Residential Walk-Through

Mellow in Maui

Maui, Hawaii

Claire Ownby, Allied Member ASID
Ownby Design, Scottsdale, Arizona and Kona, Hawaii

BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUGIE SALBOSA

Overlooking the ocean, the pool area is furnished with Henry Hall teak furniture and, in the pool, resin leaf chaises from Janus et Cie.

Designing a vacation home in paradise for one client can be fraught with pitfalls: unrealistic expectations, an unreasonable "vision," and, often, a desire for a Tommy Bahama-meets-Margaritaville look.

Interior designer Claire Ownby had none of the above when she designed an 8,500-square-foot oceanfront getaway in Maui. Not only that, she didn't have just one client. She had eight.

A bridge over a pond leads to the guest quarters.

Ownby, who maintains offices in both Scottsdale, Arizona and Kona, Hawaii, was asked to do a stylish yet comfortable retreat for four couples—three from California, one from Arizona—who wished to use the house together and separately year 'round.

"The eight clients, surprisingly, were very easy to work with," says Ownby, who handled the interiors with Lindsey Schultz, Allied Member ASID, a project designer from her office. "They gave us free rein. None of the couples had a 'vision' that everyone had to follow."

Chunky, comfortable custom-designed furnishings anchor the sitting area of the great room.

Ownby collaborated with Arri/LeCron Architects, Inc. of Santa Barbara, California, who designed the two-story, contemporary home to open up to magnificent ocean views. Inside, the floorplan features a central great room with open kitchen, living, dining and media areas where the residents can cook, eat and socialize. Four master suites-three upstairs, one on the main level-provide privacy for the couples. An attached guest house handles the overflow.

Ownby chose materials that reflected the elegantly rugged characteristics of the architecture, blended well with the tropical ambiance and could withstand the rigors of salt, sand, sun, humidity and younger family members. Local Kapalua stone covers walls and columns. Floors are done in limestone or Brazilian cherry, while the custom cabinetry was crafted from sapele.

Ownby designed the entry piece to accommodate a series of planters that can be changed out seasonally.

All the furnishings were new to the house, many of which are custom designs by Ownby and fabricated by Lily Jack in California. Ownby chose clean lines and substantial bulk to balance the dramatic scale of the architecture. In the entry, she designed a floating bench and a series of planters that can be changed out seasonally. The great room offers sofas upholstered in a neutral Knoll fabric and chunky walnut coffee tables that seem to invite homeowners and visitors to put their feet up.

The spacious kitchen has several places to perch and socialize. "The kitchen also has a butler's pantry," Ownby points out. "It has a whole other area for cooking. These clients love to cook."

The spacious kitchen is detailed with honed black granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and custom-designed barstools.

Ownby kept equality in mind when furnishing each of the master suites. "They're all different in terms of furnishings and materials," she points out, "but each one is equal, with a small sitting area, coffee bar and refrigerator." She also chose the same bed linens for each room, machine washable for ease and interchangeable so that housekeeping wouldn't become an issue.

The interiors were finished off with simple accessories and local contemporary artwork. "We chose universal themes so that everyone could relate to the art," Ownby notes. Photographs by Hawaiian photographer Peter Lik figure prominently in the master suites.

A main-floor master suite overlooks the pool and ocean, and features retractable window walls.

Ownby also chose furnishings for the pool lanai, specifying comfortable Henry Hall teak pieces as well as leaf-shaped resin chaises that rest in the shallow end of the pool.

The completed home offers up its own contemporary spin on island style. For the homeowners, it gives them a sophisticated background for socializing and entertaining, and a sense of relaxation that certainly fosters mellowness in Maui.

Interior design: Ownby Design, Scottsdale, AZ and Kona, HI; (480) 575-8448 or www.ownbydesign.com.

Architecture: Arri/LeCron Architects, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA; (805) 966-4034 or www.arrilecron.com.

Custom furniture fabrication: Lily Jack, Gardena, CA; (310) 965-1993 or www.lilyjack.com.