When Maurice and Sydney Smith first purchased their land in the mid 1980's this cottage was already old and badly in need of care. It had an outhouse and no electricity. Sydney's father, Bill began working to make it a habitable place and restored many of the craftsman details you can still see today. Underground power was brought in, cable and updated plumbing. A couple of years ago Sydney began to renovate it again. While she knew basic carpentry skills, many of them learned from her father, many techniques had to be learned and she drew on skilled professionals in the community to teach her.
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| BEFORE (1985) |
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| AFTER (2015) |
The built-in cutting board in the kitchen was built from materials salvaged from The Blue Max Bar in Lahaina.
The cabinets were all samples from a cabinet showroom that closed.
The green glass kitchen hardware is made from recycled Coke bottles.
The light fixture over the kitchen sink was salvaged from a house Maurice and Sydney restored on the Oregon Coast.
The little painted light fixtures in the bathroom were found in the dirt under the house.
The monkeypod stairway handrails were milled from trees in Pu'unene destined for the landfill.
The beveled leaded glass door leading into the downstairs bedroom was salvaged from an old plantation home on Baldwin Avenue slated for demolition.
During the most recent renovation of the cottage every effort was made to use sustainable, salvaged and recycled materials. The original house was built from old-growth redwood and cedar and has stood strong for many decades. With love and care it will stand for many more.
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A fire wards off the chill on winter mornings.
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