A Vintage Hawaiian Beach Cottage, Restored and Ready for Relaxation

When Brooklyn-based architect Roberto Sosa sent us photos of his renovated farmhouse in upstate New York, we were enamored. Recently we’ve been admiring another project Sosa sent our way, this one nearly 5,000 miles away in Paia, a bohemian surf town on Maui’s wild north coast. Owned by two veterans of the fashion industry, the two 1940s beach cottages—one a traditional Hawaiian cottage, the other a stone carriage house, both surrounded by ancient trees and lush tropical plants—were recently renovated by a team of architects and designers who restored them to their laid-back Hawaiian charm. Today we’re taking a look at the main house. Join us for a tour.

Photography by Kate Holstein.

Above: The “Beach Cottage” is tucked into a lush tropical garden, behind monkeypod trees.

In renovating the 1940s-era main house, George and Angela Hensler wanted to preserve the home’s history, taking cues from the area’s natural beauty and laid-back style. Together with Rene Holguin from LA-based shop RTH and Sosa (then with Aero Studios), they restored the original wood siding, painted the exterior a custom dark green color, and added mahogany sliding doors. The effect: an indoor/outdoor home that looks one with the lush Hawaiian vegetation.

Above: On the wide porch, a lounge area, anchored by two Pierre Jeanneret caned teak chairs.

Above: A new screened porch, painted in the same custom dark green, overlooks the garden and provides a quiet place to read and reflect.

Above: Inside, the team added new wood cladding throughout, painted in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. (For more cottage-style cladding, see Remodeling 101: The Ultimate Wood Paneling Guide with Jersey Ice Cream Co.)

Above: The room is bright and open, thanks to high, exposed-beam ceilings, painted white.

Above: The kitchen features white-painted cabinetry and a sliding window above the sink.

In the kitchen, the team added a modern edge—poured cement countertops—to the cottage-style cabinetry. The fridge, a paneled-front Subzero, is disguised in a row of oversize cabinets, vintage green bottles included.

Above: In a bedroom, white curtains pull across double sliding doors for added privacy. The natural-fiber headboard is a “very old West Elm” find, the Henslers say.

Above: Matchstick shades add to the neutral palette of white, teal, and wood.

Above: In a second bedroom, built-in shelving doubles as nightstands.

Above: A bright and airy bath.

In one bath, a marble-topped vanity, large format cement tiles by Clé Tile. (For a similar subtle look, see our post A New Blue Delft Tile Line from a California Artist.) The built-in shelving for towels adds a luxurious, hotel-like feel.

Above: Steel casement windows find new life as a shower door. (Interested in installing something similar? Consult our post Remodeling 101: Steel Factory-Style Windows and Doors.)

Above: A detail of the vintage-style brass shower fixtures.

Above: In another bath, hexagonal tiles from Daltile are laid in a stripe pattern across the floor and shower wall.

Above: A custom-designed sink by Sink Factory in Berkeley, California, with brass bath hardware by Chicago Faucets. Plus: soap on a rope, ready for vacationers.

N.B. For a look at the property’s lush gardens, see Vacation Rental: Maui Beach Cottage with a Tropical Garden on Gardenista. For a look at the property’s carriage house, see Hawaiian Summer: A Charm-Filled Stone Carriage House on the Maui Coast, Restored.

Ready for summer? Take inspiration from these beachside cottages: