The City Sage

Island Style: Lush Rainforests

If yesterday's Island Style post was all about the gentle breezes of the beach, then today's explores the drama and mystery of the inland forest. Under a canopy of lush and verdant foliage, who knows what you might discover?

The organic borders of a giant framed leaf contrast with the sleek curves of a Ghost chair. Below, an Ikat bolster pillow ties in perfectly with textured cube tables.

A massive picture window complements walls that seem to have grown straight up from the forest floor, and an angular daybed provides a cozy spot to watch the world go by.

The cutouts in these headboards remind me of the pattern exposed when you grate a nutmeg seed. The only trouble with this guest room? Your visitors might never leave!

The color on this wall is so unusual--the grey-green reminds me of the water of a jungle river. An eclectic collection of objects on the nightstand complements the mysterious tone.

A weathered shutter pulls back to reveal a simple platform bed and crisp linens. The perfect evening retreat!

Dinner al fresco? Of course! So long as we get to eat while reclining amongst the cushions of these dreamy daybeds...

I'm pretty convinced that paradise is a long bath spent staring up at a peaked thatched ceiling...

Of course if one soaking tub is good, certainly two are even better! Throw in an ocean view and I've died and gone to heaven...

1. Marie Claire Maison 2. House Beautiful 3. Domino 4. Marie Claire Maison 5, 6. House Beautiful 7, 8, 9. Marie Claire Maison 10. Ditte Isager

Island Style: White Sands

One of the loveliest things about being in Hawaii was experiencing firsthand how the environment--warm breezes, endless coastlines, lush foliage--can influence interiors. A sun-filled room in all white seems just perfect for whiling away the afternoon, and of course a sweeping view is required for admiring the sunset!

Trade winds whisper through the windows of a casual living room. Turned wood mahogany chairs have a global sensibility, and the serene palette feels right at home on the beach.

Imagine preparing an island feast in this lovely kitchen! A wicker armchair gives a nod to coastal style while airy linen window treatments keep the space sophisticated.

A big, airy bathroom is just right for cleaning the sand out from between your toes! Grasscloth wall coverings add tropical texture to a monochromatic space.

Of course the bedroom is the most important space in any island idyll. Perhaps you'd like just a brush of blue in a neutral, clean-lined retreat.

Maybe high-pitched ceilings and a terra cotta floor are on your 'must have' list?

Or maybe your only requirement is that most glamourous of tropical accoutrements, a gauzy mosquito net?

Did I say the most important room is the bedroom? I lied. It's the patio, and this one is pretty much perfect, no?

Stay tuned for more island inspired style--cause there's more to Hawaii than white sand beaches, after all!

Image Credits: 1. Veranda 2. Marie Claire Maison 3. House Beautiful 4. Homes and Gardens 5. House Beautiful 6. House Beautiful 7. Ditte Isager 8. House Beautiful 9. House Beautiful

Maui by the Numbers

14: Days spent at the incomparable Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui.
7: Day on which we started wearing underwear inside-out as we were too cheap to pay for laundry.
13: Day on which we learned that the hotel has free laundry facilities.

3.5: Total miles jogged along the beach every morning.
16: Total miles walked for the sheer pleasure of exploring the natural beauty of the island.
20: Total miles walked to an amazing local pizza place to avoid the exorbitant cost of resort meals (Total pineapple pizzas consumed: 10).

50: SPF I was wearing when I got a sunburn on the first day of the trip.
1: Bottles of 'Beachcomber Budd's 100% Coconut Oil' emptied in an attempt to prevent peeling.
0: Success rate of aforementioned anti-peeling measures.

13: Paperback romance novels read while lounging by the pool.
17: Phenomenally generous bloggers whose guest posts allowed me to enjoy a much-needed break.
Immeasurable: My gratitude to everyone who made such an incredible trip possible!