FIVE QUESTIONS
Expand your home — open it up to the outdoors
By Chris Oliver
Advertiser Staff Writer
Nancy Peacock has plenty of ideas on how to give your home a makeover. At Peacock's Temple of Design, the name she gives her pavilion office space on her Manoa property, the Honolulu architect and interior designer discusses how to update your living space with a fresh look.
PEACOCK
Q. What are some of the trends in home interiors just now?
First, to use existing space perhaps in a different way. It's not always necessary to build an extension or knock down walls. What I do with clients is walk through their homes to suggest ways of redefining spaces and rearranging furniture and possessions to suit their lifestyles.
For example:
• Open a house to the outdoors to include an outdoor space as living area. Less land and more building means more and more value is placed on the outside of a property: gardens, lawns, greenery have become valuable assets.
Try to establish a connectedness between indoors and outside so you can move effortlessly from one to the other.
For example, sliding doors will open up and expand the living space to an outdoor garden or lanai.
Hawai'i's climate allows architects to design houses almost as a frame for the outdoors, where the division between the two becomes blurred or seamless.
• Make the living area flexible with a pune'e (moveable couch) or hikie'e (large day bed). An afternoon nap is a fabulous thing; make your living area a place where you can relax or nap any time.
• Banish the TV to its own private space and reclaim the living area for conversation.
• Invest in art that you enjoy. People will spend thousands of dollars on technology that dates, typically, within a short time, yet a pleasing piece of art is timeless. Good art will actually appreciate in value and we have many talented artists here in Hawai'i.
Q. How can you change a room inexpensively?
A. Paint one wall in an accent color; it's easy, cheap, you can do it yourself and it changes the look of a room immediately. We have too many white walls. Choose a beautiful color that you love. But don't overdo it! One wall is usually enough.
Buy a striking vase or some pretty throw pillows. Change room accessories seasonally. Fresh flowers and indoor plants always contribute to an overall pleasing effect. And when you do buy furniture, invest in classic pieces in neutral colors.
Q. What about outdoors?
Reclaim your privacy from the neighbors. Be bold. Simple gardens work best; plant masses of greenery and tropical foliage to screen out neighbors' rooflines. Aim for a green garden; tropical foliage will grow quickly and help create a visual block.
Try to minimize large concrete surfaces with planters; grow greenery — for example, creeping fig —up walls; use outdoor cut flowers for your indoor arrangements.
Q. Where do you like to shop for interior design decor?
Siam Imports, 2567 S. King St.; Baik Designs, 560 N. Nimitz, Suite 105; Bali Aga, 307A Kamani St.; SoHa, 670 Auahi St.; Pier 1; Neiman Marcus; Ross, the Ke'eaumoku and Pearl Highland stores have the best inventory for housewares.
On a final note: "If I'm looking for something really special, the Baccarat store at Ala Moana Shopping Center has beautiful crystal, chandeliers and stemware in their housewares department," Peacock said.
Reach Chris Oliver at 535-2411 or coliver@honoluluadvertiser.com
