London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

This Seaside, Hawaiian Retreat by Walker Warner and Nicole Hollis Is Set Up Like a Small Village

This Seaside, Hawaiian Retreat by Walker Warner and Nicole Hollis Is Set Up Like a Small Village

The interiors are as breathtaking as the views.

Located at the edge of the sea within a field of black lava, this four-bedroom, 7,000-square-foot Kona, Hawaii, retreat is quite the peaceful playland. The homeowners (a husband and wife who live on the East Coast) wanted a place where they could enjoy the island and its breathtaking nature-plus all of the benefits being a part of a resort community offers. While the resort, Kukio Golf and Beach Club, had certain architectural guidelines, San Francisco-based Walker Warner Architects-who have done many projects in Hawaii-and interior designer Nicole Hollis were enlisted to create a tranquil oceanside compound.

“We had already done some work for them, so when they purchased the property in Hawaii they asked us if we had any interest,” recalls Walker Warner principal Greg Warner, who also happens to have been raised in Kona.

This particular property sits on three-quarters of an acre 15 miles from Kailua Bay along the resort coastline. “They knew about the resort and the amenities associated with it so it was more or less about finding the right piece of land,” Warner says. “They wanted something right on the ocean’s edge” that would accommodate a central courtyard and multiple guest houses, somewhere they could bring friends and spend holidays.

Black lava from the 1801 eruption of Hualalai formed the edge of the island, leaving a raw feel with land that drops steeply into the Pacific Ocean. Warner used that dramatic topography to his benefit, yielding a place whose architecture ebbs and flows with the siting and coloration of the ground below it.

The L-shaped retreat, which is designed around a central courtyard with an array of smaller minimalist structures, is quite traditional for Hawaiian architecture. “They wanted something fairly soft, yet contemporary and were open-minded,” Warner adds.

Living Room


            

The home's main building-which comprises the dining, kitchen, and living rooms-references the Hawaiian hale, a house with a thatched grass roof. Meanwhile, guest quarters are under separate roofs. “It’s like a village,” remarks Warner.

            


The latticed windows provide varying light to the main hale throughout the day, while stained oak casework provides contrast.

"There is no formal front door to the property," says Warner. "You arrive and ascend to the main building." Flooring: European limestone. Chairs: Le Bambole Armchair by B&B Italia. Club Chairs: Mario Bellini. Coffee table: Caramel cocktail table by Tuell & Reynolds. Sofa: Custom designed by Nicole Hollis and fabricated by Bespoke Furniture.

Sitting Room


            

There are two main suites which flank either side of the main building. This one includes an office and studio space.

Two hales flank the main building; one looks to the north, while the other to the southwest for sunset views. All of the bathrooms have outdoor showers. “That is the benefit of where this project is,” Warner says. “We wanted to bring in as much of the outdoors as possible.”

Nicole Hollis worked with the owners to create a refined complement to the exterior architecture and landscaping inside the home. "The materiality connects the hales and outdoor spaces with the rugged, organic terrain,” she says. “The interiors throughout the separate hales share the minimal style of the main hale, where custom furnishings and objects enhance the relationship with the landscape.”

Dining Room


            

The dining room and kitchen area affords expansive views of the island.

The main building’s doors on the non ocean-facing side are a nod to celosia, a common lattice structure in Mexican architecture that allows for air flow. Glass doors, meanwhile, give views directly to the ocean. The two end walls are coral-clad cement with white oak doors and windows alongside a Wedetern Red Cedar ceiling and limestone floors. Not only are these materials “very durable to weather and dry rot, but also to termites, which are prevalent in Hawaii,” says Warner. Cut basalt pavers line the courtyard, walkways and pool, which is set on the axis of the summer solstice so the sun sets directly in the center of the water on that day.

            

A live-edge table gives the dining area an organic feel.

The dining space includes many custom Nicole Hollis-designed pieces, which bridge a minimal style and organic feel. Dining table: Nicole Hollis, Base by John Houshmand, Koa slab by Kamuela, Hardwoods fabricated by Dovetail Gallery & Design. Benches: Nicole Hollis, Koa slabs by Kamuela, Hardwoods fabricated by Dovetail Gallery & Design. Pendant: Boxing Room pendant by Michael McEwen Lighting.

Bathroom


            

A bathroom in the main building.

One of the main bathrooms, which carries out the same palette seen in the main hale, includes a towel ladder by Jacob May Designs and the Elevation Sconce by Holly Hunt.

Exterior




"The house feels remote, especially above the lava flow edge," says Warner. "It's hard to compare it to anything else." Outdoor dining table: Custom designed by Nicole Hollis, concrete top fabricated by Concreteworks, solid teak base fabricated by Julian Giuntoli Custom Furniture. Loveseats: Iroko Loveseat by Piet Boon.


Comments

Penny camisa 4 year ago
Looks absolutely amazing. Beautiful. Wish I was there!

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×