We had a great conversation with Susan last night and she has approved the fixed finishes for the interior of the Ohana. We were very cost conscious and kept in mind that this will ultimately be a guest house or rental and the overall cost of the Ohana and Main House cannot be overpriced relative to it’s location and surrounding homes. We think it looks very inviting and warm, but also functional and practical. What do you think??1. Entry Stone (slate)2. Copper laminate for fireplace accents3. Bamboo flooring throughout common areas4. Cabinet stain color5. Carpet for the bedrooms6. Porcelain bath flooring tile7. Concrete counter tops for the bathroom8. Ceramic bath tile for the shower surround and backsplash9. Stone mosaic accent tile for the bathroom10. Glass11. Stone for exterior elements and fireplace12. Honed granite counter top for the kitchen

Well, I must toot my partner’s horn and declare that he is a genius! We had our first formal project meeting between our client (Susan), the builder Matthew Strader with Redarts Inc. (http://redartsinc.com/), Fitz (the genius) and yours truly, Momo (interior designer) and it went swimmingly. Fitz took the past few weeks since being back from Hawaii to organize Susan’s program and vision and for the past week we’ve been working together to make changes, tweaks and improvements before sharing with her. There will likely be some value engineering to do but it’s a first step in the right direction. Next week we will be reviewing interior finishes for the Ohana (or guest house which will be phase one of the building), and once these items are selected and approved we shall right a short specification for Matthew to begin putting numbers to. Next thing for Fitz is to figure our what this mammer jammer looks like in elevation so we shall be busy!

We’ve been working on Susan’s home since we got back to the mainland last week and not without a few bumps in the road. We at Naka were naive about the budgetary goals, but now that we’re on board we’re ready to forge forward. This project is going to be a serious study of being thrifty and creative, but I think that makes for a fun and challenging project.  Our aesthetic goals is for the home to feel warm, open, ethnic, and to appear as though it’s been there forever. Here is a photo of inspiration for the master bathroom. Fitz (my partner and lead architect on the project) will finally get to build an outdoor shower!

We arrived in Maui Saturday night June 12, 2010 and were immediately enveloped by the essence of the island. Warm breezes licking our skin with the smell of humidity and greenery in our noses. The adventure has officially begun! Sunday was spent in Lanai with Momo’s sister Nancy and Nancy’s husband’s family. We had the fortune to experience an island church as Momo’s niece was baptized followed by a delicious local lunch after the services. Nancy and her husband Eric toured us around the island as well as through the Four Seasons owned/operated Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay resorts. Eric’s sister-in-law Edith Mirafuentes is an assistant manager at the Koele so we received the star treatment and were able to tour the rooms. While the Koele and Manele Bay resorts are both unique and stunning, the design for the Moulton Residence is in a totally different direction. It was great to experience the resorts for future inspiration, as well as to better understand the notion of indoor/outdoor living that is so critical to island life and culture, and the fireplace at the Koele might be something to act as inspiration for the grand fireplace in the Moulton Residence.Monday was a big day where Fitz, Susan and I ran around the island meeting with various people, walking the site, and finding treasures at various off-the-beaten path shops. The site is not what we expected (that being neither a good or bad thing….just different) but the future potential is obvious! Great view planes of the water, and tons of privacy from neighbors.We stopped at Endangered Pieces and met a psychic-type named Rod. The exterior of the shop was deceiving with a huge random Mardi Gras mask at the entry but there were some serious gems tucked away throughout the meandering shop. Next stop was Finders Keepers where a friend of Susan’s named Dirk showed us around. We came across a huge 1940’s surf board and have found inspiration in the piece.Last stop before drinks at the Hyatt was to a little stand in Lahaina to discuss The Will Smith Foundation annual gala with a craftsperson named Nito. Last year’s gala was an African Safari theme, and the 2011 gala will be Hawaiian. Nito’s heart was so inviting and warm, and her craft items are fabulous. A must stop for tourists.Tuesday turned into a full work day for us. We were so inspired by what we saw the day prior we bypassed the beach and went directly to the grind stone. The design is revealing itself.Mama’s Fish House for dinner last night followed by a show by Grammy winning artist Willie K.Today is Wednesday and we’re at it again. We are struggling with the notion of having the Ohana (or guest house) being adjacent to the future main house or to keep them separate. Locals seem to be of the opinion of keeping them far apart, but for construction cost, as well as design aesthetic we think a tight adjacency may make more sense. We meet with the contractor Matthew tonight and will see what he thinks and will circle back with Susan.The experience so far has been great. Keep checking back with us for updates.

                                    When the owners of New Era Realty in Denver, CO were ready to put down some permanent roots they turned to NAKA Designs, LLC to help translate their office space into their dream work place. Budget was a huge driving factor for the overall project, but that did not mean a poorly designed office. We were tasked with being super creative and thoughtful in our approach and what a beautiful outcome. We had our good friend and collaborator Jason Jung, owner of Estetico Photography, do the shoot for us and after a grueling 10 hour shoot (including setting off the office alarm system numerous times) we packed our lights and cameras and waited patiently for the results. We enjoyed the process and LOVED the final product. Enjoy!PS: MD Building Corp in Denver was the general contractor on the project and they absolutely met and exceeded all of our expectations.