EYE ON DESIGN BY DAN GREGORY

Hawaiian Inspirations

Every home should have a lanai — otherwise known as a “living porch” — to take advantage of balmy weather. A common feature in Hawaiian homes, it’s a covered outdoor room that’s larger than a typical front or rear porch and organized for sitting and dining. Here’s a good example from the Big Island.

My family and I recently spent most of our vacation time reading, talking, and dining on it. The big blue built-in couch — called a hike e (pronounced “hickey-ay”) –  is an important element and drew each of us like a magnet. Where insects are a problem a lanai could be screened. The great Hawaiian modern architect Vladimir Ossipoff included lanais in many of his Honolulu houses, some of which are profiled in Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff (Yale University Press, 2008), which is the catalog to a major exhibition of his work at the Honolulu Academy of Art.

Many of our plans include lanais, for example, 61-387:

The house includes a front porch. The rear lanai is accessible from breakfast and family rooms. 

A lanai isn’t the only place for a bed-couch. Try the living room, great room, or family room. It doesn’t even have to be built-in — any twin bed that’s set against a wall and covered with colorful pillows will do. Not only can it become a favorite spot for curling up with a good book, it can also double as a temporary sleeping area for overnight guests.