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| The Kaaawa residence, with wraparound deck, enjoys a front-yard view of the ocean and backyard view of the Koolau mountains. |
Like
many artist types, gallery owners Robyn and Judy Buntin work in town,
but live on the Windward side, where they find their peace and
inspiration. As artistic spirits, they are also adaptable. But, after
living in a house with walls that you “could put your finger through,”
they didn’t want to settle when it came time to build their dream home.
“The
whole point of this place is that it’s ours,” says Mr. Buntin. “In
building this home, we wanted to do whatever we wanted. And, we didn’t
care about resale value.”
When
they purchased the half-acre lot six years ago in a foreclosure sale,
several ramshackle structures crouched on the land. Back taxes had to
be paid. Serious foundation problems needed to be addressed. Although
the home was located across from the beach, its dilapidated appearance
did little to elicit goodwill from the neighbors. The couple cleaned
and repaired what they could.
When
they started the remodeling process, they paid particular attention to
the natural elements that drew them to the property—the ocean across
the street, the stream that runs through the garden, the Koolau view
from the backyard, the low fences and open spaces. Some aspects of
their final design, though drawn up by an architect, were inefficient,
says builder Andrew Dixon, owner of Pacific Style Construction.
For
instance, the deck, which juts 20 feet from the entrance, was
originally designed as a separate structure. Dixon altered the design,
strengthening the flooring and cantilevering the deck to the home. The
redesign saved building costs and unified the interior and exterior
spaces. Initially, Buntin also wanted picket fencing around the deck,
but Dixon demonstrated the efficiency and view-enhancing attributes of
stainless-steel, horizontal tension cables. Lastly, the open-beam,
tiered roof had the potential to catch the offshore breezes, but there
were no windows that fit into the original design. As a solution, Dixon
devised a custom, framed screen–without window glass–to allow for the
airflow.
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| (left)
The living room uses three large ohia posts for structural support and
visual interest. (right) A sitting area toward the back of the house
creates a comfortable nook in which to enjoy art, books and views. |
The
Buntin home offers details worthy of an art dealer. Art is incorporated
into the building itself. Chinese lattice-work was inserted into the
double screen doors. Carved Asian cornice pieces flank the lanai.
Inlaid antique tiles add interest to the shower walls. The couple was a
part of the process, going as far as hand carving the deck’s support
posts. They spent the weekend carving lotus blossoms at the bottom and
leaves on the top of each post. They are small details, but important
to the Buntins.
“For
most people, function is everything,” says Buntin, a former sculptor.
“They have no artwork on their walls. A wall’s purpose is to separate
you from the outside. Our concept is that a wall is only an excuse to
hang art. It’s a different perspective,” he smiles. “We don’t
understand why everyone else is not quite as mad as we are.”
One
of Buntin’s unorthodox ideas—using ohia posts for structural support as
well as decoration—called on the Pacific Style team’s own creativity
and artistic talents.
When
Dixon first heard about the ohia posts, he didn’t foresee a problem.
“What Buntin neglected to tell me was that what he actually wanted were
trees, not posts,” Dixon laughs. “He wanted the gnarly ones, with the
curves and the trunks and everything.”
The
ceiling-tall ohia “posts” make a big statement. They “determine the
personality” of the house, Buntin says. The curvilinear forms balance
the rectangular shape of the great room. Two of the posts serve as
structural elements—holding up the pitched roof—but one post looks as
if it grew through the wall, as if the home were built around a tree.
It was a technically challenging process, but one his crew embraced
with enthusiasm.
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| The home is full of art, not excluding the master bathroom, where antique tiles are installed on the walls. photo courtesy of Pacific Style Construction |
“[My
foreman] was so proud of it when it was done,” Dixon says. “And
rightfully so … that speaks to a true design-build process. A lot of
contractors are very rigid and nonflexible. I’m a little more fluid.
The design-build process is about collaboration. And, what I did for
[Buntin] is what I do best, figuring out how to build strong and
efficiently.”
“Andrew
was so willing to work with me,” Buntin says. “And what that amounts to
is that, as the home started to fulfill itself, we each had our part in
its creativity.” |
