INdoor & OUTdoor Living

IN & OUT DESIGNERS: Its not your home from the past anymore

Only in Hawaii and a few other places can we live without too many walls, separating the indoors and the outdoors. Tahiti is another place, and our trip there lecturing aboard a cruise ship on the artist and character, Paul Gauguin, showed us houses with no glass in the windows of simple homes, not really necessary in the warm climate.

Yet in Hawaii, whether we have windows with glass or numerous walls for privacy, we also live outdoors a lot of the time. Its nice to be protected from the sun and the trade winds when they get too strong, but otherwise outdoors is where you will find many of us, on balconies, on lanais, in cour
A simple chair will do, better yet a pair of chairs. Another approach is to make the outdoors as interesting and comfortable as the indoors, so that we are living well in both. The OUTdoor space doesn't have to be large, better if it is room size in a way or made to fee that way.
From our projects, I am thinking of several that stand out. One had a pavilion that duplicated the same size and shape as the adjacent living room so we used good quality and comfortable outdoor sofas and chairs, even an outdoor area rug. There was overhead recessed lighting but otherwise the outdoor electrical floor lamps work well but make sure they are electrified for outdoor use.
Another design project used striped outdoor fabric, along with a coordinating one on adjacent seating. Too often we have seen outdoor furniture with matching all the outdoor fabric. Yes, it can be effective but at times not very exciting. Of course the same goes for the indoors too. Coordinating three or more fabrics is definitely an art, but oh so artful when done well, which in all modesty we do exceptionally well.

INdoor LIVING

Connect the INdoors with the OUTdoors is a wonderful style. Often enough its done from inside to outside. Another approach is the reverse, use OUTdoor styled furniture inside. This works well if the style, comfort, and quality are used in both spaces, certainly a poor idea of we are using the poolside furniture from a hardware store, of whatever size, in our homes. Oh, yes, its been done, suggesting that the real furniture is yet to arrive. Mostly, they typical patio furniture is just not comfortable enough.

DESIGN WITH YOU IN MIND: www.furnishingsllc.com

We have designed in Hawaii for nearly 15 years; it is our home, though we have worked internationally, in Canada, in the USA -- primarily in Carmel, Los Angeles, Boston, and Florida too. In all of it, Hawaii offers such a wonderful opportunity for living well, with style, with aloha, with health, with goodwill.
We would be delighted to offer our experience to add to your life and lifestyle. Its more than furniture; its a way of living with harmony and kindness and spirit. Yes, its our passion.

With aloha, Roger and Richard
808.542.9845 & 808.225.5821
www.Furnishingsllc.com

What Design Can Contribute

Adding Something: What Design Can Do For Your Life
There is a saying I found many years ago on the inside of an old book, "We change our skies but not ourselves who cross the seven seas." There is some truth to that but also with experience and with a fresh perspective, we do change in our lives. It holds for interior design as well.
From Throw Away to Keepsakes
There is a place for disposable furniture, for the pieces we bought in our first apartment, in the college dorm. However, its rather expensive to keep replacing things as we create our homes, whether our permament home as well as vacation homes. Instead, keep at least something from our past, and the historical past, along with something more of the present -- whether modern or tropical, in the case of Hawaii, is also a wonderful way to create a sence of place. Let us explain more.
A Design Suggestion or Two:
We see design becoming more practical (with comfort) and yet individualized (with unique fabrics and combinations of eras, including modern). On the practical side, here's a trend we certainly want to create with clients: buy fewer but nicer pieces of furniture.
Take sofas and chairs for example.
We recognize that furniture stores can sell based on looks and price, but what of comfort? A customer often doesn't get to sit for two hours on a store display sofa, reading a book, engaged in conversation, watching television, etc. Often the comfort isn't there because the construction and materials aren't designed for comfort, but to sell on impulse.
You test drive a new car but not a new sofa, nor side chairs, nor dining chairs.
"Excuse me, may I entertain with a dinner party in the store or stay overnight to see if I like what you are selling?" That is not what anyone might do, well, without being ushered out politely or otherwise.
In addition, we have become accustomed to uncomfortable furniture. That's what is filling up restaurants, hotels, airports, and, yes, friends' homes too. Its less expensive and its also what surrounds us, so we just put up with that sofa that gives us a back ache, the dining chairs that irritate us. We can do better than McMac furniture and homes.
Budget, Budget, and Value
Buy quality and you will sleep better, enjoy your entire home more in every room.
Now the question of budget is realistic. Once a husband asked us to not sell his wife any more furniture. I replied with a smile that was our purpose, n'est pas?
Our Contribution as International Interior Designers
The better answer to the above request reflects our mission and goal as interior designers: buy fewer but nicer furniture, with comfort and style. These are our suggestions.
No, this approach won't change lives, but will add a degree of serenity and sense of place and beauty to our surroundings.
Let's Live More!
With all of this said, a well designed home, whether condominium in the sky or estate with grounds can be stimulating, enjoyable, fun. So can the process.
We are available to new clients and existing ones too, who want to add a freshness to their lives, rethink how to live in a new era, surround themselves with a home that adds liveliness.
Referrals
One professional realtor on the mainland who we admire greatly has a saying on her business card that we want to express as well:

The finest compliment we can ever receive is a referral from family, friends, and clients. Thank you so much.

We welcome referrals, so we can help. How? The answer is in the process of choosing the right home, take on remodeling, add just the right materials and colors, and create a well designed and comfortable home with furnishings, lighting, color, and more.
We return back home, permanently, to Hawaii in April, and we look forward to meeting with existing and new clients.

With Aloha, Richard and Roger
Design/Build/Remodel/Interior Design
with over 40 years of international experience
www.furnishingsllc.com 808.225.5821

Returning Home to Hawaii
We are so pleased to announce that we are returning home to Hawaii, to live, to be creative, to have the pleasure of working with new and existing clients again. Yes, life has been busy on the mainland with wonderful projects in Canada, a special loft project in Las Vegas, and meeting new people, new friends too.
A Look Ahead: International Clients
As the world changes, there are new cultures and new people coming to Hawaii. From the mobility of the economies in China and other Asian countries, there is the opportunity to live in wonderful parts of the world. Certainly Vancouver, a city we know well, has evolved into a world class business and residential area, the exceptional weather of Hawaii has its own appeal.

There is in Hawaii, educational opportunities, as well as cultural connections that blend the east and the west. As a result, Hawaii is also geographically desirable for international families.
Health and Wealth
Our observation of clients over the years has reinforced the wisdom that money cannot buy lost health; yet it can create a healthy way to live in a proactive sense. The best of medicine, stable government, real estate desirability -- all of these are found in the beautiful and healthy islands of Hawaii.
Where to live? Certainly Hawaii is a year round desirable location, and Honolulu is, in our opinion, one of the best situations by offering more sophisticated culture, educational opportunities, and residential areas. However, we have lived and worked so many lovely places in Hawaii.
What's Missing?
There are fine residential areas, both estates and condominiums in Honolulu. Certainly new buildings and homes are sometimes luxurious, but it is the established areas where international residents chose to live, so did everyone else.
What is missing are sophisticated and updated homes, new ones too, in the quantity to meet the next group of international buyers.
Our Help
We are not realtors, though work closely with the top realtors in Hawaii. Instead we can advise clients on the hidden value in estates through remodeling and fine interior design. Many homes have potential but too often are not furnished or updated in a manner suitable for international, sophisticated buyers. We would be delighted to help, using our background and experience in creating estates and a sophisticated lifestyle for international clients.
Sincerely,
Roger Ingram & Richard Rombach
808.542.9845 808.225.5821

Winter Food: A little of this, a little of that
As is often our way, food and relaxation are good for us, and to share. Here's how our meals are evolving, in part thanks to our good friend, Jack Lirio, retired from owner of culinary schools, world food traveler, and continuing an active life in Hawaii.
Winter is a good time to cook
I do it by starting with the classic, mirepoix combination of onions, celery, and carrots, all chopped fine and sauteed slowly in olive oil with or without added butter. From there I make soups and stews. Whatever vegetables are fresh in the stores, plus added canned tomatoes are the ingredients I use to make minestrone soup, vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, and more, all depending on what's in my kitchen and what sounds appetizing.
Then raw or blanched (slightly cooked) vegetables make a good appetizer with olive oil as the dipping sauce, even hummus.
Simple food is nourishing this time of year
Enjoy food with the best type of ingredient, that is with family and friends, along with the occassional rich holiday food as well. Its the combination that works well, with enjoyment and good healthy results too! Sounds like a reasonable new year's resolution

A Design to Living: when who and even what we have around us matters.


Is it a year gone by already? Yes is the answer each year as so many of us ask with unbelievable reality -- time flies by. The notion of time within the context of our own personal lifestyle, it is indeed something precious to use wisely for living fully.
With individual differences seen in the way we carry that out, there is the spirit filled notion of giving to others, being kind, and the golden rule, in contemporary expression: be good -- to yourself and others, we are one people.
If furniture, accessories, and art matters at all, it is as a reminder and stimulator to remind us of the past and future of our lives. Yes, something from the Roman era is beautiful next to something quite modern. This can be a thoughtful reminder of creativity, of evolution of social and economic politics, and it can be just quite simply beauty and tranquility in our lives.
We wish all of us a wonderful new year, one based on goodwill, one where we notice the beauty of the world and work towards creating that in a kind work or gesture as well as more in our lives in 2012.
Who do we want around us? Reconnect with family, good friends, and be inclusive by inviting others into our lives, the new people in our town, the older person left alone, the delightful person at the shop we frequent. Worry less about status and more about spirit. Well, that's the orientation we are taking, and we invite you to do the same with what ever is your form of generosity.
Let's live well, and be kind to others in the same way.
With Aloha, Roger and Richard

A New Day

Remembering the Past
With Aloha
Here we are now in Las Vegas, exploring design possibilities and creating a second life here, to return back and forth to Hawaii when the economy calls for design work. We remember well the homes we created in Honolulu, on the Big island at Mauna Kea & Hualalai, and Kauai as well.
Yes, remembering the past is fine, but living in the present is also important.
With Viva Las Vegas
So here we are, and there you are: our lives do indeed evolve, change, and we go along willingly, positively, or otherwise. Our families are like that as children grow to adulthood, our parents live and their lives are memories for us when they pass, and with the best of spirits our lives can still be full.
Now for Style
Of course style can be rather simple, surface oriented but then again when it is connected to spirit, feelings, & love of life there is more to it than appearances. In this broader view, style is a natural enactment of belief in living well, shared with others, whether at the grocery store or private country club. Our style broadly could, should, does add to life.
That somehow translates to having a home filled with our personality, filled with style that reflects our love of life, to be shared.
Now this is a prelude to offering our design service as a guide to style that reflects you and your dreams. Fabrics, sofas, color on the walls, these are the things many people, including designers, connect with a home worked on by an interior designer.
Furnishings ONE in Las Vegas
I would suggest we take a different approach with a transformation of our design, rather style business in Las Vegas as Furnishings ONE ---
ONE reason to use an interior designer is results. When a residence reflects you, literally surrounds you with style and livability, you benefit daily. Think of it as gifting yourself, to be shared with family and friends.
ONE reason to use Furnishings ONE ltd. is style, developed over our years of international design experience. We get it right the first time, with whatever level of participation and budget you have in mind.
Let's talk. We want to hear your dreams. Our Las Vegas telephone is (702)52-6815. Initial consultation is without charge.
Viva Aloha
So here we are and there you are: we wish you good thoughts and with style, your own style. When we can assist in that, with our design and style experience, do let us know. As we adapt to a new world, we will do it with style.

Conversation
The art of
There are different styles of conversation, all too often a monologue for the nervous, ill at ease, or egocentric among us. But there is a different way, a more relaxed one. This is a practiced art, and one of the nicest descriptions of those who practice it well includes paying attention to the other person, their thoughts, their ideas, all of which puts them at ease, no matter what the situation, whether with a neighbor, boss, dignitary or others.
Encourage Participation
Perhaps it is my psychologist background, but I notice who is not at ease, often not participating or sometimes overtaking others. Then I encourage a more equitable distribution of "talking" by asking questions. Now that is an art. Certainly we can ask random, even silly questions, but to ask good, interesting, and thoughtful ones is another thing all together. Practice writing down a few, to bring along with you, as well as the bouquet of flowers or bottle of wine to the next dinner party you attend. They may be the nicest gift of all, to stimulate good conversation and inclusion of others.
Beyond the what and where
Here it is not a matter of good or bad questions, but another way of looking at it. On cruise ships, I lecture on "The Art of Conversation" and its appropriate since after one dinner with a table of 8, 10, or even 4, we can easily run out of conversation. After all, to repeat the where
are you from, what do you do (so North American to ask that one), details about family, then what is left? Certainly, not the same thing the second and third time we see the same people.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
Its a matter of putting others, and through the process ourselves, at ease. So start with closed ended questions, those that can be answered with a simple yes or no or a short reply. Yet, don't stop there but continue with follow-up questions that allow a more thoughtful and expansive response, and these are open ended questions.
On cruise ships, I will explain this as the "where are you from?" question followed by "what do you enjoy about living there" question types. With your hands in your lap, the first is a closed fist, the second is an open palm. Its a good way to remember and be flexible yourself, with opening and closing your hand.
It took on a humorous tone on one cruise, where I suggested guests way to me that way, with their hands in motion, open and then closed. It became a kind of signal from one guest to another as well. Most importantly it was fun, created connection among people who went beyond the "hello, how are you" stage to enjoyable conversation.
So What Does this Have to Do with Living Well and Interior Design?
In the larger perspective, hopefully living well and design are well connected, since living well suggests, for us, inviting others into our lives, either in conversation at a luncheon table of strangers, with our relatives, with those around us at church, concerts, the art museum and elsewhere.
And interior design has to do with creating an environment to enjoy and experience an elevation of our thoughts, spirit, and openness to life. That is our framework, as interior designers in adding beauty and harmony to our lives, shared with others. Perhaps this is and may become your perspective as well.