Hawaiian Lanai Family Room

Since John Cox and Lori McCarney moved to Hawaii five years ago with their three sons, they have worked hard to make sure their home reflects their own spirit, as well as that of the Islands. Their family room is especially troublesome; since the space was originally an exterior lanai, the room's walls are exterior walls with windows hidden by art. The Coxes would like to make the room a more functional and attractive inside/outside lanai/family room that looks like a real family room. The couple would also like a wall that opens up to make the room more part of the outdoors.

Taking into consideration all the designers' plans, the homeowners choose Lisa Kotero because they particularly liked the way she transitioned between the older and newer parts of the house. After opening up the space with glass doors and the raised ceiling, Kotero adds local touches such as Koa wood benches, bread fruit carpet, and Hawaiian art to give an island feel to the space.