A Waikiki Condo Renovation Inspired by Sands, Sea and Sky
Hawaii Home + Remodeling reader Alvin Hwang transforms his residence by bringing the outside in.
In a world full of distractions, having a balanced and harmonious space is key. To create that space in his two-bedroom, two-bath Waikiki condo, architectural designer Alvin Hwang incorporated his affinity for Hawaii’s majestic mountains and clear waters.
Hwang says he felt called to Hawaii for years, and just two years ago, he left his busy life in San Francisco to make his way to the Islands. “When I first came to Hawaii, I saw the mountains from the plane and almost cried,” explains Hwang. “It felt so much like home. I fell in love with the color of the water — its crystal blue-green color accompanied by the sand, sky and clouds.”
Hwang’s admiration for the colors of Hawaii is clear in the design of his Waikiki condo. With a “modern-minimalistic” style, the 1,000-square-foot condo’s newly redone open layout allows colors to simultaneously stand out and blend in.
Furnishings, shelves and a sleek decorative frame around the TV (seen below) are made of a light wood, which resembles Hawaii’s native kiawe trees.
In the living room, a sleek frame surrounding his Samsung TV, floating shelves and a coffee table are made of light wood, resembling Hawaii’s native kiawe trees. Sapphire-blue kitchen cabinets seamlessly flow like water against sleek white walls. On the walls and in the showers of both bathrooms are handmade tiles in colors like deep-sea blue and seaweed green.
As someone who enjoys surfing and going to Waikiki Beach at least once a week, Hwang found ways to bring the tactile sensations of his favorite outdoor spots into his home. “Our eyes like texture,” he explains. “We get tired when we see something flat in a large space. That’s why we are awake when we look at things like rigid mountains or moving waters.”
Curating a mindful space is about understanding the body and its responses to the surrounding environment, notes Hwang. In his bedroom, lighting choices and finishes were selected for rest and ease.
Hwang utilizes texture in both his flooring and ceiling choices. Large, sand-textured porcelain tiles are in his living and kitchen spaces, simulating a smooth transition from the beach when he gets home. White-washed oak covers the flooring of his bedroom and office spaces. A variation in tone on the bathroom’s tiles keeps the eye interested, and an exposed industrial concrete living room ceiling mimics a textured wood pattern.
Conscientious even in his lighting choices, Hwang integrates smart lighting to reflect the body’s natural circadian rhythm. In other words, the lights in his home adjust based on the time of day. “Our bodies naturally align with nature,” explains Hwang. In his bedroom are blackout shaded windows to block excess light, especially during bedtime. Throughout the condo’s living and office spaces are hidden cove lights, with track lighting aligning with the living room’s entertainment area, and recessed lights lining the hallway.
Variations in bathroom tile hues provide engagement for the eye. Deep-sea blue and seaweed green tones play on the natural shades found in the ocean.
Hwang says curating a mindful space is about understanding the body and its responses to the surrounding environment. Everything in a person’s space should relate and all design components should align. Hwang’s Waikiki condo remodel took nearly two years to complete, but now he can rest easy in his own home, with reminders of Hawaii’s natural beauty all around.
Learn more about Hwang’s perspectives on design and mindfulness at his blog here.
We’re looking for reader-submitted stories to cultivate creativity and ideas in our community. Do you have a renovation, redecorating or reorganizing project inspired by Hawaii Home + Remodeling? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Send your photos and project information to darlenedc@hawaiihomemag.com.
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