybe I'm going through an early mid-life crisis, but I need the fresh and young feeling!
& now, the bathroom downstairs. I want to create something different in there that still flows with the rest of the house. I like the idea of the above photo -- something with a wood feel and a white bowl on top the vanity.
This picture above has good bones and the color scheme I'm looking for. It's a little more tschochke-filled than I would prefer and doesn't truly give the fresh young feel I'm looking for. Again, I like it more for the color scheme and the shutters in the back than anything else. I'd like to do something similar but less cluttered. Hubs and I are really drawn to very dark floors throughout the lower level (kitchen, living room, dining room (more on that later) and a bathroom) and white walls. We'd like to put a mix of dark wood plantation shutters and white linen drapes on thick, dark wood rods. We're looking for a light creme sectional a la Potterybarn for the living room and a large, natural jute or sisal rug. We already have a great antique elm Chinese cabinet to hide the behemoth that is our flat screen TV and a square chinese antique kang table that we'll use as a coffee table. I'd like to accent with a few bright and bold throw pillows from Thomas Paul for some color and fun. 
For the bedroom, I love this scene above. LOVE. We have a king-sized bed similar to the one shown. Again, white, dark wood and dark wood plantation shutters. Basically a bedroom version of the living room. :0) The master bath includes a jacuzzi tub, a separate shower with glass enclosure and a his/hers sink. The sink console will be white cabinets. But other than that, what do y'all suggest? I'm at a loss and I have to make decisions on what to do very soon! I'd like a spa feeling that goes with the idea that, "Hello! I live in Hawaii! & I'm on Hawaiian Time and I just want to walk around in yoga clothes in my gorgeous house!" What do y'all think would look nice to go with the ideas I'm throwing around for the master bedroom?
Our kitchen will have white cabinets, for sure. & dark wood floors as the living room and kitchen are merged into one great room. The appliances will also be stainless steel like the photo above. We're thinking of doing concrete countertops in a dark grey to sort of go with that minimal feeling. I'm not the girl who will seal granite or appreciate granite. I want something that gives a bit of a modern vibe against a backdrop of all the antique goings-on. My logic is that without all the small tchotchkes, the antiques can feel modern and young. With the tchotchkes, it can feel old and a little cluttered. Maybe I'm going through an early mid-life crisis, but I need the fresh and young feeling!
& now, the bathroom downstairs. I want to create something different in there that still flows with the rest of the house. I like the idea of the above photo -- something with a wood feel and a white bowl on top the vanity. I'm thinking of using a cabinet that looks EXACTLY like the one below that I got a few years ago. What do you think?
Ladies I can't tell you how much I've missed you. You girls are my sounding board. Hoping you can help me out in any way and if you can't and you just want to stop by to say hello, please do so! I love hearing from everyone!
Have a great weekend!
