emi ink invites

carmel + lani

it's all about the details for wedding stationer stacey shiroma of emi ink who mixes hand selected papers with carefully chosen embellishments and die cut details of her own design to announce your big day with the perfect balance of personality and style.

the importance of making a good first impression carried over from stacey's career in marketing which she traded in to open up her own design shop in 2005. that means no detail is left to chance with everything from enclosures to envelopes coordinated to create a presentation guests will definitely remember.

alana + malia

you can preview the collection on the official website which made its debut a few weeks ago or stop by the wedding café which keeps an emi ink look book on hand for customers. since each invite is composed of multiple layers, it's best to book your consultation early since the handcrafted nature of the designs requires an estimated turnaround time of 8 to 10 weeks to complete your order.

no wedding on the horizon? you can still order up emi ink invites since designs double as event stationery for celebrations of all occasions.

click over to the emi ink blog for a peek at stacey's virtual inspiration board.

historic honolulu architecture tour

washington place

one of my favorite walks growing up was the one that took me from my mom's bishop square boutique to the state library along the pathway sandwiched between the capitol and iolani palace. i always stopped to say hello to the queen lili'uokalani statue and fought the urge to swing from the tendrils of the many banyan trees dotting the palace's backyard.

those saturday mornings spent in town gifted me with an appreciation of the graceful buildings that take you back to an earlier time, and, while doing a little research for a reader who inquired about mid-century modern homes on oahu (which i think would make a fabulous tour just in case an architecturally savvy reader is up to it), i recently discovered that the honolulu chapter of the american institute of architects (aia) offers kama'aina and visitors a walking tour of historic honolulu from an architect's perspective.

you'll wander the streets of town from the hawaii theatre to kawaiaha'o church picking up insights and anecdotes about the buildings along the way (juicy tidbit: the ywca building was designed by julia morgan, the country's preeminent female architect who squeezed in the project while working on hearst castle).

a map and bottled water are provided (but i say byo reusable bottle) so all you need to bring are comfy shoes made for walking and an enthusiasm for design. reservations are a must or, if a saturday tour doesn't fit into your schedule, self-guided tour booklets ($5) are available at aia's office. a custom tour may also be arranged for your group with advance notice.

• when: saturdays - 9a to 11:30a
• where: aia, 119 merchant street, suite 402
• tix: $10
• fyi: minimum four people

meet one of the aia's top guides over at the star-bulletin.

shivhon rug collection

lawai

hawaiian style rugs are not known for pushing the design envelope and seem to be content to stick to a more traditional mosaic of patterns stuck in a time warp of 80s pastels and garden variety borders. so let's just say it was a good day when i happened upon shivhon's lovely tibetan rugs with its delightful mix of updated tropical goodness.

the eponymous collection belongs to haleiwa interior designer shirley shivhon who, frustrated with the lack of contemporary designs for her projects, jumped into the world of rug making after meeting a small community of tibetan weavers during a trip to nepal. those same artisans now practice their craft to create shivhon's rugs which employ tibet's traditional and labor intensive hand-knotting technique.

the result: designs that retain the feel of being translated straight from the sketchbook nixing absolute perfection to embrace a more wabi-sabi aesthetic. i am loving shivhon's understated designs, from island abstracts to painterly motifs, any of which would make the perfect backdrop in a modern island style home. and, since each rug is made to order, you have the chance to guide the design process and configure the shape and colorway to best compliment your space.

ulu

kapa

 hopu

paradise blossom

the heirloom quality rugs start at $1500 and go up from there depending on the fiber (silk or wool) and size, and have an estimated turnaround time of 8 to 12 weeks depending on the complexity of the design and dimensions (custom sizes up to 20x20 are available).

love what you see? hele over to the bella pietra showroom in honolulu and kailua-kona to take a peek at the collection.

wall of soh

wallpaper has made a grand return to the pages of design glossies and honolulu's multi-talented kaypee soh recently rolled out a new line of wall decor featuring his fabulous modern tropical designs. the new collection of wallpaper and wall murals are produced with a matte finish and both styles are removable (happy news for renters!).

selections range from subdued yet sophisticated repeat patterns of palms and pineapples to bold graphics with an island pop à la andy warhol.

there are 14 designs in all and each pattern is available in 3 colorways to complement your space (contact kaypee for details on custom colors and sizes).

stop by the so'mace gallery to take an in-person peek at the entire collection.

• where: 1115 young street
• shop hours: tue - sat, 10a to 6p & sun, 10a to 4p

designer at large

as anyone who has made the shop rounds knows all too well, finding the perfect piece to furnish your space can sometimes feel like the design version of mission: impossible. i count my lucky stars that my fella daydreams about furniture design and, if not for his hectic production schedule and lack of workspace, he would happily spend all his free time sketching and building something to my exact* specifications.

[you are, imho, either a big or an aidan girl and, while big's bank account is enticing, the one who makes a custom chair just for you, refinishes your floors, and cuddles up with the occasional bucket of fried chicken wins my heart every time]

if you don't happen to have an in-house aidan at your beck and call, you will be happy to discover art/design student brandon large who recently sent along a few peeks of the latest creations to come out of his workshop. with less than a year under his tool belt, brandon has been building a collection of pieces perfect for the smaller living spaces typical of the urban dwellings found throughout honolulu and its suburbs.

primarily self-taught, brandon started out as a painting student and counts artists like donald judd, australian architect harry seidler, and traditional japanese design among his influences. the result: furniture with a clean, modern aesthetic that are his calling card into the cozy but growing world of island design.

brandon crafts all his furniture out of clear pine and redwood, sews all the upholstery by hand, and, in a nod to sustainability, cushions are repurposed from thrift shop finds. fans of modern design will love the budget friendly price point which ranges from $130 for a small table to $800 for an upholstered chair.

no official website yet but brandon's designs have been known to make an appearance at the honolulu art collective showcase during first friday.

for more details.