skip to my loo

marimekko samovaari + west elm waves

as i dart back & forth between the computer and bathroom while waiting for the plumber to arrive to fix a leaky toilet, this morning's mini catastrophe serves as a reminder to always keep a stash of old towels around for times like today when you most certainly do not want to use your good linens to soak up the questionable water covering the floor.

since i need a mental health break from the disaster that is currently my bathroom and nothing pleases me more than pretty linens, here are a few tropical finds like these lovely marimekko samovaari towels with a pattern that may have been designed in finland but reminds me of traditional hawaiian quilts. and, you can extend the style to your bedroom with crate & barrel's matching linens.

then there is west elm's waves bath mat which manages to be beachy without being too literal. the design also has a coordinating shower curtain and bedding, the latter which echoes the cool 70's yves saint laurent linens inherited from my mom.

time to dash back to the bath . . .

blue plate special

here's another fun island inspired find far from the islands. new york's fishs eddy specializes in american sturdyware and has a playful hula collection which will definitely add some whimsy to your dinner table.

and though you may not be familiar with the term sturdyware, you have surely enjoyed many a meal on it since diners and restaurants across the country dish up food on its durable surface. the hula line includes everything from mugs & glassware to plates & serving trays so you have the option of stocking up on your favorite pieces or jazzing up your kitchen cabinets with the entire set.   

this is not your parents' prefab home

sunset breezehouse

our little family of two can definitely be described as nice modernists and we have been keeping tabs on the blossoming modern prefab movement for quite some time. this afternoon i learned that michelle kaufmann designs recently built a factory in washington and one of their service areas is hawaii (currently, there are three savvy folks building a mkd home in the islands - lucky, lucky)!

this is so exciting. it's pretty easy to spot a typical prefab home in hawaii (in fact, my fella grew up in a hicks home) but if you are not familiar with modern prefab design you should definitely take a look and see what has changed in the past 30 years (fab prefab is an excellent resource). the mkd houses have been designed with the environment in mind and feature sustainable materials like bamboo floors, on demand water heaters & non-toxic paints as well as eco-friendly options like recycled glass tiles & solar power.

unless you have been living under a rock you know that the housing crunch has forced island families who can afford it to raze & rebuild or add an extension to their existing home to house multiple generations so this is definitely an alternative to consider if your budget allows it. i can count three families in my own circle who have either built a new home, are in the process of adding an extension, or are seriously considering going down that road since home ownership costs are so out of reach for many twenty & thirtysomethings.

as for us, this gives us a little more hope that one day we will be able to build an eco-friendly modern dwelling when we finally move back home. of course, it will be a challenge to find a fee simple lot that we can afford but a girl can dream.

{mahalo jetson green!}

let's go under the sea

wee gallery undersea

blik (of the fabulous polynesia glass stiks) is at again with their new wee gallery line. i know it's meant for the kiddie set but the undersea design is seriously cute. the hand-drawn graphics feature turtles, seaweed, bubbles & more which you can arrange any way you please to float up, down and around your walls.

perfect for the nursery or transform your bath into a slightly irreverant ode to sea life à la the oceanarium. the stickers are repositionable and removeable so when your tot grows tired of sleeping with the fishes you can pull them off and move on to the next big thing.

textile dinner design

this vibrant silk table runner is a colorful and contemporary way to bring some island style to your home over the holiday season. vicky durand, the surfer turned textile artist, hand prints all the designs for her hawaiian wearable art collection and recently expanded her line to include accessories for the home (check out the washable silk shower curtains if you want to add a little tropical punch to your bath).

you can have your pick of colors and patterns when shopping online or stop by one of the many boutiques & museum shops that stock hawaiian wearable art around the islands.