stepping into summer

hope your holiday weekend was pleasant! to help you ease back into work mode, i gathered up a little eye candy to welcome back summertime. today's inspiration: a roundup of pretty doormats that cheer up this utilitarian staple with a dash of modern island style.

1 - add a touch of whimsy to your doorstep with a school of flying fish.

2 - delicate cherry blossoms dance across the entryway.

3 - stomp your feet while saying "she sells seashells by the seashore" 3x fast!

4 - anthropologie's partridge-esque mellow hummingbird design sings with color.

5 - greet guests with a tropical shower of chrysanthemum blossoms.

6 - finally, a grassy lawn with zero maintenance.

or, get crafty and whip up your own doormat design with a little help from martha stewart!

so'mace grand opening

rumor has it that many readers have become besotted with designer kaypee soh's lifestyle collection so mark your calendar for the grand opening of so'mace next week which will be filled with pillows, prints, and pupus! 

• when: fri, may 30th - 5:30p to 8:30p
• where: 1115 young street
• rsvp: by mon, may 26th via email or 808.593.8780

kaypee soh lifestyle

a modern take on tropical design made in the very islands that has influenced designers from all around the world has been my sasquatch since starting h|h two years ago. always hopeful for its existence which remained ever elusive until i walked into pacific home over the holidays and stumbled upon a small display featuring linens with a happy hibiscus motif. it was like hitting the design jackpot and i immediately started to make a mental note of everyone on my gift list who would swoon for the pretty cloth confections.

alas, it turned out the display was simply a teaser for honolulu designer kaypee soh's home goods line which i learned would not make its official retail debut until the following spring.

sigh.

now that spring has sprung you can finally take a peek at kaypee's creative lifestyle collection which features hand printed pillows and accessories made in hawaii (yay!). the new line packs a tropical punch via bold graphics and understated repeat patterns inspired by hawaii and kaypee's homeland of malaysia. kaypee's artwork, which mingles layers of photography with his own illustrations, also seems to inform a few of the designs for a decorative déjà-vu (shown below: kaypee's ginger print as art and textile).

branching out to a home collection has always been on the to do list of the award-winning designer who, upon arriving in the islands from nyc with partner edward macey a few years ago, started a boutique design firm which injected their own brand of modern island style by way of print and web projects for local businesses.

online shopping is not yet available however phone & email orders are welcome, and you can get your design fix in person at so'mace's newly opened gallery space:

• where: 1115 young street
• hours: mon - sat, 10a to 5p

hele over to the star-bulletin for a look behind the scenes.

tropical hit list

lanai quilt * braid pillow * door mat * palm tieback

the spring edition of the pottery barn catalog recently arrived in the mailbox and i couldn't resist rounding up all the juicy accessories made for island living. page after page is filled with pottery barn's take on tropical accents from a nifty braid pattern evocative of lauhala basket weaving to abstract palm leaf prints and hawaiian quilt knockoffs (albeit in a more contemporary palette).

koi outdoor pillow * bistro table * beach towel

koi fish make an appearance on everything from beach towels to outdoor rugs, and while the pattern is said to be inspired by chinese paper cutouts they bear a striking resemblance to the earlier designs of thomas paul. nevertheless, fab finds if it's time to refresh your space for summertime!

souvenir special

hawaii pillow

there were only a handful of readers when i first posted about this folksy embroidered hawaii pillow way back when, but i recently stumbled upon the makers' website and discovered that the hawaii design (one of many created for catstudio's geography collection) is now offered on everything from glassware to dishtowels.

and, as further evidence that it truly is a small world, while clicking around the website i learned that carmel swan (a former music exec turned textile artist) who owns catstudio with her husband, just happens to have a hawaii connection too.

hawaii glass

if you want to pick up one of these charming additions for your space just know that online orders have a $40 minimum however ground shipping is free.

p.s. you can shave a few dollars off the hawaii pillow (which takes 40+ hours to embroider by hand) by ordering direct.