When you have property fronting one of the most coveted coastlines in the world, you’d better believe you’d get a lot of visitors, which is just what this homeowner wants. She welcomes them with open arms, knowing her home was built with them in mind. Providing the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living, this Haleiwa retreat opens seamlessly to the beach and ocean beyond, while providing plenty of space for visiting families and friends.

This particular homeowner, with an immediate family consisting of her husband, two children and two dogs, had a specific vision of what her dream home would entail. It included a comfortable, welcoming space for her family to grow, as well as an open-air feel that took full advantage of the location.

To help bring her ideas to life, she enlisted the help of architect Keith Cockett of Keith Cockett and Associates. Cockett suggested builder David Evans of Evans Construction to carry out the plans. But the homeowner made sure she did her homework before deciding on a builder.

“We selected Evans Construction after a rigorous and highly competitive construction bid-and-interview process,” she says. “We actually interviewed about 13 construction companies.”

The homeowner searched not only for a builder that did exceptional work, but also for one that shared her family values. The Evans team scored high marks in every aspect. The crew consists of Evans’ family members and longtime friends and has an impressive portfolio of stunning homes. This contributed to a successful and painless building process.

“It’s a family build. It’s a family project. This house was definitely made with love,” the homeowner says. “We’re at the end of our project, and we’re just as excited about working with Dave and his crew as we were when we started. How many people can say that about their builders?”


Deep enough to provide plenty of shade, the lanai (above), serve as the main seating areas for the home. Every room on the ocean side opens up to the backyard.
For the driveway (below), the homeowner opted for poured-in “stones” with grass growing in between. Evans Construction poured the stones on site, modeling some after the Hawaiian Islands. The landscaping, done by Steve Dewald of Steve’s Gardening Service, adds a welcoming touch to the inviting staircase. Once visitors reach the front door, they can immediately see the ocean backdrop.

Acacia-wood flooring from Pacific American Lumber lends an expensive look to the home, at a reasonable price. “It looks really great,” Evans says. “And it’s pretty durable, even with the sand and everything. It’s done fine so far.”


The kitchen, dining area, living room and front entrance open up to one another and face out toward the ocean. Pocket doors on the ocean side allow an abundance of natural air and light to flood through the home.


The kitchen’s extra-large, distressed-granite countertop serves as a nice contrast to the traditional cabinets, built by Evans Construction. “We make the cabinets in-house, so we’re able to save a lot of money that way,” Evans says.


Evans and his crew also added soffits and coffered ceilings throughout the home to achieve the character the homeowner desired.


The indoor/outdoor bathroom, which opens up to one of the back lanai, carries the same travertine tile from inside the bathroom to outdoors. The seamless transition gives beachgoers a place to rinse off and clean up without tracking sand through the home.


The master suite spans the entire upstairs of the home. The master bath (above) opens up to a small lanai decked out with an outdoor shower.

Just off the master bedroom is an expansive lanai (shown at top) that allows the homeowners to watch the kids playing in the yard while still enjoying their own space. The homeowner purposely set the home back, farther away from the beach.

“We wanted the yard to be bigger and for everything to take place with the beautiful ocean backdrop,” she says. “Our goal was to relax and to be connected to the outdoors.”  

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