Beach Cottage with Transitional Coastal Interiors

Read article : Beach Cottage with Transitional Coastal Interiors

Stunning open concept dining living room with a walnut dining table lined with William Sonoma Farallon Armchairs below a glass bubble cluster chandelier. #DiningRoom #Cottage #CottageDiningRoom #GlassBubbleClusterChandelier" width="642" height="448" />

With impeccable transitional coastal interiors by Nina Liddle Design, and located in Sconset, a small village in Nantucket, this beach cottage is all about color, pattern and nautical decor.

The cottage exudes sun-filled spaces with white walls that serve as a canvas for all the colors that beautifully come from slipcovered and upholstered furniture, decorative pillows and accessories.

A modern, transitional white kitchen brings this beach cottage to the next level, leaving nothing to wish for, except the desire to spend the entire summer or an entire life in this dreamy place.

Take the day to imagine yourself in this bright and airy cottage. I know the colors found here will make your day a tiny bit happier!

Beach Cottage with Transitional Coastal Interiors

stunning foyer features shiplap walls, a wraparound staircase with a sisal stair runner beside an Oomph Fenwick Console Table, with a pair of raffia wrapped poufs and a rectangular raffia mirror. #Foyer #Entryway #Entrance Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="967" />

With a hint of color, this stunning foyer features shiplap walls, a wraparound staircase with a sisal stair runner beside an orange Oomph Fenwick Console Table. A pair of raffia wrapped poufs were placed under the console while a rectangular raffia mirror is placed above it.

Open Concept Living Room

Open Concept Living Room. Open Concept Living Room Ideas. This open concept living room is painted in Benjamin Moore Horizon. #OpenConcept #Interiors #LivingRoom #BenjaminMooreHorizon #BMHorizon #BenjaminMoorePaintColors" width="642" height="427" />

 This open concept living room is painted in Benjamin Moore Horizon.

Decor

features blue armchairs with white piping and decorative pillows and a accordion side table. #LivingRoom #Coastal #Chair #Pillows" width="642" height="444" />

The living room also features blue armchairs with white piping and decorative pillows and a accordion side table.

Dining Room

Stunning open concept dining living room with a walnut dining table lined with William Sonoma Farallon Armchairs below a glass bubble cluster chandelier. #DiningRoom #Cottage #CottageDiningRoom #GlassBubbleClusterChandelier The Muriel Chandelier by Oly Studio." width="642" height="448" />

This stunning open concept dining and living room exudes beauty with a walnut dining table lined with William Sonoma Farallon Armchairs below The Muriel Chandelier by Oly Studio. Timeless choices with a hint of “unexpected”. Love that!

Built-in Cabinet

large seaweed art print against the dark glossy navy blue backdrop, lit by a library wall sconce. The shelves display stacked books, coral and seashells. #LivingRoom #Cabinet #Builtin #DisplayCabinet #Bookshelves #Bookcase Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="965" />

This living room continues to surprise with a custom built-in display cabinet placed just before entering the kitchen area. Notice the large seaweed art print against the dark glossy navy blue backdrop, lit by a library wall sconce. The shelves display stacked books, corals and seashells.

Kitchen

brushed nickel hardware alongside white quartzite countertops with a subway tiled backsplash. The kitchen features a stainless steel stove below a white paneled stove hood accented with corbels across from a stainless steel industrial style, built-in refrigerator. A farm sink stands below three sash windows opposite an extra long kitchen island lined with Piston Barstools illuminated by a pair of lacquered navy lantern pendants from Oomph. Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="464" />

Isn’t this an amazing kitchen? This coastal U-shaped kitchen features white cabinetry accented with brushed nickel hardware and white quartzite countertops. The backsplash are classic white subway tiles. The kitchen also features a stainless steel range below a white paneled stove hood accented with corbels. A farmhouse sink stands below three sash windows.

Kitchen Accessories

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The long kitchen island is lined with LEM Piston Barstools illuminated by a pair of lacquered navy lantern pendants. The designer used the Oomph Palo Alto Lantern in this kitchen.

Kitchen Paint Color

Benjamin Moore Horizon paint color. Benjamin Moore Horizon. Benjamin Moore light gray paint color. Benjamin Moore Horizon. #BenjaminMooreHorizon #BMHorizon #Horizon #BenjaminMooreGray #BenjaminMoorePaintColors" width="642" height="433" />

The wall paint color is Horizon by Benjamin Moore. This paint color works beautifully with the white cabinets.

 Banquette

Saarinen Tulip Table from Room and Board. Nina Liddle Design. #Banquette #BreakfastNook #Nook" width="642" height="487" />

This entire space makes me smile! I love the colors found here. The breakfast nook features a custom banquette with storage and colorful fabric choices.

The dining table is the Saarinen Tulip Tablefrom Room and Board.

Navy & Green

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Summery colors!

Breakfast Nook

Benjamin Moore Horizon. Kitchen Nook Paint Color Benjamin Moore Horizon. #BenjaminMooreHorizon Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="430" />

The kitchen nook paint color is also Benjamin Moore Horizon.

Mudroom

overhead cubbies alongside wood planked walls with a ceiling mount surfboard over ivory floors layered with a gray rag rug. #Mudroom #Coastal Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="929" />

This fun, coastal mud room offers built-in lockers featuring a built-in storage bench with overhead cubbies alongside wood planked walls and ivory floors, layered with a gray rag rug. A closet laundry room is on the right.

The vintage surfboard is from a store in California called Surfing Cowboys.

Powder Room

Nina Liddle Design. The wallpaper in this turquoise powder room is the Chain Link 5641 in Aqua on Ivory Manila Hemp by Phillip Jeffries." width="642" height="965" />

The wallpaper in this turquoise powder room is the Chain Link 5641 in Aqua on Ivory Manila Hemp by Phillip Jeffries.Isn’t it beautiful?

Lighting

Ro Sham Beaux Malibu Turquoise Chandelier. Ro Sham Beaux Chandelier. Coastal Ro Sham Beaux Chandelier. Turquoise Ro Sham Beaux Chandelier. #RoShamBeaux #RoShamBeauxChandelier" width="642" height="538" />

Oh, I love this one! Lighting is the Ro Sham Beaux Malibu Turquoise Chandelier. It costs around $688.00 – $1,242.00, depending on the size (12″W x 12″D x 15″H” OR 18″W x 18″D x 28″H” ).

Bathroom Sink

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Timeless pedestal sink by Kallista.

Master Bedroom

white Greek Key mirror reflecting a Ro Sham Beaux Frankie Beaded Chandelier hung over a peacock blue, nailhead trimmed headboard on bed layered in white bed linens topped with a pair of chartreuse pillows and an aqua blue striped pillow flanked by a pair of modern white nightstands topped with Robert Abbey Triple Gourd Lamps in Peacock. Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="890" />

It’s summer year-round in this master bedroom! The master bedroom features a white Greek Key mirror reflecting a beaded chandelier hung over a peacock blue, nailhead trimmed headboard. White nightstands topped with Robert Abbey Triple Gourd Lamps in Peacockadd an airy feel to the space.

Chandelier

Ro Sham Beaux Frankie Malibu Clear Chandelier. Ro Sham Beaux Frankie Beaded Chandelier. #RoShamBeauxFrankieBeadedChandelier" width="642" height="838" />

Ro Sham Beaux Frankie Malibu Clear Chandelier.Price? $3,220.00 – $3,680.00. It’s definitely the “jewelry” of this room.

 Pick Your Colors

I love the teal accessories mixed with green and turquoise in this bedroom. This is a very fresh color scheme.

 Coastal Blue and Green Bedroom

Wall paint color is BM Horizon. #Blue #Green #Bedroom #BMHorizon Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="439" />

The wall color is once again Benjamin Moore Horizon – a very soothing gray.

Master Bathroom

rainfall shower head linear marble tile surround linear marble tile marble shower floor marble shower ceiling rectangular marble floor tile freestanding tub freestanding bathtub floor mount faucet floor mount faucet with shower head plantation shutters bathroom plantation shutters woven baskets white sink vanity with shelf sink vanity with drawers dual sink vanity with shelf nickel cabinet pulls marble counter gray marble counter white lacquered mirror glossy white mirror square polished nickel wall sconce white and gray bathroom extra long vanity extra long sink vanity extra long washstand long sink vanity long washstand Jonathan Adler White Rococo Mirror. Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="445" />

Who wouldn’t love to have this bathroom? This bathroom features an extra long, white dual sink vanity with lower shelf filled with baskets and drawers accented with nickel pulls alongside a white marble counter and shallow backsplash with a pair of Jonathan Adler White Rococo Mirrors. A large walk-in shower stands at the far end of the space tucked below the dormer ceiling with a seamless glass door and a linear marble mosaic, surround with marble tiled shower floors and ceiling, accented with a rainfall shower head. A freestanding tub situated below a plantation windows finishes the space, framed by shiplap clad half walls over rectangular marble tiled floors.

Bathroom Countertop

white marble countertop with polished nickel bathroom faucet. #Bathroom" width="642" height="473" />

 Stunning polished white marble countertop with polished nickel bathroom faucet. A simple coral brings a coastal feel to this space.

Bathroom Storage

white dual sink vanity with lower shelf filled with baskets. #WhiteBathroomVanity" width="642" height="472" />

Extra storage and texture can easily be added with baskets under the vanity.

Guest Bedroom Paint Color

Benjamin Moore Sail Cloth. Benjamin Moore Sail Cloth is a great neutral paint color. #BenjaminMooreSailCloth #BenjaminMooreNeutrals #BenjaminMoorePaintColors" width="642" height="464" />

The paint color in this bedroom is Benjamin Moore Sail Cloth. This is a great neutral paint color.

Vanity Paint Color

Sherwin Williams Knockout Orange. Sherwin Williams Orange Paint Color. #SherwinWilliamsKnockoutOrange #SherwinWilliamsPaintColors" width="642" height="478" />

The vanity paint color is Sherwin Williams Knockout Orange.

Sconces

Jonathan Adler Parker Pendant Wall Sconces." width="642" height="600" />

The sconces are the Jonathan Adler Parker Pendant Wall Sconces.

Orange & Turquoise Guest Bedroom

geometric lantern pendant hung over an orange ikat headboard on bed layered with white bed linens and a pair of blue geometric pillows. The bed is flanked by a pair of white two drawer nightstands topped with mercury glass lamps with a pair of Arteriors Home Tennyson Turquoise Linen Stools at the foot of the bed over hardwood floors layered with a braided jute rug. #Bedroom #BeachHouse #BeachHouseBedroom Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="965" />

This guest bedroom features tongue and groove cathedral ceilings adorned with a geometric lantern pendant hung over an orange ikat headboard. The bed is flanked by a pair of white nightstands topped with mercury glass lamps and a beautiful braided jute rug.

Turquoise Stools

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Stunning Arteriors Home Tennyson Turquoise Linen Stools.

Lantern

Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="965" />

This geometric white lantern is a show-stopper!

Blue & White Coastal Bedroom

framed sailboat blueprints over a blue striped headboard on bed layered with white bed linens topped with blue sailor knot pillows and a blue fringed rug throw. A pair of two-tone nightstands stand on either side of the bed topped with Pottery Barn Rope Knot Table Lamps with a Serena and Lily Montara Mirror." width="642" height="456" />

This nautical bedroom looks amazing with channel groove boards accent wall and framed sailboat blueprints.

The lamps are the Pottery Barn Rope Knot Table Lamps and mirror is the Serena and Lily Montara Mirror.

Coastal Touch

framed sailboat blueprints over a blue striped headboard. #CoastalBedroom #SailboatBlueprints Nina Liddle Design." width="642" height="483" />

Blue and white decor is always beautiful, soothing and classic.

 
 
 

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color

 

 
 
 

 Doesn’t it this place makes you feel happier? I love the stunning colors brought to this light, airy home. It certainly makes it feel more alive.

Talking about happiness, I hope you’re feeling happy today, but if not, put everything that is bothering you aside. Maybe you’re forgetting to look at the good things in life and is putting too much of your energy and health towards the bad stuff.

When was it the last time you said “That’s it! I will think about myself right now”? We tend to always focus on people, on how they’re feeling, on how they’re doing or on how things are going and we rarely stop to thing about HOW WE ARE.

Take this day to look at yourself. Look in the mirror and only say what you love about yourself. Do not allow any criticism to come to your mind. Say all the things you can remember that you have accomplished in life. Try to remember all the details, from childhood, to your teenager years to this day.

Look at yourself and think about all the good things you have done to others. Even the small gestures count.

Now, look at yourself and say what a good person you are and that you are loved. Tell yourself that you understand that life has not always been fair but that you will always be here, you will always be present and you will always be alert.

Tell yourself that no matter what, you will always love yourself.

Also, remember to tell yourself that you’re walking on the right path at this moment. You’re taking the directions you need, you’re making the necessary changes and you’re paying attention. You are growing and you’re open to learn.

And most of all, tell yourself that no matter where this path takes you, you will always be loved.

Take today to remind yourself of how important you really are.

I know you can do that because I know you believe in that.

with Love,

Luciane at HomeBunch.com

Interior Design Services within Your Budget

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Sources: Interiors by Nina Liddle Design. Photos by Kit Noble.

1675 Lamington Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921, Bedminster, New Jersey, United States For Sale

Read article : 1675 Lamington Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921, Bedminster, New Jersey, United States For Sale

Firefly Farm is a captivating property set on woodlands management farmland-assessed land. It was transformed from a circa 1850 Pennsylvania barn into a luxurious residence in 2000. The result of a comprehensive re-design process is a comfortable home that interweaves 19th century features and modern amenities. Outside, a stone-walled bluestone courtyard, an in-ground swimming pool, green lawns and perennial gardens enhance the landscaped acreage.

Original appointments include rough-hewn ceiling beams, barn wood walls and ceilings, geometric trusses and wide plank pine wood floors. These details complement newer installations like a hot water radiant floor heating system serving most of the home, an updated kitchen combining old and new amenities, and spacious bedrooms. Oversized and transom-topped divided light windows brighten the open concept layout.

Introduced by French doors, the entry offers dramatic views into the open floor plan. Capped by a rough-hewn wood mantle, the walk-in stone fireplace is a commanding focal point in the living room. In the banquet-sized dining room, ambient lighting from wall sconces and spot lights are thoughtful features.

Truly the heart of this appealing home, a country kitchen contains painted wood cabinetry, granite counters, a center island with seating, built-in corner hutch, double soapstone farm sink and walk-in pantry. A full complement of appliances includes an electric cooktop, double oven, built-in microwave, dishwasher and Sub-Zero refrigerator. Windows surround a breakfast nook with a built-in bench. Nearby are the brick-floored mud room, well-appointed laundry room and powder room.

Reclaimed bricks were used to create a wood-burning fireplace in the library. Built-in cabinets and shelves, a wet bar with refrigerator, beamed ceilings and 12-inch wide distressed wood floors lend additional character to this handsome space.

Privately situated on the first floor, a master bedroom contains two walk-in closets and French doors to the courtyard. The master bath includes a jetted Jacuzzi tub, two sink vanities, separate shower and garden views.

A staircase to the second story is detailed with reclaimed newel post balusters and hand railing. There is an open loft/study plus three bedrooms. Additional living space in the basement is comprised of a play room/media room, exercise room with wood floors and three storage rooms.

Architect Yann Chu Redesigns a Contemporary Taiwan Home

Read article : Architect Yann Chu Redesigns a Contemporary Taiwan Home

This article originally appeared in the December 2008 issue of Architectural Digest.

It began as a minor experiment," Rudy Tseng maintains, characterizing his move some four years ago from a penthouse apartment in downtown Taipei to a rental house in the suburbs. "I wanted to see if I preferred living outside the city limits—a good 40 minutes from Taipei 101," which he takes care to explain is the world's tallest skyscraper and has even been dubbed "one of the Seven New Wonders of the World." Just as soon as he was able to conclude that he did indeed like the suburbs better, he purchased a place there, in a gated community of 600 contemporary look-more-or-less-alike houses (the strict community code dictated white exterior walls and red-clay-tile roofs).

On the upside: The three-level hillside house afforded a wide-reaching view of archaic pastoral—a valley, a river and, in the distance, a mountain with a face of grand ferocity, bearing as it did a decided resemblance to a lion's head. On the downside: Though only around 20 years old, the structure was deteriorating, battered by the roaring wind and flogging rain of Taiwan's long typhoon season, and there were weeds in the disheveled garden "as high as a human."

Tseng, a former managing director of The Walt Disney Company in Taiwan and now a professor of creative management in the graduate school of a university there, tapped the Taipei-based architect and designer Yann Chu, who had worked on both his apartment and a rental house. "When I first met Yann, he was just back from apprenticing in Paris," Tseng recalls, "and he had named his Taipei studio Marais Design, after the district in the French capital that he had worked in and loved. He was young and fresh, with a lot of good ideas, especially industrial-design concepts. I'm going to go a bit out on a limb here and call him, more than a designer, a creative space reformer. Because even after a year of living in his brainchild, I am still discovering new design elements and experiencing strong aesthetic emotions."

Tseng's own tastes ran to the simple, if not the minimal. It was inescapable, given his collection of contemporary Asian art (including works by Xu Bing, Michael Lin, Li Yuan-Chia, Lin Liang-Tsai, Jien-Shiu Lien, Chieh-Jen Chen and Zhen Zhon) and YBAs (Young British Artists, including Jason Martin, Ian Davenport and David Batchelor), that he would want the space to look a little like a contemporary art gallery. "I told Yann that everything that could be white should be white," he explains. "I needed it to all be fairly open but without feeling too cold." In the end, thanks to the architect-cum-designer's dynamism, Tseng got "something not just modern but, even better, futuristic."

Chu "changed everything," Tseng says—except for the color of the exterior and the roof, "the two no-nos." Calling for the greatest ingenuity were the concept and subsequent execution of the staircases, which are different for each level. Some are freestanding, others intramural; some are solid, others "see-through" (the railing on the staircase connecting the first and second levels, for instance, is a silver stainless-steel tube encased in glass, while the railing on the staircase connecting the second and third levels is red lacquer). The back side of the open first-to-second-level staircase is accentuated with translucent light boxes.

The architect used reflective or semitransparent materials for the flooring throughout in order to create "other dimensions." To fuse the house to the landscape, he enlarged the existing floor-to-ceiling multipaneled glass doors that opened from the living room to the garden, made still other windows bigger and even added fenestration. "On the third floor, in the den, in front of where I indicated I would be wanting to sit and read," Tseng recounts, "Yann made a window expressly to frame a banana tree he'd planted in the garden right outside." Nor did the architect forget to typhoon-proof the entire house, rigorously reinforcing everything in sight.

The garden plan for all three levels of the building as it climbs the hillside was Chu's, too. On the ground floor, 30 immature Taiwanese cypress trees frame Korean grass, a couple of Japanese cherry trees and a rectangular pond that serves as a swimming pool for Tseng's four-year-old golden retriever, Hamish. The first floor, reached by outdoor stairs, encompasses the entrance hall (Tseng describes it as "a meet-and-greet area for guests") and the vast, luminous living room. The second floor consists of a dining area, a family room and a kitchen—one big open-plan space. A glass wall with a honeycomb inlay, which allows sunlight to penetrate while maintaining privacy, divides the dining area from the lushly planted side garden.

As one ascends the stairs to the master bedroom and bath, den and guest room that constitute the third floor—a double-height amalgam where the architecture achieves its fullest, most engulfing expression—David Batchelor's freestanding neon light boxes blaze into view. Yellow, orange, blue, purple and green, they proceed to bounce fantastically off the glass panels that slice through the space as well as off a structural column that Chu wrapped in stainless steel for a mirroring effect.

Beyond a monumental door yawns the cavernous master bedroom with its semitransparent walls and pyramid ceiling. The master bath is semiopen, with a concave semitransparent boundary-blurring ceiling. On its other, semitransparent side is the book-lined den, which has furniture by Eames and Saarinen. (Chu himself designed a lot of the furniture for the house, including long benches carved from indigenous cypress, sculptural-looking wood stools and assorted cabinets, plus a dining table, a low table and a sideboard.)

"You've probably heard this before, but Chinese care about feng shui," Tseng declares, pointing out a white, surfboardlike object above his bed that he explains is hiding an air-conditioning unit. "One of the things you have to be most cautious about is bed location. The trouble was there was a structural beam over where we wanted to put my bed, and you must never put your bed directly under a beam, unless you want to have bad dreams and bad luck as well. So we put the air conditioner up there and covered it with the surfboard design. You know, there are some people who even obsess about the direction of their bed, but I figured enough was enough—I didn't want to go overboard," he says with a laugh. "Although this whole house is maybe a little bit overboard."

For all that it may look on the outside like its 599 neighbors, it certainly is singular and unexpected within: Together, Yann Chu and Rudy Tseng have made it boldly go where no house in the community has gone before.

Boutique hotels | The Honolulu Advertiser

Read article : Boutique hotels | The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, March 21, 2004

Boutique hotels

By Chris Oliver
Advertiser Staff Writer

In Paul Theroux's novel "Hotel Honolulu," the narrator becomes the manager of the last small old hotel in Waikiki ... "a kind of 'bowteek hotel,' " the owner, Buddy Hamstra, calls it. The fictional 80-room property with its Paradise Lost bar and assortment of eccentric residents lives in the shadow of becoming a "tear-down," replaced by one of the huge chain establishments.

Theroux's hotel may be fiction, but the concept of a "boutique-style" property — small, intimate and comfortable, with staff who remember your name from one year to the next — is very much alive in Waikiki.

"New York hotelier Ian Schrager gets credit for beginning the trend for smaller and more intimate lodgings," said Tia Gordon of the American Hotels & Lodging Association in Washington D.C. "He wanted to get away from the traditional desk-bed-bath hotel room and put more color and style into smaller and hipper properties."

Islanders are often asked by prospective visitors where they should stay, and we sometimes like to make a little getaway to Waikiki ourselves, playing tourist. Where to go? The Advertiser surveyed a number of smaller hotels offering a variety of price ranges and specialties in Waikiki.

Waikiki Parc

Waikiki Parc Hotel:For some, like Bob Good of Mesa, Ariz., a stay at the Waikiki Parc is "like coming home." He says the level of service is excellent. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Hotel employees who remember your name is one reason Bob Good, from Mesa, Ariz., returns to the Waikiki Parc several times a year and says it's "like coming home." He gets a level of service he says is hard to find at hotels on the Mainland. "You can get a room anywhere, but not the quality of service I find here," said Good, 60. "I once left a suitcase behind, and a hotel employee going off their shift personally delivered it to me at the airport. They have the best staff of anywhere I've been."

Smaller and quieter than nearby sister hotel Halekulani, at the end of a cul-de-sac on Helumoa Street, the 297-room, recently renovated Waikiki Parc prides itself on delivering Halekulani-style service at a lower price.

"We have fewer public places in the hotel, so it tends to be quieter. Staff know who you are, and we tend not to have groups, so there is not so much movement," said Patricia Tam, vice president of Halekulani Corp.

Waikiki Parc also pays attention to changing visitor profiles, Tam said. "There's no longer a sharp division between business and leisure travelers. We cater to guests who are frequently doing both. This means an efficient business center and Internet service, workout room, and irons and boards in every room for the increasing number of female business travelers."

Tam said 20 percent of guests are return visitors. "For that to happen, guests must feel a personal tie-in. We are sincere about our services."

Waikiki Parc Hotel, 2233 Helumoa St., 921-7272, www.waikikiparc.com. Kama'aina rates from $125 a night.

W Honolulu

"Boutique" hotels became mainstream when Starwood Hotels & Resorts created its W line, including the W Honolulu, its fifth property, which opened near Diamond Head in 1999. One employee says W stands for "warm, witty, welcoming." Entering the low-ceilinged lobby, the W mood also is cool, chic and sophisticated, definitely mirroring hotelier Schrager's ideal of being a little "on the edge."

"At Diamond Head we're removed from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki," said Teri Orton, W's director of operations. "which promotes the feeling of tranquility. Our staff don't wear name tags, and we personally greet guests with fresh fruit juice and chilled oshibori towels to freshen up while their bags are brought in."

Guests are checked in upstairs in their rooms by "welcome ambassadors." The W has 44 rooms and four suites, including a 2-bedroom penthouse.

Decor and furnishings are Balinese, lighting intimate and subdued. Instead of a hotel lobby, W's entrance mimics a living room, with comfortable sofas that encourage guests to meet and linger.

Weekly guest events include "Revive Wednesdays," a wine and martini party beginning at 6 p.m., and "Wonderlounge" on Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 6 p.m. Diamond Head Grill is open for dinner nightly at 6.

W Honolulu, Diamond Head, 2885 Kalakaua Ave. 922-1700, www.whotels.com. Kama'aina rates from $174 a night for a Diamond Head room.

Outrigger Luana Waikiki

Outrigger Luana: Paige Showe and Derek Rogers relax on a 16th-floor lanai that offers a spectacular view of Waikiki. And keep in mind ... New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, 2863 Kalakaua Ave., 923-1555, www.kaimana.com. At the quiet end of Waikiki, the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel has long been a favorite place for kama'aina to put out-of-town guests and also to get away themselves. The hotel's beachside Hau Tree Lanai is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kama'aina rate is $116 per room, per night. Aston Waikiki Joy Hotel, 320 Lewers St. 923-2300, www.aston-hotels.com. The Waikiki Joy has 93 rooms with in-room jacuzzi baths and Bose stereo systems. Guests are greeted with a guava-lava smoothie on arrival and get one free hour with a keepsake video in one of the property's 12 karaoke studios. The hotel is intimate, popular with honeymooners and gay-friendly. Kama'aina rates start at $89 per room, per night and include continental breakfast. Aston Coconut Plaza Hotel, 450 Lewers St., 923-8828, www.aston-hotels.com. The 84-room Coconut Plaza has a bed-and-breakfast flavor. A cobblestone driveway leads to a gazebo garden area. Kama'aina rates start at $59 for a studio, per night, and includes continental breakfast. Aston Waikiki Beachside, 2452 Kalakaua Ave., 931-2100, www.aston-hotels.com. The hotel overlooks Waikiki beach and serves a three-course English tea on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Kama'aina rates start at $95 per room, per night. Royal Garden at Waikiki, 440 Olohana St., 943-0202. Small, quiet, Royal Garden at Waikiki has 202 rooms, two swimming pools, two jacuzzis and two saunas as well as Cascada, a French restaurant and Shizu, a Japanese eatery. Kama'aina rates start at $95 per room, per night. 'Ilima Hotel, 445 Nohonani St., 923-1877, www.ilima.com. 'Ilima has 99 rooms, a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom suites and a three-bedroom penthouse. Ilima describes itself as family-oriented rather than a boutique hotel, with large rooms and a new conference center (for groups up to 50); 75 percent of hotel guests are returnees. Kama'aina rates start at $95. —Chris Oliver

Steve Winter, general manager of Outrigger Luana Waikiki, says the concept of the boutique hotels resides in the relationship between employee and guest. "The attitude is a desire to do something, not an obligation. It's knowing names, attentive service and ensuring the guest wants to return," Winter said.

Outrigger is converting the former 242-room Waikiki Terrace hotel into a 217-room condotel with an $11 million renovation. The units include studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. The hotel program is managed by Outrigger to generate income for absentee landlords.

Part of the Outrigger Luana's boutique attraction is its location on Kalakaua Avenue at the Ala Moana end of Waikiki, almost surrounded by Fort DeRussy's 66-acre green belt. "Ocean on one side, city views on the other. There's not a lot of concrete around us, and it's spectacular at night," Winter said.

Luana's units are compact with cleverly built-in appliances; one- and two-bedroom apartments have a kitchen. There is a sundeck and pool, fitness room, coin-operated laundry and an activity desk. There is no restaurant in the building, but there are 15 eateries within a block or two. Ourigger Luana Waikiki, 2045 Kalakaua Ave., 955-6000, www.outrigger.com. Kama'aina rates begin at $126 a night for a studio, $195 for a one-bedroom apartment.

Aqua Bamboo

"Small, comfortable. hip and affordable" is how Lisa Maria Priester describes the Aqua Bamboo on Kuhio Avenue. Priester, 36, an interior designer with Architects Hawaii, stayed there over Valentine's Day weekend after reading about the newly renovated hotel in a travel magazine. "It's not a fancy resort, but they've done a good job," Priester said, viewing the hotel's neutral decor through a designer's eye. She said it has appeal for the contemporary budget traveler.

"Our studio apartment had two double beds and a plasma-screen TV. The lobby is beautifully furnished Indonesian-style and the rates, especially for kama'aina, are great," she said. Priester also liked the little journal in each room in which travelers can record their stories.

"There aren't too many true boutique hotels in Waikiki," said Bamboo manager Joseph Yamaoka, "but we do our best to provide a 'home away from home' experience for our guests." He describes it as B&B intimacy with hotel amenities.

One of three Aqua properties in Waikiki, Bamboo offers guest rooms with at least one private lanai (many have more than one), color television, in-room safe and shower with full tub and kitchen, all renovated in 2001. Amenities include ice and soda vending machines, concierge services, parking (for a fee), swimming pool, jet spa/sauna (at nearby Hyatt Regency for a fee), coin-operated laundromat, sundeck, barbeque grill, garden with pavilion.

Aqua Bamboo, 2425 Kuhio Ave., 922 7777, www.aquaresorts.com. Kama'aina rates start at $89 for a studio.

Pikake Suites

Take any back road in Waikiki, and between high-rise concrete towers are plenty of alternative lodgings. One block back from Kalakaua Ave., behind a big wooden gate, the Pikake Suites, a seven-suite, two-story building, opens this month after renovations, aimed at gay and honeymoon travelers. (It was formerly Ha'eheo Guest House and Magnolia Hotel.)

"We see our property as a comfortable sanctuary," said general manager Michael Lunde. The two-bedroom suites with lounge and small kitchen are elegantly furnished in Balinese style. There is a library/reading area, and a small fountain courtyard and jacuzzi. "Our guests are international as well as from the Mainland. Most will stay around a week," Lunde said. What's special about the place? "Hmmm, it's got to be the staff attitude. We're here to greet guests and ensure they enjoy their stay from the get-go," Lunde said.

Pikake Suites, 2566 Cartwright Road, 778-2283. No kama'aina rates; the two-bedroom suites are $179 a night.

Ohana Reef Lanai

Ohana Reef hotel manager Lester Shim says the 110-room property on Saratoga Avenue offers small-scale, more personal service. "I've worked in larger hotels where there is a "time poverty" problem, Shim said. "There are only so many minutes, with many people demanding your attention. Here at the Ohana Reef Lanai, it's less hectic and we can offer the same services without the hustle and bustle."

The Reef Lanai became the first smoke-free hotel property on O'ahu in November. "We took a risk, especially with business clients — no smoking anywhere — but we thought it was the right thing to do," Shim said. Prohibiting smoking guarantees guests a no-smoking room, something other hotels cannot absolutely promise, he said.

During the early morning in the small lobby looking out on Saratoga across from Fort DeRussy Park, guests can be seen coming and going, ducking into Buzz's restaurant in the hotel for breakfast (the restaurant is smoke-free, too).

The hotel offers a choice of standard, studio and large one-bedroom suites that can sleep families of six, and recently won an editor's choice award from Travel Holiday magazine for best hotel in its price range.

Ohana Reef Lanai, 225 Saratoga Ave. 923-3881, www.ohanahotels.com. Kama'aina rates from $85 per room, per night. A $79-a-night kama'aina special, which includes a free continental breakfast, is available, depending on hotel occupancy.

The Breakers

Mid-morning rain doesn't bother guests at The Breakers, an old Hawai'i-style resort on Beachwalk. In the central courtyard around the swimming pool, general manager Ethel Nada is on hand to chat with guests and suggest indoor activities, but many are content to read on their lanais and wait out the shower.

"Home, friends, family" are words Nada uses to describe the resort's ambience. Nada started out with The Breakers as booking clerk when it opened and has never left. The hotel is celebrating 50 years in business now. She knows her guests personally, 75 percent of whom are return visitors. Many of her staff have been with her for 20 years, she said.

"We consider ourselves an oasis among high-rises," Nada said of the Japanese-style budget resort. "Friends return here each year to meet up."

The Breakers does not market itself as "cool and hip," rather as "gracious Island living." Architecturally, the resort matches the Urasenke Tea House, with which it shares the property.

The Breakers, 250 Beachwalk, 923-3181, www.breakers-hawaii.com. No kama'aina rates; room rates begin at $91 a day, single; $94 a day, double.

Single dad converts Airstream caravan into a luxury home

Read article : Single dad converts Airstream caravan into a luxury home

A single father has managed to halve his living costs by transforming a vintage Airstream caravan into a luxury home for £24,000.

Tom, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, built the nifty living space in less than a year in a bid to join the 9.5 million Brits now living mortgage free in a response to soaring housing prices.

He bought a 32ft long Airstream caravan from America for £11,000 and set himself an initial £15,000 budget for the refit - doing all the building and decorating himself - but ended up overspending by £9,000 and was forced to dip into his savings.

The 36-year-old was shelling out £12,000 a year on renting a two-bedroom house for him and daughter Katie, nine, after splitting with her mother.

But after seven years he grew tired of wasting money on rent and bills, saying: ‘I don’t like the idea of being tied down. Whether it’s renting or mortgage, I want to be freer.’

32ft long Airstream caravan from America for £11,000 but had the daunting challenge of creating a living space big enough for him and his daughter Katie" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Bright idea: Tom bought this 32ft long Airstream caravan from America for £11,000 but had the daunting challenge of creating a living space big enough for him and his daughter Katie

joins property expert Sarah Beeny, architect Damion Burrows and designer Max McMurdo in Wednesday night's series finale of How To Live Mortgage Free" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Tom (second left) joins property expert Sarah Beeny, architect Damion Burrows and designer Max McMurdo in Wednesday night's series finale of How To Live Mortgage Free

Tom, a project manager, revealed his ambitious plans to property expert Sarah Beeny on Channel 4's How to live Mortgage Free during Wednesday night's finale.

'I quite like a challenge,' Tom said of his plans for a home with an 'open-plan loft vibe'.

Staffordshire lies in the West Midlands, where house prices grew by 6.5 per cent in the year to March 2017 according to a recent ONS report - the second highest annual growth in the country.

Instead, Tom managed to build a comfortable and surprisingly spacious home for just a fraction of the price - at a total cost of £35,000.

His vintage 'silver bullet' was in full working order when he bought it but the interiors had a dated, 1980s feel to them - forcing Tom to start from scratch.

Two weeks in, architect Damion Burrows stepped in to help Tom make the most of the limited space advising him to merge the cramped toilet cubicle with the shower room to make a spacious 'wet room'. 

Blast from the past: Tom's vintage 'silver bullet' was in full working order when he bought it but the interiors had a dated, 1980s feel to them - forcing Tom to start from scratch

told presenter Sarah Beeny: ‘I don’t like the idea of being tied down. Whether it’s renting or mortgage, I want to be freer’" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Tom, who had spent £84,000 on renting and bills, told presenter Sarah Beeny: ‘I don’t like the idea of being tied down. Whether it’s renting or mortgage, I want to be freer’

32ft long Airstream caravan from America for £11,000 and set himself an initial £15,000 budget for the refit - doing all the building and decorating himself" class="blkBorder img-share" />

The father-of-one bought a 32ft long Airstream caravan from America for £11,000 and set himself an initial £15,000 budget for the refit - doing all the building and decorating himself

And a month into his project he got a visit from designer Max McMurdo, who uses a second-hand drop-leaf table as inspiration for a foldaway breakfast bar, dining table and working space which will also serve as a fold-up TV screen.

Meanwhile, nine-year-old Katie was tasked with downsizing her extensive toy collection to fit into a small storage bin in her new room.  

The finished product comprises a spacious double bedroom with a small bathroom leading into a galley kitchen with all the mod-cons, plus a ‘day bed’ in the living area for when nine-year-old Katie stays over.

architect Damion Burrows (left) stepped in to help Tom make the most of the limited space advising him to merge the cramped toilet cubicle with the shower room" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Two weeks in, architect Damion Burrows (left) stepped in to help Tom make the most of the limited space advising him to merge the cramped toilet cubicle with the shower room

Tom's mobile home means he can make the most of the Staffordshire countryside without the mortgage - in a region where house prices soared by 6.5 per cent in the last year alone

Damion said of the living area (pictured): ‘This is not a caravan as we know it at all, it feels so light and airy. It’s almost like he’s turned the whole thing inside out. This is such a nice space’

finished product comprises a spacious double bedroom with a small bathroom leading into a galley kitchen, plus a ‘day bed’ in the living area (pictured)" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Transformation: The finished product comprises a spacious double bedroom with a small bathroom leading into a galley kitchen, plus a ‘day bed’ in the living area (pictured)

With no mortgage, Tom now spends just £500 a month for space on a caravan site - half of what he was previously paying in rent and bills. 

A visibly impressed Damion gushed: ‘This is not a caravan as we know it at all, it feels so light and airy. It’s almost like he’s turned the whole thing inside out. This is such a nice social space.’

The series sees Sarah team up with Damion and Max to look at the inventive ways people are beating the expensive property market by building high-end homes on a modest budget. 

Also on Wednesday night, a young Shropshire couple told how they became mortgage free by building a second house, which they sold to clear their debts.

And in the Cotswolds a couple built a two-bedroom farmstead home inside a pair of former mobile offices for just £36,000.

L-R Max McMurdo, Sarah Beeny and Damion Burrows were suitably impressed with Tom's mobile home which he refurbished at a relatively modest cost of £15,000

Property expert Sarah Beeny believes more people should be like Tom and find inventive ways to stop spending all their money on rent - as it will save them an 'extraordinary amount of money'" class="blkBorder img-share" />

Property expert Sarah Beeny believes more people should be like Tom and find inventive ways to stop spending all their money on rent - as it will save them an 'extraordinary amount of money'

In London, Sarah met Dominic, who bought a former parking lot with a friend and together they built two, four-storey homes out of concrete for £200,000, each now worth over £1million.

Explaining the concept behind her new show, former property developer and entrepreneur Sarah said: 'It’s all about finding slightly alternative ways of living. 

'If you want to go the standard route where you live near Starbucks and the tube in a three bedroom Victorian terrace, you probably can’t live mortgage free, because you need more money for that. 

'But a lot of people spend an awful lot of money on rent. If you can stop paying rent then you save an extraordinary amount of money.'

How to Live Mortgage Free with Sarah Beeny is now available on All 4