RSVPstyle

The Year in Interiors: What Two Hawaii Designers See for 2010

Tiare Noelani Cowan
CKD and Allied ASID
Archipelago Hawaii
201 Kapaa Quarry Road
Building 25, Unit 4
Kailua, HI 96734
Phone: (808) 263-8891
[email protected]
www.archipelagohawaii.com

Dian Cleve
President
Cleve & Levin Inc.
20 Iwilei Rd. #422
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 536-6671
[email protected]
www.cleveandlevin.com

By Lisa Munley

Tighter budgets, ecological living, a desire for simplicity: Our interiors reflect the changing world around us. To find out what this means for Hawaii, RSVPstyle sat down with Dian Cleve of Cleve and Levin Design, and Tiare Cowen of Archipelago Hawaii, Refined Island Designs.

Cleve and Levin Photo

RSVPstyle: What trends do you see happening in home design and décor this year?

Cowan: Because of the economy, people are realizing they’re not going to be buying that new home, so I’m seeing a lot of smaller remodeling going on. We’re also doing a lot more outdoor living spaces and opening up the main home to the outdoors to make a space feel larger.

Cleve: I’m seeing that people are far more interested in green products. They’re asking about recycled materials, manufacturing processes and how to avoid toxic materials in building products. In general, they’re becoming more aware of the background of the products they are buying, and I think that’s a very good thing.

We’ve also been doing a lot in the area of energy-efficient lighting. It has come such a long way. It used to be that if you went into energy-efficient lighting, the quality of the lighting suffered. Now, it is far superior to incandescent lighting and gives you a great deal more flexibility. Lighting innovations that previously were used for commercial or theatrical purposes are now being manufactured in sizes and intensities suited for residential use, so we’re able to do things like install an LED lighting system to create different scenes using the same lighting fixtures, which are run by computer. We’re now able to program the light in the morning to complement it. In the evening, you can program your lighting to be a warm incandescent or even step it down to candlelight, so that’s kind of fun. It’s also very energy-efficient and the light bulbs last forever.

RSVPstyle: What colors are hot for 2010?

Cowan: For years white walls were everywhere. Now I’m seeing clients becoming more daring with colors and wanting to reflect their own personalities.

Greens and blues are what we see outside, and these colors don’t provide a harsh contrast. They’ll be accented by oranges and reds, giving punches of color, and purples even. Our colors are richer and more vibrant than the pastels we’re seeing on the mainland.

Cleve: I think we’re still going to see a lot of tropical colors in Hawaii but nationally, the preferred neutral for the season is a warm grey. Grey is the new neutral and it comes in a variety of wonderful shades like mouse and elephant.

With that you’re going to be seeing clear, fresh colors like grass green, teal and some of the flower colors like lavender.

RSVPstyle: What finishes are you recommending this year at affordable price points—and what are those price points?

Cowan: I’ve been doing quite a bit of vinyl wood planks on more moderately priced homes. It’s a commercial-grade product similar to laminate, but it’s much better-looking and has a nicer feel. The product I use is the Konecto vinyl wood plank, which ranges in price from about $4 to $8 per square foot.

Archipelago Hawaii Photo

We’re also seeing a lot more porcelain tile used in place of natural stone because it’s easier to install and maintain. It’s a completely sealed product as compared to natural stone, which has to be resealed regularly. Prices for porcelain start at $3.50 a square foot and go up from there.

RSVPstyle: What one trend would you personally like to see?

Cowan: My big thing is ‘Think color.’ Color can change your entire environment. If you do nothing else in your home, think color and be more daring.

Cleve: I’d really like to see people thinking about contemporary design. Our mission is to show people that contemporary is not cold. Contemporary interiors can be very warm, lively and livable. And with contemporary furnishings as a background, you can incorporate accents from around the world and from every culture.

Lisa Munley is a freelance writer in Honolulu. A former reporter and writer for The Wall Street Journal and Hawaii Business magazine, today she covers wide-ranging topics and is a specialist on global warming issues, including sustainable living and energy conservation.