Family Hale

At this home on the Big Island's North Kona Coast, large open spaces for gathering and relaxing are mirrored both inside and out. In the main indoor gathering area, sunshine streams through sliding glass walls and elevated gable windows, illuminating a ceiling of Alaskan yellow cedar planks that express the interior volume of hipped roofs. Columns fashioned from battered-edge black granite and clefted limestone signal passage to the outdoors, where a generous covered lanai acquaints one with the home's ocean views.

Once outside, the home's plan continues to unfold in an arrangement where the garden remains at the center. The expansive pool slips underneath a large covered lanai for shaded swims, while a large recreation space with sliding glass walls permits natural light and sea breezes. Upstairs, a lofted office turned lookout point is outfitted with clerestory windows offering 360-degree views. This home on the island's leeward side is as much for sheltering from the environment as it is for living within it, inviting one to commune with nature during each of the day's intervals.