Designer Digs
Tucked away in the upper reaches of one of East Honolulu’s quiet residential valleys is a tranquil street lined with architectural gems. The homes were built over half a century ago with a blend of ranch style and mid-century cues, pushed back from the gently sloping sidewalks by a generous front yard and the openness and approachability afforded by the neighbors’ fenceless boundaries. This timeless street scape has not only survived the decades of change that many neighborhoods have seen but is also equally cherished by the families living there, no matter how long their roots have been planted. It is in this spot that we find the family abode of Lan Chung and her husband, Donovan Agor.
Having previously lived on the Ainakoa Ridge overlooking the ever-breezy escarpment, the couple sought a home located in an area with just enough of the trade winds to enjoy their time outdoors with their growing family and ever-expanding circle of friends. Finding this home was serendipitous for the couple, and the timing allowed Chung — known for being the founder and designer of the renowned Fighting Eel line of clothing and home products — and Agor, whose work in construction management dovetails right in, to embark on an ambitious-yet-measured renovation project before they even moved in. On the design brief Chung mentions that thier vision was “for a modern and airy interior that seamlessly opens up to usable outdoor spaces for entertaining.”
The result of that home renovation is best experienced just as one would meander through a museum, guided by a docent who has been involved with the space’s evolution. Chung’s enthusiasm for every corner, nook, room and niche has only been heightened by her spending extended time at home during 2020-21, when she was compelled to use the home, and her family, as social media photo backdrops and models for Fighting Eel’s growing home products line. The space’s visual influences draw from the couple’s Vietnamese and Filipino cultures, as well as from their frequent travels to Bali, and they also mesh perfectly with the company’s products.
On display is a longboard with one of Fighting Eel’s signature prints as the deck design. “That’s actually Ava’s board. She’s been going out with Donovan and is quite the surfer,” Chung proudly says, quickly following up with an accolade for her other child, too: “And Bodhi, our son... we can’t let a home tour start without mentioning that he lent his name to Villa Bodhi, our home.” Chung’s effusive pride is evident as the open kitchen becomes the epicenter of conversation, just as it does while entertaining, being adjacent to the outdoor cabana (that used to be a garage) and poolside patio. “Is it too early for pho?” she asks, “I can whip one up real quick,” and the temptation to savor her warm hospitality is gnawing.
The well-appointed kitchen is not just a showpiece, but clearly used for family meals and to welcome friends with homemade heartiness.
Opening a few walls, adding custom sliding doors to the outside and reconfiguring a smaller bedroom into a bathroom suite and walk-in closet are some of the more intensive changes that Chung and Agor made to the home’s private spaces, but they also share how the project was mindful of the overall feeling on the street. “We deliberately made sure that the outside of the home wasn’t transformed too drastically. We didn’t want to be ‘that one house’ on the block that strayed too far from the neighborhood’s vibe.” Having that preserved curb appeal and burnished patina from a prior age also reminds them of why they moved here; “it was the neighbors and their homes that make the locale,” Chung says. “We approached this project with that in mind,” and on this street and in this space, they found the perfect fit for their family; one might even say it was tailor made, and not off-the-rack.