Luxury Living Hawaiian Style

To help celebrate my girlfriend, Kathy Cipponeri’s birthday in grand style, I’m sharing Kathy’s incredible luxury living Hawaiian style home with all of you. I’ve taken some time to ask Kathy a little about this amazing home and what made it so meaningful to her. A little background… Kathy and I met just last year when I was looking for marble and tile for my new home. Kathy happened to be working that day at her tile store, I walked in and as they say… the rest is history.

I love Kathy’s sense of style and design which she carries through not only with her all of her home builds but her sense of fashion as well. She is such a sweetheart with oodles of talent and someone I’m proud to call a friend. (affiliate links used in this post)

Hi Kathy! Tell us a little about the Hawaiian house that you built and lived in for over a decade.

My former boyfriend and I built homes. That’s what we did and when we were in Maui we wanted something special for ourselves. After purchasing some land we decided to build a unique custom home that fit our needs. The best part of having this luxury home was that we were able to share it with all of our family and friends. It was made for entertaining and spoiling everyone.

I like to describe the style of this house as a tribute to Hawaii without being cliché.

Maui lends itself to indoor/outdoor living so it was important that our home was able to open entirely. We installed sliders along the entire back of the house so our view was honored appropriately.

Where in Maui was your house located?

Kaanapali near the beach. We loved the milder climate on that side of the island. Kaanapali is known for having a little less rain and more sunshine. Our home sat on the golf course with views of the ocean. Our sunsets were beyond incredible.

How large was your home?

Approximately 8,000 sq ft. It is a 2 story home with 4 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a gym, theatre room, game room, wine room, 2 laundry rooms, (1 upstairs and 1 down) and a pool with a waterfall/volcano and 2 separate lanais. The volcano actually erupts with fire creating a fun atmosphere.

How did you decide on the style and design of the interior?

We wanted to make sure to use as many natural materials as possible that reflected the islands from the rich tones of the palm wood on the floors to the color of the plaster on the walls. While that may appear a little dark nowadays when we built the house it was very on trend and typical of what you find in Hawaii. I would have some fun updating if given the chance.

As to the colors used, I chose vibrant blues and greens as my accent tones pulling in the feel of the tropics and ocean.

What kind of countertops and backsplash were used in your kitchen?

The countertops were made of Luemarian Blue granite. Throughout the stone there were sections that looked like abalone shells which at night under the lights seemed to come alive. It was beautiful and I loved it.

The backsplash was made of custom glass tile in light green/blue tones that pulled out the reflection of the ocean and the Luemarian Blue granite. Both were easy to care for which is important in a humid environment. The dark tones in the granite also hid the dirt and grime easily which was beneficial with open door living.

Describe the furniture and home decor style used in the home..

Upon entering our home we wanted our guests to feel that ‘island vibe’ while maintaining an elegant, classic style. I feel we accomplished this with several pieces that are favorites of mine.

It was important to let the view be the primary focus so the layout of the rooms was left open to be impactful.

The structural posts, the wine cave, the rock waterfall volcano and the waterfall at the stairs were all designed by a man who helped with some of the amazing structures at Disneyland. As a result the effect of his creations brought that true to life outdoor paradise feel within our home. Believe me when I say the pictures don’t do the house justice. It didn’t feel like Disneyland… I swear. :)

Several of my favorite pieces in the home were custom made. The dining table and the guest bedroom headboard were made from the local Hawaiian Monkey Pod wood which is known for it’s golden brown streaks and being eco friendly. I loved the creative design of the oversized headboard combining fabric and wood. I love Unique headboards and this one truly is one of a kind.

Another important piece I love is in the Master bedroom. The 4 post canopy bed has that South Pacific feel that is unforgettable – totally luxury living Hawaiian style. The drape flutters with the tropical breeze giving the room a romantic feel.

So… what I want to know… Is there any way we can stay at this slice of paradise with our girlfriends for the finale of The Bachelorette? LOL

Noooooo… those days are over!!! ;) Loved living there while I did. It was a great experience building such a dramatic luxurious home. It’s not every day you get to design a house in such a special place using different materials and with such an incredible backdrop.

Thanks so much Kathy!! Loved learning so much about your Maui home and the creativity behind some of your choices, and luxury living Hawaiian style!

 

Do you like what you see? Click here and here to read about more homes & home decor on my blog.

xx