September 10, 2017
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years now that I’ve been writing this column, and although I’ve enjoyed sharing my inspirations and design tips with you,…
August 13, 2017
Some of you have been asking when I’ll get back to sharing photos and tips from the redesign of my own home. I thought this week would be a good opportunity. The ceilings in my formal dining room are 20…
July 23, 2017
New York City has so much to offer, from great food and culture to great architecture. One iconic hotel I’ve always admired is the Plaza, but I never got to see it up close until a recent trip. The Plaza…
July 9, 2017
When it comes to decorating for a party, I would say that I am an all-or-nothing person. I either go overboard with attention to detail for palette, pattern and style, or I simply cut greens from my garden, throw them…
June 18, 2017
This past weekend I celebrated my birthday in one of my favorite ways: dining out with family and friends. One of the dinners was at one of my all-time favorite restaurants. If you haven’t been to the new Nobu Honolulu…
May 28, 2017
Can you tell the difference? Which is the fake air plant — the one on the left or the right? In my last column about this hot decor trend, I gave you tips from an expert on how to care…
May 14, 2017
A home and office decor trend that’s hot and only getting hotter is air plants. Since I’ve managed to kill a few, I decided to get you some expert tips. Michael Miyashiro is the owner of Rainforest at Kilohana Square.…
April 23, 2017
Last week you saw this kitchen from one end, looking toward the ocean. Here’s the view from the other end. Now you get a sense of how much more open it became, which brings me to today’s tip. When you…
April 16, 2017
Finally, I get to show you my finished kitchen remodel! In previous columns I’ve described my goals of opening up the space and creating a flow with the living room, and told you about the glass-tile backsplash that was my…
March 19, 2017
If you remember the before photo of my kitchen from my last column, you know that the overall goal was to open up the space. But my goal for the style was purely personal: I wanted a warm, modern, eclectic,…
March 5, 2017
Opening up your space can be as easy as 1-2-3. What do I mean? Simply that before you start, you need to ask yourself three things: What can you do without? What can you reimagine? And what can you relocate?…
February 12, 2017
Everyone these days wants an open-concept floor plan. I’m no different. When I remodeled my family’s home, the first thing I wanted to do was to open up the kitchen to the living room. Notice in the before photo how…
January 22, 2017
The new year is a time for new beginnings, new resolutions and sometimes, new spaces. But while it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a renovation or decorating project, I have an important tip for you: Before…
January 1, 2017
The new year is a time for resolutions and this year I am challenging myself to take time to see things not for what they are, but for what they can be — both in life and in design. I…
December 18, 2016
Things that make you go, hmmm: That’s the topic of my column this week. Whether it’s something fun, unique or just plain interesting, when it comes to certain spaces I like to create vignettes that make you pause. To me,…
December 4, 2016
Remember I promised to take you inside my dream home makeover? Well, here’s the first room I’d like to share with you: our powder room. Sometimes we remodel because we want a fresh look. Other times it’s to create more…
November 20, 2016
When I started remodeling my home, the first thing I thought about was the front door. This would be everyone’s first impression after all, and I wanted it to be a good one. In keeping with the traditional style of…
November 6, 2016
I can’t believe it — I’ve been writing this column for four years now! Those of you who have been following along know that whether I’m writing about design in homes, commercial projects or ideas I get from my travels,…
October 23, 2016
When my daughter, Nicki, was younger I’d go crazy decorating the house for Halloween. Cobwebs, skeletons, jack-o-lanterns — you name it, I had it! Now that she’s a teenager with plans to hang out with her friends, I still want…
September 25, 2016
Much like fashion changes, décor preferences change over time — even when they’re your own. In big and small ways our preferences are constantly evolving to reflect what we see on TV, in design magazines, at places that we visit…