Questions for Kimo:

Tips for Staging a Studio: defining a small space  

When it comes to staging a studio defining a livable area within a limited space can be a challenge. Empty studios often seem smaller and hard to define, leaving potential buyers with an unsettling feeling that there just isn't enough room. Occupied studios can feel cramped and cluttered. 

Maximizing functional square footage should be a priority. Defining basic living areas that are typically found in larger homes is essential to show buyers how the studio space can function for them.

Aside from being cluttered and disheveled this studio lacks clear definition making it difficult for buyers to picture themselves living in the space.

Maximize Functionality. There are four basic living areas in most homes: living, eating, working, sleeping. Making sure that you effectively display these specific areas in a functional setting helps potential buyers picture themselves living in the space.  

Use multifunctional furniture. Using day and sofa beds allow you to feed two birds with one seed, while conserving space, ottomans with storage, trunks as coffee tables pull double duty; maximizing function.  

Avoid using large furniture in small spaces. It drastically effects the feel of the room and usable square footage. Compact furniture makes rooms seem larger.  

Keep wall colors light and bright. Dark wall colors can make a room appear smaller.

Don't over do it. Remember not to place too much furniture in the space; less is more.

In this stage we clearly defined the eating, living, and working areas. The sofa (Pune'e) converts into a double bed, addressing the sleeping area.

The multifunctional butcher block table acts as a dinning table, bar, and extra prep area for the kitchen. The compact size of the desk below works well in small rooms. Don't forget cleanliness, reducing clutter, and depersonalization should always top the list of any stage.

Let JDS Consulting assist you in your Real Estate design needs. Please visit our site:

http://www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

Downtown Honolulu has many architectural styles indicative of the many cultural influences that have helped shape  modern Hawaii.

Honolulu, during the early part of the 20th century, had adopted many of the architectural styles that were en vogue on the mainland in the sunny Pacific Southwest. One such style trend is Spanish Colonial Revival. Influenced by both California and the Philippines this tropic friendly design features stucco siding, ceramic tile roofs, and old world details. Many public buildings built in the late 20's and 30's here in Honolulu were constructed in this Mediterranean influenced design style. Here are some of my favorite examples. 

This is the Old Bethal St. Police department or Gibson Building with its large ornate lintal moldings and coffered bronze doorway. 

This is the King Kamehameha Building which functions as the Downtown Post office and houses other city administrative offices. The cloistered courtyard, stucco siding, along with the classic tile roof are all features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

The following photos including the one above is of Honolulu Hale, or city hall.

The tower has highly detailed "balcons" reminiscent of Seville.

A classic European coat of arms with Royal Hawaiian emblazoned shield

Bronze door with Spanish inspired embellishments and metal work.

Let JDS Consulting assist you in your Real Estate design needs. Please visit our site:

http://www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

Manu-o-Ku, Fairy, or White Terns (Gygis alba) are found only on Oahu, with regards to the main Islands of Hawaii but are common in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and other parts of Polynesia.  Manu-o-Ku are listed as a threatened species by the State of Hawaii.  

They do not build nests but rather lay their eggs in craggy ledges and tree knots. Their diet consists almost entirely of flying and goat fish and both parents take turns caring and feeding their young.

The female does not leave the incubating egg until it hatches and the male will keep his mate amply fed while she keeps vigil. Breeding pairs will sometimes produce three broods a year and nest either in solitude or in small groups preferring to nest in the same place year after year.

They are very social birds noted by their cacophonous interactions with each other in the early morning and at dusk. They often roost in Monkey Pod trees because of it's expansive canopy and afforded protection from predation.

We were blessed to have three breeding pairs living outside our former home in Diamond Head Hawaii. It was a wonderful experience to watch the hatchlings grow and finally fly away.

The parents always kept a watchful eye on human beings but many times I got the impression that they liked showing us their little ones. If we got too close they would let us know by flying around our heads and screeching but that was rare.

 We need your Kokua to keep Hawaii beautiful!

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

Bathrooms and Kitchens are two very important rooms in the mind set of most buyers. In this market, updating these rooms is essential for getting top dollar for your property. As Real Estate Merchandisers we advise our clients to allocate their remodel budget to address these rooms first, as they typically offer the greatest return on your investment.

Changing outdated fixtures, lighting, counter tops, and flooring can transform the old and dated into eye candy for potential buyers.  

In this simple remodel we replaced the old counter top with a granite remnant from another project, painted the cabinets, removed the doors, and added a curtain, making it easier to access the under cabinet in the small space. We added new sink fixtures and some simple accessories. The bathroom remodel took two days and less than $500. 

The property went under contract in a week.  

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

The Big Island is an inspiring place, home to the Goddess Pele and high tech Billionaire's. It's natural beauty is evident from its black sand beaches to it's snow capped volcanoes.

Mauna Kea at sunset

Honu hoofing it

Hula in Kona

Steam rising from the floor of Kilauea caldera

Sunset in Waimea

Please Help Keep Hawaii Beautiful! 

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

Design Lab is a service of JDS Consulting offering our clients the opportunity to see before they buy. We use digital technology to produce visual renderings of our proposals so that design choices can be made quickly and with certainty.  

Creating visuals for our clients takes away the guess work and time required to explain design ideas.

"Painting" walls and arranging furniture in digital renderings allows home owners the ability to see the concept before they commit to it; reducing client anxiety.

In the past clients would often toil over design choices, with the endless selection of swatches, paint chips, and material samples. Finding the right furniture meant many hours spent in furniture stores and design show rooms which inevitably slowed the process down. Changes to patterns or style choices often meant hours of additional work for everyone but when you have just moved into a new home, who wants to wait months for a sofa?

All of the pieces used in our renderings are available for immediate sale and can be delivered almost anywhere. We provide all the information required to purchase direct from the supplier: Item number, price, color, name, size, etc. We also provide substitute suggestions should items become unavailable.

Furniture and accessories can be added or removed to suit the clients taste. Select furniture and accessories can be ordered, delivered and set into place by virtually anyone using our digital renderings as a guide.

Design Lab can save you time, money, and the overwhelming feeling that comes with making the right design choices. Welcome to the 21st Century of design.

JDS Consulting offers many design modalities to suite your taste and budget and our consulting services are available world wide. If you can send and receive photos via the Internet we can help.

Please visit our website www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com

Photos and digital renderings by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

How do buyers differentiate one condo for sale from another when they all look the same? The answer is Curb Appeal! What, Curb Appeal For Condos? Yes... Curb Appeal For Condos! Or shall I call it Front Door Appeal. That's not to say that staging the interior isn't important, it certainly is but if all variables are equal: square footage, rooms, views, etc. the best place to start is with the most probable first impression, the front door.

Separating yourself from the pack so that buyers take notice is not as hard as you might think. All the condo entry ways in this Hawaii Kai condo complex look identical. In order to separate the property from the rest it doesn't take much time or money to transform the entry to your property into a warm inviting statement of BUY ME!

At JDS Consulting we create digital images for our clients to show the almost limitless options available to them. Painting the front door is simple, inexpensive, and makes a powerful statement.

Here is an example of Feng Shui at work; the red door signifies prosperity and financial gain. The bronze door knocker adds character; the door mat, warmth; and the topiary, real or faux, adds charm.

The green expresses tranquility, renewal, and harmony. The wreath of wheat suggests fertility and growth, the water feature, a Feng Shui symbol for prosperity is essential for the abundant flow of Chi through the property. Water also suggests life and it's flowing nature. 

Often times the Home Owners Association or Co-op management prohibit changing any of the exterior paint of a condo complex which sometimes includes the front door of your property. Nevertheless, one can still create interest such as with this lemon & myrtle wreath, friendship knot welcome mat and lion statue; a Feng Shui token of prosperity, power, and prestige. 

Please visit our website: www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com

JDS Consulting provides design services any where in the world. If you can send and receive photos on the Internet we can help.

Photos and digital renderings by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008 

This stately home belonged to the last reigning monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani. After the over throw of the Kingdom of Hawaii she remained in residence here under virtual house arrest until her death on November 11, 1917. Threat of counter insurgency kept her a political prisoner for several years after the overthrow. Once Hawaii became a US territory the queen was powerless to regain her Kingdom despite the fact that the President Cleveland had supported the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty.

The lower portion of the house is constructed of coral blocks and the rest is of wood construction. Built in the 1840s, the home was constructed by the parents of the Queens consort, General John Dominus, in the Greek Revival style reminiscent of plantation homes in Louisiana. The defining architectural elements are the double tiered lanai's, columns, and hipped roof.

After the Queens death Washington Place became the Executive Mansion for twelve consecutive governors of Hawaiʻi until 2002, when it became a historic house museum and eventually a National Historic Landmark in 2007.

This bronze placard commemorates the Queens farewell song to her Kingdom, Aloha O'e, which became world famous and today is indicative of Hawaii's Aloha spirit.

Aloha O'e Aloha O'e

E ke ona ona noho ika lipo

One found embrace a hoi ae au

Until we meet again

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 ©2008

Honolulu has some beautiful Art Deco architecture and one of my favorite buildings is the Downtown Fire Department on Beretania St. near China Town. Honolulu has some amazing public buildings and here is just one example. 

The giant zinc doors and the Hawaiian styled motifs are what really draw your attention to this building.

The doors stand about 15 feet high not including the monogram and transome and are excellent examples of Art Deco detail.

The triangles are an Ancient Hawaiian motif that were commonly found in Tapa cloth and body decoration.

The light fixture, layered squares and name plate font are all classic Art Deco details, as well as, the stucco wall treatment. Many of Honolulu's public buildings are quite beautiful and this one is no exception.

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 ©2008

Come Celebrate Sovereignty Restoration Day

10 AM to 5PM
at Thomas Square, Downtown Honolulu
between Beretania & King + Victoria & Ward

KA LA HO'IHO'I EA (Sovereignty Restoration Day) July 31 is the day commemorated in Hawaii when in 1843 sovereignty was returned to the Kingdom of Hawaii after five months of illegal British occupation by naval commander, Lord George Paulet. The bellicose Paulet forced then King Kamehameha III to abdicate the throne in favor of British rule. In an attempt to avoid military confrontation, Kamehameha III appealed to Queen Victoria for the rightful restoration of the crown. As a result, The British Empire sent commander Admiral. Richard Thomas to enforce British law and restore self rule to the Hawaiian Kingdom and her government.

 It is on this day that Kamehameha III stated "Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono." or "The sovereignty of the land continues because of our righteousness." Ironically it became the Hawaii state motto.

                                                                                                                King Kamehameha III