Coastal Service

This edition of our Home Guide dives into seaside style. We visited a North Shore residence to check out stellar pieces by local woodworker Jen Homcy of Foundwood. Homcy partnered with the previous homeowner to create soulful spaces with coastal elegance. Here are some key points to the project:

Collaborate with Island vendors.
“I purchased a cutting board from Jen years ago,” says the previous homeowner, who recently sold the property. “When I ran into her again, I asked her if she could make me a big kitchen island just like her boards, and it went on from there. I’m in love with her work and the island is a masterpiece! Then came the shelves and finally the beautiful dining table … I picked out every knob and purchased art from local artists.”

Design with a personalized touch.
“I knocked down walls and created an open space so I could keep an eye on my grandkids,” explains the previous homeowner. “We have turned that space into a dance floor many times and made beautiful memories. The doors and windows were all made in Vietnam, so they are very special. Vietnam is one of my favorite places on the globe, and it was so much work, but they are beautiful.”

Shelves by Jen Homcy of Foundwood feature natural turquoise inlays that complement the shades of coastal blue throughout the kitchen.

The statement piece in this contemporary coastal kitchen is the stunning custom island by Homcy. Turquoise inlays on its wooden top pair beautifully with the coastal-inspired base.

Source your materials thoughtfully.
Homcy comes from a family of woodworkers who taught her to maintain the integrity of natural materials. “My favorite part is the whole brainstorming process of going in and getting to know the client and feeling the space,” she explains. “I don’t add stains or washes to anything — what my mind has to do is attach to the color palette at this place, and then I have to imagine what materials are going to work within that color palette.” Reclaimed wood and natural turquoise shine in this project.

Wood furnishings by Homcy were crafted in organic shapes to provide fluid focal points among the home’s beams and lines.

Find your voice among trends.
“We went through a stage of interior design in the last 15 years where everything was very sterile,” says Homcy. “Everything was very monochromatic and very neutral, and everything was very angular. My woodwork was that single piece that contrasted all of these straight lines — it was that one random, odd-shaped piece or that one piece of color. The idea is to bring nature in, so that you have this beautiful sense of nature inside your home in a way that still feels somewhat contemporary or modern.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.