Beachy Keen: A tropical hideaway on Laie’s shore

A contemporized island feel with various woods make this home stand out.

Long, long ago, the town of Laie once stood as a city of refuge – a safe haven from all other warriors and pursuers. Although much has changed since then, the laid-back country town remains to be a sanctuary for those looking to escape from the relentless demands of modern life. It’s easy to see then, how this oceanfront property is able to capture the same sense of protection from the rest of the world – a veritable oasis set upon Oahu’s northeastern shore. 

The beautiful island home was developed by Donald Eovino, who worked closely with Homeworks Construction to design, permit and build it. Eovino called the collaboration “a good experience,” noting that the pair has worked together on both business and personal building projects for more than 10 years.   

“Our client has a very specific taste in design that he likes, which is a contemporized island feel,” says Marshall Hickox of Homeworks Construction, whose firm provided the initial concepts and later, the permitting and building of the home. “Flow and open functional spaces are important.” He points out that the journey – how seamlessly one navigates throughout the home, from front to back – was kept top of mind when they were designing and planning the home. And finally, interior design specialists at Homeworks Construction worked together with Eovino to select “a palette of finish materials, colors, textures and fixtures.”

The home’s style is part of a growing trend found in both residential and resort properties around the world. “The new home look now is a move away from the dark brown Bali style and more of a whitewashed look,” says Eovino. Elyse Grable, selections specialist at Homeworks Construction, explains that every decision, from the flooring to cabinets to finishes, was made collaboratively with the desired island style in mind. “All of these finishes were selected not only based on the look but also the quality, as these fixtures had to withstand the elements,” she says.  

Further building on the island theme, various types of wood are used throughout the home, ranging from fence postings to functional art pieces. Ohia columns support the eave overhangs and are left unstained for a natural look. Ohia wood was also used to make the fence posts along the perimeter of the house. Eovino even recalls making use of the wood that grew on the property. “We had a giant false kamani tree that dropped too many [seeds],” Eovino says. The tree was cut down and the wood was sanded and whitewashed. “We have it in the yard now as a decorative bench seat,” he adds, pointing out that the bench now matches the columns and interior wood artwork.

Although the home has remarkable ocean views, building on the shoreline presented unique challenges. “A new beachfront home always requires careful placement on the lot and shoreline management,” says Hickox. “Not terribly difficult as long as the planning is done well ahead of time.” The home was built 75 feet from the sea, accounting for tidal changes and eventual erosion while still ensuring picturesque vistas of the open ocean. 

To protect the longevity of the home, the team took measures to use materials that stood up to sea breezes and ocean spray. “We tried to use bulletproof materials wherever possible,” says Eovino on developing the project. “Stainless steel wherever we had exposed metal. Stainless steel screws, rust resistant screws, and instead of paint, we used a new product for the weather … which is like a stucco.” Engineered wood flooring from Pacific American Lumber covers the floor, which will not buckle when near the ocean. 

The entire house was designed “to make it as maintenance free as possible,” says Eovino. No worries or stress – a true sanctuary.