shop peek: owens & co.

one of my favorite boutiques to visit whenever i find myself back on the island is the always delightful owens & co., the sweet design shop located in the most gorgeous corner space in the chinatown arts district. the cheery chevron curtains framing the windows instantly brighten my day and the curated collection of local and faraway finds are a design geek's dream come true.

something fabulous is always waiting to woo me whenever i pop by to to say hello - stacks of decorating/gardening/cooking & craft books, handmade sparkle and carryalls, playful domestic wares, pretty paper goods, and a selection of buzzy indie goods being swooned over on pinterest (hello washi tape, anthology magazine, and leather baggu pouches!).

missy, the shop's lovely proprietor (who shares my house hunters internationale obsession), is constantly on the lookout for charming discoveries to indulge our latest design obsessions as well as little delights perfect for every gifting occasion.

enjoy a peek of new summer arrivals after the jump!

scents & stacks

a.wattz * fortune

summer arrivals

in addition to elusive merch you have been crushing on compliments of your favorite design blogs (and ever so difficult to find in hawaii), owens & co. happily stocks goods from local makers including jewelry by justine, meleana handbags, so'mace tableware, and saffron james (did you spy the just introduced monoi/tamanu/coconut body oils up above?).

even if the shop is closed it's always fun to peek through the window, but do plan to stop in and wander about when honolulu's delightful indie emporium is open for business (note: missy's hubby jeff steps behind the counter when errands call her away from the shop).

• where: 1152 nu'uanu avenue, chinatown
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p & sat, 11a to 4p

p.s. missy & jeff generously filled my shop tote with bars of nuuanu & pauahi soap (created in collaboration with the human imagination, a few doors down the block) on my last two visits, and i would love to share them with a few lucky readers. send me a note by the fourth of july and you might find a summer surprise in your mailbox!

island crush: waikiki rainbow

it's impossible not to heart loose petals' cheery print of waikiki beach, just one of the iconic skylines featured in chicago designer karen young's delightful city series of eco prints.

the sweet curve of the postcard-perfect shoreline with kapiolani park's grassy lawn stretching below diamond head is such a cheerful reminder of sunny memories spent splashing in the pacific, watching puffy clouds leisurely drift from island to island, and the sweet scent of coconut oil.

printed on 100% recycled cardstock.

$19.99 online. (fyi: an 11x14 print is also offered for a few dollars more.)

a so'mace summer

ocean collection

our friends at so'mace have had quite a year so far between the local design house's debut at the ny int'l gift fair, welcoming pretty pacific-inspired tableware to the collection, and a spring move to a new showroom space.

if you adore designer kaypee soh's modern take on island style, the whimsical laminated linen trays and bowls will surely find a place in your home. the smallest sizes are perfect for keeping little pretties tidy while their larger mates make for carefree displays and will certainly charm guests when pressed into service.

the new rug collection caught my fancy as soon as the lovely isla (who pens the official so'mace blog) first shared sneak peeks last year. the designs are already making me sigh from afar and while preparing this post i discovered my favorite motifs (chevrons! sea urchins! fish scales!) will say hello in the summer 2012 flat-weave collection. hooray!

urchins * scales

asymmetric chevrons

be still my heart . . . and offered in the exact colorways of our future bedroom makeover. hand-knotted rugs made of wool &/or silk can also be yours (including my beloved fan coral first featured in kaypee's pillow collection) in custom colors and sizes. and, so'mace rugs score extra credit for earning goodweave certification which ensures that no child labor is involved during the production process (an exploitative practice to remember should you be wooed by bargain price tags).

say hello to the so'mace 'ohana over at kilohana square (neighbors include rainforest and south coast paperie, the paper goods boutique opened by bradley & lily) or send a love note to inquire about mail orders.

• where: 1016 kapahulu avenue, suite 100
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p & sat, 10a to 3p

island crush: pacific impressions

happy may day wherever you may be! my love affair with vintage maps has been well documented on h|h along with my paper crush on pretty letterpress goods. so you can imagine my delight when i happened across the loveliest letterpress map featuring the hawaiian islands.

and it's printed in turquoise ink!

{sigh}

the etsy shop of quail lane press woos with hand drawn illustrations of seaside locales (the lost art of cartography just happens to be a hobby of the designer) impressed on a vintage vandercook press. each print is then carefully tinted with watercolor for an extra helping of handmade sweetness.

limited edition and only 75 will be printed so hele over to peek our part of the pacific in all its glory.

$45 online.

p.s. a chocolate print is also offered if you prefer a more subdued design.

shop peek: reuse hawaii warehouse

while home this winter, the mister and i finally had a chance to pop into the reuse hawaii warehouse to marvel at all the wonderful discoveries saved from deconstruction projects around the island. (tax day tie-in: material donations are deductible if your nest happens to be in need of a renovation.)

our dear friend selina co-founded reuse with her sweetie quinn a few years ago (their lovely cottage overlooking the honolulu city lights is a gorgeous lesson in decorating with roadside castoffs and warehouse finds), and the combined sweat equity of their crew has created one of the most eco-friendly resources on oahu for designers and diy-ers.

since reuse opened its doors, the coconut wire has shared stories of furniture designers crafting pieces out of reclaimed wood, eco-friendly event planners upcycling discoveries into rustic centerpieces intended to become post-bash planter boxes, and a friend's hubby who cobbled together their hillside chicken coop after a reuse shopping trip. and, more than a few indie shopkeepers have scouted reuse for supplies to transform into a charming perch for their merch.

with an ever changing inventory, chances are a delightful surprise is waiting in one of the many warehouse aisles which woo with salvaged flooring and doors, vintage delights from industrial light fixtures to old timey glass door knobs, boxes of ceramic tiles, bins of hardware, an outdoor lumber yard, and the occasional curious find.

join me for a tour after the jump!

happy hardware holdalls

charming french doors & vintage cupboards

project possibility?

while lounging by the warehouse entrance, my camera snapped a little boat which seemed just right for recreating this dreamy pillow filled boat hearted on my pinterest (mahalo betty for pinning!).

new arrivals can be peeked online (oh, how i coveted the gorgeous farmhouse sink rescued from shangri la last year) but do remember that the first shopper to show up at the warehouse scoops up the goods.

• where: 200 keawe street, kaka'ako
• shop hours: mon to fri, 8a to 6p & sat, 9a to 4p

p.s. reuse is always on the lookout for good peeps so click over to the job board to inquire about joining the team.