Questions for Kimo:

 

I love Halloween and up to a few years ago it was a month long event in my life; full of parties, entertaining, and dressing up in costumes, you know the whole nine yards.

Unfortunately, as of late I just don't celebrate All Hallows Eve like I used too but, none the less, I would like to share my enthusiasm for the holiday with my online friends; offering some heart felt treats I hope you enjoy. 

So please indulge me for a little while, find your inner child, suspend your sense of reality, and imagine yourself "Trick or Treating" deep in the Wallachian forests of Romania... Suddenly in the long dark shadows of the Carpathian Mountains you stumble upon my haunted castle... don't be afraid, I won't bite...hard.

So you Knock,Knock,Knock...Trick or Treat!
(In a thick and flowing Romanian Accent I answer the castle door)

Ah... children of the night...To all my Friendly Fiends, some thoughtful treats for your candy bag that won't rot your teeth...

I know what your thinking... it's tantamount to getting socks for Christmas but believe me these treats will entertain your brain longer than the sugar high you will get from all the candy your going to eat anyway. 

 

 

 

• The first treat is a most excellent Booook... ok, now open your bag, didn't your parents teach you any manners...ah that's better...yes I know it's Halloween and candy isn't everything"

 

 

 

The Haunted House on the Market:

What do Haunted Houses, Witches, Necrophilia, and a Realtor have in common? You'll find them all in this fascinating novel "Lullaby"by Chuck Palahniuk, the author of "Fight Club". I enjoyed this creative, funny, and poignantly profound novel about the nature of love, power and how human beings confuse the two. The premise of the book is about a journalist who stumbles upon a book of children's bed time stories that has the power to kill. He meets a Realtor who specializes in haunted houses and some witches who have an agenda of their own.

 

 

 

 

 

The second treat is a Vat of Brains, ha ha ha ha... Don't say eeeww, again with the manners...no your not supposed to eat it, it's a brain teaser...it's food for thought...that's right brain food.

 

 

 

The Brain in the Vat:

With all the political and societal blah blah blah these days it unnerves me to see our country bickering like the Bikersons; blaming this person or that about the state of our society, Real Estate market, government, planet, etc. There are a multitude of political pundits, talking heads, media personalities, and bloggers all claiming to know the real "truth", trying to out shout one another with their particular perspective as being the one and only correct reality. All the while assailing any other perspective as corrupt, conspiratorial, unqualified, insane, or satanic.

Well that got my brain thinking...

Remember the old horror flicks where the mad scientist cuts open the top of a persons head and removes the brain and suspends it in a vat of life-sustaining liquid, and through electrodes connects it to a computer that provides electrical impulses identical to those the brain would normally receive. The computer would then send electrical input to the brain resulting in the brain sensing a virtual world full of sights, sounds, tastes, etc.

The disembodied brain would think that it had a body, arms, legs, eyes, and could move about in the computer generated environment without any ability to distinguish that in fact it was just a brain in a vat. Well it's not all science fiction. The brain in a vat is also a philosophical tool used in experiments of the mind to examine our collective ideas of knowledge, reality, and truth.

The whole idea behind the brain in a vat concept is the notion that ALL perceived reality is potentially false and what we believe to be FACT is merely a figment of our imagination. In other words if our perceived existence is simply the exchange of electrical impulses from sensory organs to the brain and those impulses can be created without the use of sensory organs which is what happens when we dream, then how can we really know for certain of what the truth really is? Does the brain really have the ability to know for sure it's understanding of reality is in fact real? Can it effectively tell the difference between, reality, dreaming, or whether it's merely floating in a vat in a mad scientists laboratory? The answer is no it can't. Sorry Bill O'Rielly, Bu-aha-ha-ha? Think Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" or the film The Matrix.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Young Frankenstein by the comic genius Mel Brooks this is a topical out take from the film for your enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

 

The third Halloween treat is a ghastly ghost story from Hawai'i... it's based on a true story that I have embellished slightly for dramatic purposes... no I don't have any candy... yes I'm sure... if you don't keep quite I'll send you to my neigh-boo-r the Count...No he doesn't have any candy either you little junk food junkies, SILENCE before I turn you all into to toads... don't make me reach through the portcullis...

 

  

Lets Talk Ghost Story:

The story begins after midnight on a dark moonless night in Honolulu, May 19th 1959. An ambulance rushed it's way down sleepy Beretainia St. towards Queens' Medical Center, as a young woman, writhing from an apparent nervous break down lay strapped to the gurney in back. The paramedic, hunched over the patient, tapped the excess sedative from the hypodermic and pushed it adroitly into the frantic woman's arm as she struggled against the leather straps that securely bound her.

Babbling incoherently she arched her back as her head strained and convulsed from side to side; her dilated pupils made her eyes look like black coals, bottomless, full of terror. "She had no face!" She cackled, "she...no nothing...nothing there..." her voice trailed off and a few moments later the woman's overwrought neck and back relaxed and she lay motionless as the opiates pumped through her body, quieting the nervous system. Her eyes fluttering shut as her frantic heart began to find it's way back to it's normal beat.  Her clenched jaw relaxed and fell slightly open, simultaneously her grip released what she had been holding in her bloodless fist since the paramedics first found her.

The crumpled ticket stub precipitated to the floor skirting under the gurney. The paramedic reached down and scooped it up. It was saturated with sweat but the blotted lettering was still legible, the paramedic un- crumpled the stub hoping to find a clue as to why the woman went off the deep end in the middle of a movie. During the frenetic call he neglected to see what was posted on the marquee, perhaps it was a horror film. They had found her in the woman's restroom on the floor; her arms pushing her knees tightly to her chest she was barely breathing, as white as a ghost.

Waiala'e Drive-In Theater 11:00pm, the stub read the rest was torn away. The theater manager said they had heard screams and a desperate pounding coming from the ladies restroom but the door was locked from the inside. When he finally returned with the key they found her alone, passed out. When she came to she gripped the managers hand and frightfully recounted the horror she experienced before lapsing into a catatonic state. "Some-ting bout' a wahine(woman) wid long red hair", the manger tentatively repeated to the ambulance driver as the paramedic pushed the gurney passed the two of them, "some wahine was already in the lua, standing at the mirror ya, combing her long red hair when dis' poor girl go to use the lua, the red hair wahine turn and look at her but she have no...the hum of the ambulance engine drowned out the managers words as the emergency lights flashed against the projection booth wall.

Speeding through the deserted streets cloaked in darkness the sirens wail reverberated into the quiet neighborhoods of downtown Honolulu as the black slope of Diamond Head and its imposing presence diminished slowly behind them. Scratching his head, the paramedic looked toward the driver who intently stared at him through the rearview mirror. The ambulance rambled through a red light and continued down the empty street.

"Mujina", the driver eventually blurted out nervously. The paramedic looked inquisitively at his partner, vaguely remembering stories from his youth told by the Kupuna about the ghostly Mujina but it was just folklore, tall tales to scare the Keiki. "My Tutu talk story ya..."the Ambulance pitched to the left as it turned right onto Punchbowl St.

"In Japan", he continued his eyes staring toward the port au chair at the hospital entrance."they call em' Noppera-bo, they look human but not quite... Shape shifters ya, look human but no face". The ambulance turned abruptly into the hospital drive, "No eyes, no nose, no mouth, ya... this girl got a real shock whatever she saw... scared her real good...almost to death ya bra. The paramedic finished buckeling the last strap on the straight jacket as the rear ambulance doors flew open. Two hulking orderlies grabbed the gurney as the retractable carriage clattered open and dropped errect to the pavement.  The wheels, twirling, repositioned themselves in the the direction of the psychiatric ward, as the two hulks passed slowly through the empty hospital hallways.

The faceless ghost known as a Mujina or Noppera-bo has been spotted several times in places as far away as Hilo on the Big Island. Since the Waiala'e Drive-in Theater demolition in the 1980's the Noppera-bo has been spotted at the women's restroom in Macy's at the Kahala Mall, Zippy's Restaurant and other lua's located near the old Kahala cemetery. It is beleived that the malignant entities purpose is to frighten it's victims and will wait for the perfect opportunity to do so. So watch out ladies next time you go to the toilet you never know who might be waiting for you. Boo!

Spooky Fun & Tasty Treats: Happy Halloween!

Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

Before western contact mental illness was virtually unheard of in Hawaii. There are several accounting factors for this including: a culture that was very open, accepting, loving, nurturing, and more apt to respect ability and natural talent over discriminating views toward gender or sexual preference. However, the primary reason for the astounding mental stability of the native Hawaiian population is the tradition known as Ho'oponopono; the literal translation of which means "to make right".

In ancient Hawaii there were three distinct classes: the Ali'i or chiefly class of nobles and royalty; the Maka'ainana, the commoners; and the Kahuna which was a broad selection of professional specialists that included master crafts-persons, healers, herbalists, hula dancers, agricultural geneticists, net makers, canoe builders, architects, interior designers, doctors, genealogists, navigators, soothsayers, priests, psychiatrists, kapa cloth makers, feather workers, and the list goes on. Over many centuries a multitude of specialized professions developed as the needs of the community dictated. These highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals formed hui's or guilds so that they could transfer their knowledge and skills to only the most qualified students who would, in some cases, be hand picked during childhood.

In ancient Hawaiian society children were closely observed virtually from birth by the Kahuna and their interests and abilities were duly noted. Those children, who displayed particular talent or precosiousness in any of the various diciplines would be introduced to rudimentary instruction. If the child excelled he would be enrolled into that particular field and would spend many years learning the many aspects involved in his or her trade. Only the most skilled and accomplished students would graduate and receive a master accreditation. These master Kahuna were the ones that were bestowed with the Huna or secret of the trade which allowed them their miraculous abilities. Missionary ignorance and influence resulted in laws being passed that made some Kahuna practices illegal and it wasn't until the mid 1970's that laws condemning the Kahuna were lifted completely from the law books.

One such Kahuna designation was the Kahuna La'au Lapa'au or the psychiatric and homeopathic specialist. The knowledge of the Kahuna La'au Lapa'au embodied the spiritual, as well as, a well source of information garnered from a millennium of observation. Hawaiian psychiatric understanding was very similar to Carl Jung's but superior in many ways due to the extensive "clinical" research passed down over the centuries and the virtual absence of mental diseases in Hawaii. Ho'oponopono or the process of "making things right" is an astounding psychiatric marvel that relies on a profound community based interaction with the afflicted and not drugs as is popular today. The root of mental illness was addressed as a community issue and required the full participation of the patients family and community. It required the entire community's participation in what might be considered an intervention of intense scrutiny that necessitated every-ones personal accountability, not only the patient's. The intervention would last some times for days at a time were no one could leave until the disease was dispelled; Aloha was the foundation for this healing.

To find out more about this fascinating aspect of Hawaiian homeopathic healing please join us -

Ho‘oponopono Workshop 

Presented by: Keala o Kalani*

Date:        Sunday, September 27, 2009

Location:  McKinley High School Library

Time:        9 am to 4 pm (registration at 8:45 am).

Contact:   Ramsay Taum, ramsay@sustainhawaii.org ; 808.394.5557

This Ho'oponopono workshop will feature the Hawaiian practice of healing, balance and stress release as it was updated and taught by Kahuna La'au Lapa'au Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona.  This is presented as a community service which means there are no fees.*

Please feel free to pass this on to those you think might enjoy or benefit from this special gift passed on by Auntie Morrnah.

This workshop is not affiliated with McKinley High School so please direct any inquiries directly to Kumu Ramsay Taum via email or phone, 394-5557. Space is limited.  The room tends be very cool so a sweater or light jacket is recommended.

O ka maluhia no me oe. E malama pono.

Ramsay Taum

e-mail: ramsay@sustainhawaii.org

* There is no cost for this seminar; donations are welcomed.

Keala o Kalani is a 501(c)(3) Hawaii private non-profit.

 

 

 Before Zoloft there was Ho'oponopono: Hawaii's Practice of Healing Mental Illness!

www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com 

tel.+1.808.344.1264 

Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009 

 

Celebrating Hawaii's Famous Chiefs from ancient times:

Hawaii has many myths and legends surrounding it's ancient rulers or Ali'i. One such famous Chief was Umi the peasant King of Hawai'i. Born to the unwed union of a commoner of exceptional beauty and the legendary King Liloa of the big island, Umi rose from obscurity to become one of the most renowned kings in Hawaiian history. Great of stature and skilled in the martial arts Umi was said to have introduced himself to his Royal father, Liloa by jumping over the palace walls, tossing aside the spears of the palace guards and landing in his fathers lap anouncing that he was his fathers long lost child. Such breach of protocol would have placed Umi in mortal danger had not the King recognized the Malo(loin cloth) and ivory and shell necklace he had left with Umi's mother many years prior; confirming his royal parentage. Umi would later raise a rebellion against his cruel and despotic half brother with the aid of the priesthood and secure his claim as Mo'i(King) ali'i nui o Hawai'i. Below is an article featuring Umi as the honoree for this years Aloha Na Ali'i Banquet at the Hawaii convention center.

 
 
Native Hawaiian Chief honored at annual Aloha Na Alii Banquet

 
HONOLULU, HI - The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) and Bishop Museum honored Umi a Liloa during the 8th Annual Native Hawaiian Convention's Aloha Na Alii Banquet held on August 26, 2009 at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
 
The elegant Banquet is an extraordinary opportunity to be inspired and reminded of the strength and vision of Hawaiian leaders.  Past honorees at the Banquet include King David Kalakaua, Queen Kapiolani, King William Charles Lunalilo, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, and Princess Ruth "Luka" Keelikolani.
 
"The banquet evening held every year at the CNHA Convention creates an opportunity to connect and re-connect with our stories, our history, our ancestors, our ali`i," said Lilia Kapuniai, CNHA Community Development Manger. "We truly mahalo Bishop Museum and Nā Pualei o Likolehua for a partnership that continues to inspire every year.  The talent at the museum, and in our halau and practitioner community is awesome."
 
Umi a Liloa, commonly known as Umi, ruled as the 14th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii. Umi is an icon to many with his accomplishment of uniting all districts of Hawaii through wars. An excellent warrior, Umi was of lowly birth on his maternal side, but rose to leadership through his victories in battle.  
 
The Aloha Na Alii Banquet featured Umi through a special exhibit that included exquisite pieces he possessed, and was followed by a dinner program, that included a mookuauhau (genealogy chant) by Mehanaokala Hind, a direct descendant of Umi and member of Halau Nā Pualei o Likolehua. The banquet agenda also included a memorable ola na moolelo (living stories) presented by Bishop Musuem's Moses Goods and Loko Maika'i Lipscomb.
 
To learn more about the Aloha Na Alii Banquet and the Annual Native Hawaiian Convention, contact CNHA at (808) 596-8155 or e-mail info@hawaiiancouncil.org.
 
CNHA is a Hawaii-based nonprofit serving a network of more than 100 organizations statewide and nationally. CNHA's mission is to enhance the well-being of Hawaii through the cultural, economic, and community development of Native Hawaiians. For more information about CNHA please contact us at 808.596.8155, toll-free at 1.800.709.2642, by e-mail at info@hawaiiancouncil.org, or visit our website at www.hawaiiancouncil.org

 

JDS Consulting: Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design. Servicing Honolulu and Honolulu County, Oahu Hawaii.

Master Bath Virtual Remodel - Pearl Ridge Hawaii - JDS Consulting Hawaii Decor Design and Home Staging

Many of our clients at JDS Consulting are simply looking for a little inspiration in their design projects. We point our clients in the right direction by providing suggested designs, materials, and visuals so they have a better understanding of how to achieve their renovation dreams.

One common concern amongst many of our clients, is that there are just too many choices to choose from, which can paralyze even the bravest of do-it-yourselfers. No one wants to make the wrong choice when it comes to renovations, as mistakes can be costly and time consuming. In order to alleviate that fear and provide a clear well defined goal for our clients we provide a comprehensive design strategy that addresses what materials and accessories to use, where to find them and what the project might look like in completion.

In this virtual makeover, our client a recent retiree, wanted a modern Japanese design aesthetic for their master suite renovation. They also had specific concerns regarding the height of the vanity in the bath and storage and organizational concerns as well. As Real Estate Merchandising specialists we approach every design with resale in mind, however, our client had no intention of selling the property and wanted certain design elements modified to her specific needs and personal taste that might otherwise be counter-intuitive to a Merchandiser.

 

The primary concern for our client in this project was the height of the vanity. After a recent medical procedure coupled with her diminutive size, our client needed the vanity to be lower than the standard 30"-32" height of a typical vanity console.In order to avoid the cost of custom cabinetry we decided on a wall mounted single wading pool sink & vanity which could be hung at a more convenient height. She also wanted drawers instead of cabinets and because of her medical condition she would be unable to bend and reach the lowest drawers which the mounted vanity design dispensed with. The width of vanity was also reduced to provide more square footage in the vanity area and we offered a choice of coral stone or golden onyx for the vanity top. We also suggested using coral stone or travertine for the floor and backslash which would extend to the floor. Our client stressed simplicity and easy maintenance with the the fixture selection so we choose a simple polished or brushed nickel look from Moen.

The golden wood tone selected for the teak vanity cabinets, shoji closet doors, and latern style light fixtures was chosen to compliment her many Asian  antiques and teak furniture found in the rest of the home.

A sisal area rug and stripped ottoman indicative of Japanese kimono designs would round off the accessories for the bath.

 

JDS Consulting- Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design. Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Diamond Head, Kahala, Waikiki, Kapahulu, Kailua, Makiki, Tantalus, Hawaii Kai, Manoa, Nu'uanu, Ala Moana, Waialua, Haleiwa, North Shore, Kapolei, Makaha, Honolulu.

www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

Part I: The Master Bedroom - A diamond in the rough.

 

 The heroine of this master suite makeovers name has been changed for dramatic purposes to "Tiffany"; whose family is in the process of remodeling their Nu'uanu Condo. Tiffany and Co. needed help with design choices and contacted JDS Consulting for some Do It Yourself advice. After our initial consultation we determined that the new diggs would have a Modern, Contemporary Asian design aesthetic with an earth tone color palette to compliment the view. We also needed the space to potentially function as both a second home and or rental, so stylish durability was an important factor. We chose a delicious color palette of rich honey gold, espresso brown, and oatmeal neutral for the master bedroom and a smattering of polished strawberry coral stone and chocolate cabinetry in the master bath all concocted to cook up a lip smacking delight to wake up to.

 

 

 

To create interest and warmth to the bedroom we decided an accent wall would be appropriate. The accent wall would act as a secondary focal point for the room(the view being the primary) and would be behind the headboard of the bed. We selected a honey gold color and offered a variety of art possibilities to compliment the decor of espresso colored furniture and oatmeal colored walls.

Our first accent wall art suggestion was an Asian styled gold leaf screen; bamboo is a common Asian motif and ties nicely with the rooms view of Punch Bowl crater and the Asian theme of the condo.

Our second suggestion was a sculptural piece comprised of various rectangles inspired from the carpet patterns in the figure below, bottom right. Decidedly more modern than the traditional screen, it is a renter-friendly option that could be made by hand or re-purposed from any number of recycled materials.

The last suggestion was a damask which could be painted with stencil or incorporated as a wallpaper or fabric panel. We suggested an Hawaiian quilt pattern but a number of designs could work equally well in this design.

A major design aesthetic in Hawaii is the seemless transition from interior spaces to exterior spaces.

Hawaiian design takes full advantage of the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape by incorporating it's colors and flora into the design allowing the eye to move unhindered from foreground to horizon.

The elegant shape and miniaturized form of a Bonsai tree helps draw the greenery inside: blurring the lines between the in and out of doors.

We chose a sculpted rectangular nickle lamp with gold shade to reinforce the modern rectangle motif that we repeat through out the condo. We also selected area rugs that reinforced the rectangle theme.

The minimalist side table pictured to the right was offered as an option for our clients to recycle the kitchen cabinet doors which were being replaced. The simplicity of the design is both modern and Eco friendly, requiring less materials to produce a functioning piece of furniture.

Stay tuned for Part II: A Virtual Master Bath make over!

Nu'uanu Hawaii, Virtual Master Suite Make Over: Breakfast in Bed at Tiffany's!

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Diamond Head, Kahala, Waikiki, Kapahulu, Kailua, Makiki, Tantalus, Hawaii Kai, Manoa, Nu'uanu, Ala Moana, Waialua, Haleiwa, North Shore, Kapolei, Makaha.

www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

 

DESCRIPTION AND FEATURES
JDS Consulting provides Real Estate Merchandising Services including: Home Staging & Remodeling. We assist home sellers in preparing their properties for sale; attracting serious buyers with better offers. In a down market with high inventories it's important to get your properties noticed by prospective buyers. Find out why merchandising works and visit our website for helpful tips and DIY information.
LINKS
JDS Consulting: Decor Design and Home Staging Questions for Kimo: Decor Design

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & all things Hawaiian- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com tel.+1.808.344.1264 Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

As some of you already know I'm a big Dutch Modern fan and love the modern design aesthetic of Marcel Wanders and Moooi. Unfortunately when I was in Amsterdam this past winter the Moooi gallery had yet to open it's doors to the public. Finally the highly anticipated moment has arrived and the gallery is poised to release it's new collection in it's new diggs on June 12th 2009. Here's a little peak of what's inside.

 

Blog Entry: Mod Tips for Home Stagers...Modern News for Modern Styles...

 

Moooi Gallery 
Opened June 1st this year and anticipating the release of it's new collection fresh from Milan's Salone di Mobile on June 12th, the gallery will offer lifestyle products, furniture, and l'objet d'art, all within a broader co-existing creative context. The new collection reveals an assortment of signature Moooi items juxtaposed with other historic more traditional pieces from around the globe. The Moooi Gallery is intent on becoming  the modern Mecca for your home interior and decor needs. So be prepared, you may see a new Moooi gallery moving to your metropolis in the near future. If you live in Hawaii, you can find Moooi at the Honolulu Design Center. 

"The Gallery wishes to achieve a position next to some of the most important design galleries in the world such as MOSS in New York, Rosanna Orlandi in Milan or The Design Republic in Shanghai."

What you can find at the Moooi Gallery 
* Moooi collection 
* Moooi Gallery; exhibitions and installations of stylists & artists 
* Pre 19th century Swedish furniture 
* Unique pieces from Marcel Wanders 
* Unique gifts from around the world 
* Books and creative literature
* Interior consultations and workplace

Moooi Gallery
Westerstraat 187
1015 MA Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 - 18.00 (Monday closed)
Thursday and Friday from 10.00 - 21.00
T:  +31(0)20-5287760

 Below are photos of my trip to Amsterdam this past winter. 

    

 

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & all things Hawaiian- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

 

  

In the perpetual pursuit of the perfect accessories...

One of my favorite accessories and fine furnishings store INTO is having a 25% to 50% off sale now until the end of June. INTO is located at 40 North Hotel Street near the intersection of Smith and Hotel in Honolulu's historic Chinatown.

INTO offers an abundant assortment of furnishings including traditional and contemporary home accessories, furnishings and lighting together with a selection of specialty books from publishers including Assouline, Taschen and teNeues.

Owner Alan Carrell offers eco-friendly, socially conscious products from around the world and will be happy to assist you in finding that exceptional conversation piece for your home or design project.

Blog Entry: Swept up on an Accessories Quest; we land on Southern Hawaii shores- SoHa So Good!

Blog Entry: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...no, it's not Christmas it's Clearance!

Above is a decorative lamp from the Philippines made from hundreds of shells. The detail to the right shows how the shells have been cut in two to reveal the polished interior and allow opaque light to pass through the shade.

These eco-friendly chic lamp shades are designed by XYDecor and are made from wood veneer and bent into these modern and engaging shapes.

 

To the left is a "faces" lamp by renowned potter and interior designer Jonathan Adler.

The Bok Choy bowls and dishes including the Lilly blossom bowl were created by the South African socially conscious company Mustardseed and Moonshine.

Below hand turned Koa and Milo wood bowls with stunning grains.                          

 

 

Above to the left are deliciously scented decorative spheres made from Coffee beans by a collective of women craft workers in Mexico. The whimsical pear to the right is made from Lima beans.

The lamps below are designed by Mark Chai an award-winning, Hawaiian artist. The lamp to the left is made from Koa veneer and the lamp to the right is made from recycled plastic.

Take advantage on some top of the line accessories at incredible prices. Accessory Quest: If your INTO accessories, theirs are on sale.

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & all things Hawaiian- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

edit  - (!e-dut): to prepare (as literary material) for publication or public presentation b. b to assemble (as a moving picture or tape recording) by cutting and rearranging c. c to alter, adapt, or refine especially to bring about conformity to a standard or to suit a particular purpose - carefully edited the speech - edit a data file -Webster Online Dictionary

As active bloggers we are usually acutely aware of our editing skills or lack there of when it comes to writing but developing an editors eye for ones own occupation can be applied successfully to almost every profession with amazing results. As a Real Estate merchandiser it is an invaluable skill that requires constant application. Learning to develop your editorial eye sight takes plenty of practice and perseverance to perfect, the benefits of which are not only noteworthy but profitable especially when your occupation involves details great and small. None the less it is not as difficult to become a master in observation as one might think but does take a considerable amount of concentration, presence of mind, and practice.

The majority of our perceived reality is brought to us by the miraculous machinery of the oculus humanus or the Human eye. Unfortunately, in our busy lives we often don't have the ability or patience to calm the mind enough to allow the information collected by the eye to actually seep into our consciousness.  The Human brain Just like DSL or cable, can process only so much information at any one time. The more neurons being dedicated to thinking, problem solving, communicating, the less details in it's environment the brain pays attention to; just as the information being processed by your DSL connection slows dramatically when the number of people gaining access information on the Internet increases. How many times, in a rush, have you downloaded a file from the Internet and then forgotten what you named it, where you stored it, or when you filed it?  

In our modern, hectic, ADHD, whirlwind of an existence our brain is so involved with the crackle of excessive thinking that it often times forgets where it stored what it has "seen" and in it's place an imperfect simulacrum presents itself as reality. The brain forgetting where it stored the information to complete the picture begins to interpret, extrapolate, and substitute what it cannot find or it simply leaves the detail out all together. Eye witnesses are notorious for unintentionally giving false or incomplete testimony. There are a number of reasons why scientists believe this happens but the usual causes are the brain was engaged in doing something else, was distracted or preoccupied with thought, or it happened so quickly that the event did not register entirely in the brain. Regardless, If you are not focusing on what your looking at most often your going to miss something important.

 

 

 

When it comes to professionals who make a living from ones ability to discern details it is tantamount to develop your editing eye as much as possible as your reputation usually depends upon it. Now many of us have tricks and tools to help us compensate. Photographs are a fantastic tool to help one keep up on the details. The saying that a photo never lies is appropriate in that the data that has been collected by the camera is not competing with the brains activity or idiosyncrasies and is not constrained by the passing of time. What the camera sees is what is there. Now it is not enough to just recognize detail, when it comes to developing an editors eye, one must also apply the editing part as well.

 

Recognizing and manipulating content, relevance, structure, flow, and the artfulness in which these elements are conveyed are what separates one editor from another. However, at some point when we are in the creation process we can loose are ability to edit ourselves and we usually end up with a disaster as a result.

Erudite art dealer and Manhattan socialite Fran Kitteridge, from the play and film 6 Degrees of Separation, makes a poignant observation about creative abilities and how it takes more than just talent to be successful.

 

 

...how easy it is for a painter to lose a painting.
He paints and paints, works on a canvas for months,
and then, one day, he loses it.

Loses the structure, loses the sense of it. You lose the painting...

 I remembered asking my kids' second-grade teacher:
"Why are all your students geniuses?"
Look at the first grade - blotches of green
and black. The third grade - camouflage.
But your grade, the second grade...Matisses, every one. 

You've made my child a Matisse...What is your secret?

I don't have any secret. I just know when to take their drawings away from them.

 

 

Self editing, requires emotional separation from the subject so one can objectively "observe" not judge, rationalize, or let the ego run fancy free in creative overflow. Whether your writing a post, negotiating a contract, or staging a property for sale, developing your editors eye can define you and your services as exceptional. We all have a Matisse hiding inside we just need that 2nd grade teacher lurking over our shoulder preventing us stopping too soon or from overworking our project.

The biggest obstacle to developing your self editing is, of course, your mind. Setting aside a time to edit your project calmly and objectively can be an inconveinent luxury in our busy world. There are, however, some exercises that can calm and relax the eyes and your mind so the editors eye can be operating and working for you at anytime anywhere.

              

In the figure to the left does the white panel face towards you or away from you? Allow your eyes to relax and see if you can see both perspectives. Keep your focus soft and try to switch perspectives at will. This takes a little practice. In the figure to the right are you looking at the top side of the stairs or the underside? Practice shifting you perspective.

 

 

 

These exercises allow one to recognize that perceptions and perspectives of an object can change while the object and the position of the observer remains unchanged. Recognizing, your ability to change your perceptions is a crucial step in developing the editors eye.

 

It is important to always avoid any kind of eye strain. Before engaging these exercises consult your eye doctor or ophthalmologist if you should use the folowing tecniques. Stop If you experience any discomfort or strain.

Sitting comfortably with your eyes open, look straight ahead, straighten your spine with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap.When doing the eye exercises don't move your head and keep your eyes open.

Raise your eyes and find a small point in front of you that you can see clearly without moving your head or straining your eyes.While doing this exercise look at this point each time you raise your eyes.

Now, lower your eyes to find a small point on the floor which you can see clearly when glancing down. Look at it each time you lower your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and relax the corners of your eyes

 

1) Move your eyes upwards as far as you can, and then downwards as far as you can. Repeat four more times. Blink quickly a few times 1 to relax the eye muscles.

2) Now do the same using points to your right and to your left, at eye level. Keep your raised fingers or two pencils on each side as guides and adjust them so that you can see them clearly when moving the eyes to the right and to the left, but without straining. Keeping the fingers at eye level, and moving only the eyes, look to the right at your chosen point, then to the left. Repeat four times. Blink several times, then close your eyes and rest.

3) Choose a point you can see from the right corner of your eyes when you raise them, and another that you can see from the left corner of your eyes when you lower them, half closing the lids. Remember to retain your original posture: spine erect, hands on knees, head straight and motionless. Look at your chosen point in right corner up, then to the one in left corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest. Now do the same exercise in reverse. That is, first look to the left corner up, then to the right corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest.

4) This exercise should not be done until three or four days after you have begun eye exercises given here. Slowly roll your eyes first clockwise, then counterclockwise as follows: Lower your eyes and look at the floor, then slowly move the eyes to the left, higher and higher until you see the ceiling. Now continue circling to the right, lower and lower down, until you see the floor again. Do this slowly, making a full-vision circle. Blink, close your eyes and rest. Then repeat the same action counterclockwise. Do this five times then blink the eyes for at least five seconds. When rolling the eyes, make as large a circle as possible, so that you feet a little strain as you do the exercise. This stretches the eye muscles to the maximum extent, giving better results.

5) While doing this next changing-vision exercise you alternately shift your vision from close to distant points several times. Take a pencil, or use your finger, and hold it under the tip of your nose. Then start moving it away, without raising it, until you have fixed it at the closest possible distance where you can see it clearly without any blur. Then raise your eyes a little, look straight into the distance and there find a small point which you can also see very clearly. Now look at the closer point-the pencil or your finger tip then shift to the farther point in the distance. Repeat several times, blink, close your eyes and squeeze them tight.

6) Close your eyes as tightly as you possibly can, so the eye muscles contract. Hold this contraction for three seconds, and then let go quickly. This exercise causes a deep relaxation of the eye muscles, and is especially beneficial after the slight strain caused by the eye exercises. Blink the eyes a few times.

7) This exercise is called 'palming' and is used to help preserve the eyesight. It is best to sit at a desk or table with your elbows raised on a pillow so that you will be able to keep the neck straight, and easily keep your palms over the eyes. Briskly rub your palms until they are warm from friction and place the cupped palms over your closed eyes. The fingers of the right hand should be crossed over the fingers of the left hand on the forehead. The elbows should be supported and the neck should be kept straight. Don't bend your head. Start deep breathing while palming your eyes do this for a few minutes to complete your eye exercise session.

 

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & all things Hawaiian- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

 

 

 

Here is our latest Real Estate merchandising project in the heart of Waikiki, Hawaii. We replaced most of the lighting, installed Berber carpeting, laminate floors(bamboo), replaced the kitchen counter-top, replaced the kitchen sink, repainted the cabinets, inside and out, replaced bathroom vanity, refurbished the furniture, and staged the property.

 

 

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & all things Hawaiian- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009