Mānoa Modern
The airy yard is home to birds, a bunny and a tortoise.
(Photos courtesy Olivier Koning.)
The duality of time and timelessness permeates Mānoa Valley. At once a place that breathes history and generational evolution under the misty, cooling breath that descends from its encircling ridges, the steady trades bring dew-laden rainbows as they nourish gardens and the stream below. While the valley’s modern rhythms are palpably influenced more by the waves of students who shuttle in and out, wandering just a few long blocks up any of its arteries will bring one to a slice of old Hawai‘i life largely unchanged from decades past, as reflected by the rows of thoughtfully preserved homes one encounters.
It is here, near the geographic center of the valley, that we discover the Obana residence, home to Bill and Kara Obana and the two sons they raised in the home over the past 20-plus years. It is also home to a healthy warren of fauna and growing swaths of well-tended flora, as indicated by the Wildlife Sanctuary plaque out front and an impeccably cared-for garden with an aviary that doubles as a hothouse for plants and a hutch for a floppy-eared resident. With the Obanas’ boys now grown and popping back for the limited sojourn, Kara and Bill turned their attention inward and embarked on a renovation that hewed close to the home’s bones but delivered reimagined spaces tailored to the next chapter of their lives.
Not a small renovation, as it transformed the open kitchen, adjoining sitting room, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and the homeowners’ bedroom suite. The home had been added on to when the Obanas first moved in, but two decades on, it was time to do a more intensive interior refresh.
“It was easy, right?” Kara asks her deft guiding hand and interior designer, Jamie Jasina, ASID, of Jas Interiors, putting her on the spot only as two close friends can.
“Of course it was, but...” Jasina replies, with a light trailing caveat hanging in the air. “We went through all phases of design, demolition, construction, and finishing as true partners in the final product — and became good friends through it all, too.”
The dining area brings guests right into the heart of the home; the lanai is called upon for outdoor entertainment during the cooler months; this fully renovated bathroom had every tile placed with precision.
(Photos courtesy Olivier Koning.)
Local girl Jasina is no stranger to the worlds of architecture and interior design, after career-developing stints at noteworthy firms Ted Moudis & Associates in NYC and Philpotts Interiors and Peter Vincent Architects here in Honolulu, where she was an Associate and Manager of Interiors.
Walking through the finished home with both homeowner and interior designer trading banter and reminiscing about the spaces’ transformation shed plenty of light on the process and changes, large and small. Since the project was fully contained within the home’s walls, Jasina explained that an architect wasn’t required, which gave her free rein to collaborate fully with the Obanas and help them execute their vision. Some rooms were gutted to the studs — most notably their bedroom and bathroom, as well as the kitchen, adjunct music room, and guest bathroom. Jasina’s attention to every detail of the design was evident in every surface that was transformed.
“We took the Heath tiles and laid them out to make sure that they looked right without the random outlier in tone or color to distract the eye,” she explained as we studied the new hand-cut backsplash. “Same for the bathroom floor — we laid it out full scale and transferred the marble pieces tile by tile to ensure a cohesive look.”
The home’s entry blends vintage floors with hand-painted murals.
The bedroom was transformed with built-to-order hardwood furniture.
(Photos courtesy Olivier Koning.)
Nothing was overlooked in the project, particularly since the Obanas moved out but didn’t go far. Temporarily living just across the street allowed them to keep close tabs on progress. “I actually had to come by every day to feed the animals and tend to my plants,” Kara explains. She also raised her hand to acknowledge Jasina’s foresight in knowing which style of kitchen cabinets she would ultimately choose, despite second-guessing her choice mid-build.
Now that the project is completed and the cabinets are stocked, Obana reiterates how the renovation’s success can be credited to more than just the design details. “Jamie really looked at how we live and what we wanted for our home, since it was an update of a prior addition.”
Hearing that, Jasina chimes in with some of the specs and touches that stand out: “This powder room’s Tadelakt [traditional Moroccan lime plaster] walls have a hand-painted mural that was refined until it matched the sink,” and, moving down a room or two, “this bed and the matching side tables were custom-made by Rust & Root, who make bespoke furniture in Kapolei.”
What really stands out, though, as one walks through and experiences the new spaces of the Obana residence, is how everything ties together. New and old, every space just effortlessly seems like it has been there forever — and that is the truest sign of delivering a home that is lived in authentically and welcomes guests to come in and be as at home as their hosts. Spend some time at the Obana residence, and you will also feel that it is again as timeless as it has always been.
This fully renovated bathroom had every tile placed with precision.
The lanai is called upon for outdoor entertainment during the cooler months.
(Photos courtesy Olivier Koning.)