boutique week: bungalow 9

modern island banners

boutique week is island hopping over to kaua'i today! good design shops are small in number even on oahu so you can imagine my absolute delight upon recently finding an introduction from bungalow 9 proprietor lisa leggett in my inbox. the poipu shop will be celebrating its one year anniversary in two weeks time, and the little emporium has become a favorite of local and faraway design fans for its mix of modern home goods and edited selection of stylish m's and w's wearables.

one of my happiest discoveries are these simple banners with an island spin on the vintage subway scrolls that have been popping up in decorated spaces lately. the typeface has been modernized with a sans serif font and are offered in a kaua'i edition printed on heavyweight canvas in a handful of colorways (orange, aqua and b&w).

the banners are exclusive to bungalow 9 and lisa also tipped me off that custom prints can be made allowing you to display the neighborhoods and island spots that are always in your heart (definitely on my wish list for our home). another idea that i am quite smitten with is listing all the places you have called home as a record of your life's journey so far.

the most delightful galvanized birdie!

if you are sharing my swoon for the island banners, just know that they are priced at $385 and can be ordered via email or phone if you are off-island.

in addition to modern furnishings from italy, bungalow 9 stocks designs from chilewich, thomas paul, lovely linens and tableware plus echo, three dots, hobo bags and sparkle from h|h friends nina kuna designs and misa jewelry. design services and special orders are also offered if you are searching for design perfection.

coming up: linen pillow editions of the garden island inspired banners!

• where: kukui'ula village, 2829 ala kalanikaumaka, suite g141, koloa
• shop hours: mon to sun, 11a to 9p

p.s. lisa also keeps a shop blog filled with design inspirations and shop updates.

new peeks: sig zane

lihiwai * mikioi

goodness, it's been quite some time since the last sig zane roundup and so many new designs have arrived in the past year that i had a difficult time editing down all the sz goodness.

here's a quick recap - eco style is now available with the addition of bamboo fabric aloha shirts and the introduction of the w's organic mohala tee. m's board shorts are now offered in more patterns and the collaboration with the waikiki aquarium is now online. you can style up your kitchen with quilted mikioi hot pads while hawaiian style minimalists will want to take a peek at the new lihiwai canvas bag with a cheery solid exterior lined in the big island designer's lovely fabric.

one of my favorite new patterns is the hilo one which interprets the town map into a wearable design. definitely a great find for anyone whose heart remains on the big island.

and, reiko from the sz 'ohana posted peeks of fujitsu's limited edition aloha express netbook rocking sig's 'ulu pattern. it is, alas, available exclusively in japan but the gorgeous design makes me wish sz offered a macbook skin. lucky japan!

hilo one * welo * waiuli

w's organic mohala tees

aloha express in 'uluwehi keaukaha

select styles are available in the online shop or hele over to the sz flagship in downtown hilo:

• where: 122 kamehameha avenue, hilo
• shop hours: mon to fri, 9:30a to 5p & sat, 9a to 4p

etsy scout: ccdoodle

today's etsy find has been hiding in my favorites for quite some time and a peek of the latest designs from ccdoodle were just too lovely not to share with the h|h 'ohana. the indie line first caught the attention of fans for its handmade screenprints based on honolulu designer christy chung's fancifully romantic and artfully abstract sketches applied on everyday basics.

simple silhouettes from alternative apparel and american apparel become lightly refashioned with sweet screenprinted kisses of flowers, birdies and butterflies, and assorted whimsy plus the occasional handsewn embellishment. the mostly o.o.a.k. looks (one-of-a-kind in etsyspeak) mingle with vintage flair by way of budget-friendly obi belts sewn from upcycled fabric discovered at local thrift shops. simply tie one on and, voilà!, a lovely way to whittle your waist and add a pop of prettiness to your outfit. 

rounding out ccdoodle's current collection are screenprinted onesies for little ones and dreamy pillowcases which add a hint of indie charm to tired bedding. and, all of ccdoodle's printed designs are made with water-based inks which is happy news if you prefer to avoid the sticky feel of traditional screenprints.

sweet dreams

am i the only one besotted with the juxtaposition of botanical prints layered on stripey backdrops in all its girly loveliness?

custom orders are always welcome and are typically ready within a week. brides-to-be stumped on that oft-repeated wedding day custom may want to consider ordering a vintage obi which would allow you to check off either something old or something blue.

oahu readers can find ccdoodle at split obsession and ai designs in kaimuki or simply click over to the etsy shop which is in the midst of a buy one, get one half off sale in the obi department:

• expires: sun, jun 27th
• fyi: convo christy prior to checkout to reserve sale obis and receive an revised invoice

earth day roundup

h|h hearts an eco-friendly home . . .

longtime readers know that i believe that every day is earth day, but since the collective world is more mindful of mother earth today i thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite eco-friendly finds that are good for our 'aina, you and your 'ohana.

we do our best to choose sustainable products whenever possible, but after many many years of trial and error i know that green, alas, does not always mean effective or quality goods. these products have become my gold standard which means they are better than conventional offerings, and, rest assured, you would definitely find my top 10 around my home if you ever peeked into my cabinets.

read the full scoop on my favorite home and beauty goods after the jump!

Click to read more ...

puppy love

luz lamp

imagine my delight upon discovering this adorable puppy lamp after clicking open fishcake's latest email. the whimsical design seems more likely to have been imported from the mainland or europe, but, i am happy to report it is the creation of waikiki designer melissa rivera torres moir of unleash studio which launched last year as an outlet for her many creative sparks which cheerfully marry function with whimsy.

it turns out melissa's pup luz (spanish for light) was the inspiration for the design which playfully turns the vet-issued doggie lampshade into a witty source of illumination. luz's silhouette also pops up in the form of her lightbox terrier which is a delightful mini playspace complete with paper holder and storage for crayons and blocks for your budding design star.

raised in mexico, melissa's first connection to hawaii came via her mom who grew up in the islands. a trip to kaua'i with her grandmother was the catalyst for her move to oahu where she has spent the past few years teaching design at local museums and non-profits before her current gig at hpu.

a peek at her portfolio reveals some serious design chops so it should come as no surprise that before arriving in hawaii melissa studied industrial design at the rhode island school of design where she also received a master's in art and design teaching education. in her off-hours, she can be found sketching and building prototypes on her apartment lanai which has been cleverly adapted into a working studio (photo below).

lightbox terrier

robonaut * j skateboard shelf

dj shark * fashionista giraffe

melissa on her studio lanai

{designer notes}

how has living in hawaii influenced your designs?
living in hawaii has been an amazing experience for me. it has allowed me to take time to breathe and really think of the things i want to do in life, just like creating unleash studio, and it has been a great place of inspiration. there is nothing like living in a place where you are not freezing all the time, or where you can go and skate or bike right outside your apartment, or just take a walk on the beach whenever you need to have time for yourself.

hawaii is a great melting pot and i have had the chance to meet people from all over the world and live a healthy lifestyle. all of this has affected my designs in a positive way. living in hawaii influenced me enough to start my small business, something that i had never actually had thought about before in the past.

what is your definition of good design?
a good design is one where emphasis on form and function are equally balanced. the design has to look good and be appealing to the eye as well as work well. you could have the coolest looking bench, but if it hurts when you sit on it, that is not a good design, or you could have a really neat/cool working television, but if it makes your living room look horrible because it's so ugly, people will not buy it.

little moments of bliss that recharge your soul?
too many, but some that i love . . . being surrounded by people i love, skateboarding on my snakeboard, biking outside on my lil bmx bike, listening to music, creating things that make people happy, making people laugh, blowing bubbles!

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
anything is good. i like eating simple and clean like a veggie wrap and a coconut juice. ;) when i go to the beach i mostly like to take my sketchbook and draw (you might find that in my picnic basket too! haha no worries tho - i do not eat pencils and paper).

pay it forward with a few words of wisdom:
criticize by creating "michelangelo" * keep it simple * a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand ;)

mahalo melissa!

little luz, his pal lightbox terrier, and the bad to the bone bench have all moved into fishcake's showroom where they are available for purchase. fishcake also stocks the animal series tee collection as does split obsession, the contemporary museum gift shop, and unleash studio's online shop.

p.s. custom commissions are also welcome. contact melissa for more details.

{photo credit: cory lum}