ink & paper navigation

honolulu, circa 1934

i have been enamored with the idea of decorating my space with vintage maps ever since spying the idea in more than a few shelter magazines. an enlarged copy would serve a dual purpose - filling up the blank wall in the living room and acting as a sort of touchstone to home from across the pacific.

so it seemed like serendipity to discover lahaina printsellers, just days after reading yet another feature about decorating with maps, while flipping through the pages of hawaiian style magazine. the maui company got its start selling antique maps from the days when cartographers, not google maps, helped people find their way around the world.

now that the prices of antique maps have skyrocketed, they also trade in reproductions of vintage maps of the hawaiian islands (some dating back to the 18th century) for those of us who have better ways to spend $30k.

if you fancy yourself a map to call your own, take a peek at the online inventory which is stocked with maps of the hawaiian chain created upon its "discovery", detailed island survey maps from the days of king kalakaua, even colorful fun maps for tourists who would have arrived by steamer.

when on maui, stop by one of their galleries to soak up the old school world of cartography in person.

don't be coy

koi pond notecards

my favorite part of going to ala moana as a little kid was paying a visit to the koi. a recent conversation with my fella had us wondering if the planners realized that the placement of the koi ponds in the center of the mall acted as an unspoken dividing point, a sort of neutral territory, if you will, where everyone could mingle regardless of whether your family shopped on the sears side or down by liberty house.

coy by palacepapers

koi in a fountain dessert plates emma gardner koi pond

no matter if it was by design or purely coincidence, my fascination with the gentle koi has remained with me since those long ago small kid days. for now, there is no space for a pond of my own but at least the design world has discovered that a little koi can add a lot of happiness with a dash of whimsy to your space.

hostess with the mostess

how charming is this ceramic pineapple candle from bath & body works recently spotted in lucky? considering the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality and it features a fruity pineapple mango fragrance evocative of the islands i think it scores as a fun hostess gift.

once the final flicker has extinguished, it can be refilled with your favorite candle or, with a little crafty reuse, the pineapple can enjoy a second life as a lovely catchall to hide coins, cotton balls, or all the other odds and ends that never seem to find a good home.

b&bw is having a sale this memorial day weekend with a free shipping promotion on orders of $50 and more (and, because i know you're wondering, yes, hawaii is included)! while you are screen shopping, take a peek at the new temptations for summer 2007 (two words: sunset mango) and the luxe ile de tahiti line in all their tropical splendor.

• secret code: freeship50 (enter at checkout) 

the old church house

i may wax on and on about modern but i have a soft spot for rustic when it's done right. at first glance, the old church house in upcountry maui appears to have been lovingly restored, but the reality is that it was really built from the ground up not quite as long ago as the dwelling's architecture would have you believe.

the one bedroom has a charming cottage style which is difficult to find in the islands (as previously noted dated thrift store tropical seems to be the favored style of most vacation rental owners). details like wood floors, exposed beams, an antique chest transformed into the kitchen sink, and an ocean view porch make it seem like this island getaway belongs in the pages of a pottery barn catalog (but with 21st century touches like wi-fi, an ipod ready stereo & stainless steel appliances).

the picturesque property is between makawao and haiku and located off a private road with an expansive lawn to loll about complete with larry the horse and a family of happy little ducks in residence.

rates start at $185 with a minimum of 3 nights.

bamboo or bust

nothing exemplifies what's old is new again more than the west embracing bamboo as a building material made for the 21st century. the same sustainable qualities that have made bamboo an interior design darling from kitchenware to flooring has prompted a maui company to host an international design competition to promote bamboo's versatility beyond the traditional hut.

the winners will be announced soon and a few designs have the potential to make the leap from daydreaming doodles to livable dwelling. my favorite family home finalist is this bamboo house submitted by a design group in china. another residential favorite may have been too fanciful to make the cut but i love how it integrated a green roof into its cylindrical design.

bamboo house

cylinder house

designs are not just limited to residential but also include ideas for affordable housing, emergency shelter and even treehouses. bamboo technologies, which is hosting the competition, specializes in prefab bamboo buildings for folks seeking a more affordable and eco-friendly housing alternative in the islands. many of the designs are in the balinese style but do take a peek at the flex house if the post about the breezehouse piqued your interest in modern prefab housing.