The view that started it all: Gallon maximized this panorama with a saltwater infinity pool and hot tub. Not surprisingly, dinner is usually alfresco. Tropical Garden Accents in Waimanalo provided the grand potted plant arrangements that complement the large-scale surroundings.

The living room is spacious with high ceilings and sweeping curves (thanks, in part, to the handmade wrought-iron staircase). Handmade Mexican Saltillo floor tiles add a touch of warmth while anchoring the space.

Gallon wanted a kitchen with clean, uncluttered lines where he could indulge his culinary talents. Appliances by Sub-Zero/Wolf help him accomplish this objective. Tall, open shelves provide a handy home for cook books and glassware.

Gallon mixed styles with this distinctly European bathroom. Swagged drapes add a touch of richness around the window, which manifests views of the valley and ocean beyond.

Photo by Lora Lamm The blue vessel sink, found in the suite's guest bathroom, adds a cobalt-blue punch that echoes the rest of the home's color scheme.

For Steven Gallon, it’s all about the curves. Driving to his home on the top of Waialae Nui Ridge is a curvaceous experience initself. The house that he designed is ripe with sweeping lines, too, from the arched wooden front door to a barrel-vaulted ceiling to a turretlike wing that gives the home the faint hint of a castle.

All those curves reach out and embrace the view, which launches out over Diamond Head, down into Palolo Valley and all the way to Barbers Point.

“You can sit here, and it’s got to be one of the best views you can get,” Gallon says. That was the key reason the English-born Internet businessman bought the 17,500-square-foot property in 2006. He then got down to work with Homeworks Construction, designing the home that would fit the lifestyle he shares with his girlfriend, Rachel.

Those curves were a first priority.

“It’s very subtle, it’s not overboard,” says Homeworks co-president, Marshall Hickox. “I think this house has really blended the curves nicely. They’re not that obvious from the front of the house, where there’s a round window and some subtle arches, but as you progress into the house it becomes more curvy.”

The final result is a home that truly reflects the homeowner’s personality, Hickox says.
It’s fun, but it’s also classic. Gallon has brought a savvy mix of styles into his home. Ethnic pieces from his world travels rub shoulders with rock ’n’ roll art. In one bathroom you’ll find an ultra-traditional claw-foot bathtub with sleek black and white tiles. In another you’ll find modern lines and a ceramic vessel sink that Gallon had handcrafted in Phoenix, Ariz.

“It’s got a European Mediterranean feel, without being too caught up in that,” Gallon says. “If something looks Asian, that’s all right.”

Hickox notes that a lot of consideration went into the home’s layout, which allows for equal amounts of entertainment and comfortable solitude. Enter through the front door, and the house bursts out onto the view. At this level, he incorporated a Juliet balcony at the top of a curving sweep of stairs. It leans out over the living area below. The living area flows onto a covered lanai and a saltwater infinity pool. While the middle of the home is all open airiness, it is flanked on either side by more private spaces for the four bedrooms, office and media room.
The kitchen is located down the hallway from the living area. Here, the chef (which would be Gallon) can whip up the frogs’ legs he picked up in Chinatown, surrounded by beautiful cherry-wood cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances and stunning Red Dragon granite countertops. The kitchen opens onto the pool lanai, making the space large enough for entertaining. Gallon can also shepherd guests into the living room while he gets on with cooking.

Another private hideaway can be found at the rear of the living room. Here is what Gallon has dubbed “the grotto,” a flagstone courtyard where he enjoys his morning coffee and newspaper surrounded by tropical greenery, herbs and burbling fountains.

The master suite is discreetly tucked away on the third level, with its own spacious lanai. The large sliding wood doors, which are used throughout the home, let in birds’ songs and cool breezes. A short passageway is flanked by his-and-hers walk-in closets and bathrooms. They meet in the middle at a steam shower that is covered from top to bottom in blue pool tile.

“I like the space,” Gallon says. “The best thing about the house is the location, the views. It’s really quiet up here. If you listen now …” he pauses, tipping his head … “the birds are the noisiest things.”