Three former carriage houses have been converted into what the homeowner affectionately refers to as “the man cave.” Inside, the family can enjoy a spacious guest-room area with a pool table, a home gym and a tool shop.

BEFORE

Originally built in 1928, this home certainly wasn't lacking in character. Nestled in majestic Nuuanu Valley, local contractor E.J. Lord initially built the home for himself and his family, complete with Victorian details and craftsmanship tucked into every inch. 

The current homeowners purchased it 79 years later, knowing it would require extensive renovations. The attic, for instance, still had knob-and-tube electrical wiring. “The electrical box was very scary when you opened it,” the homeowner says. “It hadn't been remodeled, as far as I could tell. The roof was original, and the tiles were sliding off of the eaves.”

Despite its shortfalls, it was obvious to the homeowners this house was special. “We loved that it had so much character,” she says. “I was raised in a home that was this age.”

To bring the house back to life, the homeowners enlisted the help of Mokulua Woodworking Ltd., along with architect Alwyn Trigg-Smith. Michael Fairall, principal RME (Responsible Managing Employee) and founder of Mokulua Woodworking, and his crew had restored older homes on the Mainland before coming to Hawaii.

The experience came in handy. “It wasn't like a new construction project where you can cruise through and get it done,” Fairall says. “If you go too far on something, it's really hard to put it back. If you step through the ceiling, you have to tear off the entire ceiling in that section to replace it.”

The crew deconstructed the home carefully and reused items where they could. What they couldn't restore, they replicated. “With a historical remodel, the goal is always to match the old with the new,” says Doug Pierce of Mokulua. “We kept everything to match what was existing.”

With the original aesthetics in mind, the crew updated the home to make it livable for a modern family. “We added ENERGY STAR® appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, low-voltage lighting and we rewired the electrical,” Fairall says.

Now, the home looks as it could have in 1928, but functions as it should in 2010. “It looks like it's been there forever,” the homeowner says.

Want to see what this photo shoot was like? Check out our behind the scenes video.

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