By Melissa Chang

There are mansions and there are luxury properties, but when you walk into this estate at 3175 Noela Street, you feel like you are already at home.

There is no question that this newly constructed residence is elegant and voluptuous, yet it is devoid of pretentiousness. One could imagine hosting a Super Bowl potluck as easily as a high tea—at the same time.

With three stories comprising about 10,000 square feet of living area on a property of almost 29,000 square feet, there is room to spread out for a variety of activities.

This Diamond Head home features open living spaces which are perfect for family time or entertaining a crowd. Photos by Ed Medeiros

"This is a big house, but the rooms are made to be intimate places. You don't feel like you're in a resort or a big cavern," says architect Philip "Pip" White. "Even from the outside, it looks intimate. The pitched roof lowers the mass of the house and tucks the spaces in, so it looks like a one- or two-story house instead of three."

The original structure, built in 1939, was severely termite-eaten and had to be torn down, but California developer Tom Nicholson saw the property's potential. He contacted White, with whom he has collaborated on many projects, and went to work.

"This is one of the nicest neighborhoods on the island, so we had to live up to it," says White. "You don't destroy a neighborhood just to make money!

"We tried to save as many trees as possible, so we designed the house around them," he adds. A 70 year-old female banyan greets all who drive up, while two younger male banyans stand guard in the back yard. Autograph, plumeria, monkeypod and breadfruit trees accent the lush, tropical landscaping throughout the property.

Some of the original home's features have also been saved. At the turn of the 20th century, when homeowners excavated parts of Diamond Head to make room for their buildings or yards, the stone from the mountain was used for the house and wall fencing. That same stone was reused for the new construction on the first floor and the rock wall in front.

"This was so unique, we had to use it. The rocks truly make the home a part of Diamond Head, and enabled us to keep some of the home's original spirit," White explains.

Intimate living spaces can be found in this 29,000-square-foot home.

The past meets the present with White's contemporary design, which not only makes the home more modern, but practical as well. A small elevator takes occupants to each floor with ease, an element that leaves room for multigenerational living.

The basement leads to the three-car garage, but an "extra" garage next to it can be used for storage. A larger door was created for ease of passage of recreational items that might be kept there.

The basement itself has been transformed into a modern living room, complete with a bar and a 100-inch flat screen television panel affixed to the main wall. An essential piece of the property's past is a room located at the far end of the basement. When Realtor Beth Chang first found it, there was a secret entrance.

"I thought it was odd that this little room was closed off, and had a full bathroom in it," Chang muses. "It turned out that the original owner held poker games in the room during the Prohibition era, and he served alcohol there! Many of the attendees were prominent people, whom he would not name."

There was no question that this room's illustrious past guaranteed its place in the renovated basement, so it has been turned into an optional bedroom or game room.

The second floor serves as the home's main living focus. The original structure had two bedrooms on the same side as the pool; these were moved to the opposite side of the house for better privacy. The kitchen area and breakfast nook are now situated poolside, with the option to open up to a covered lanai for al fresco dining with a garden backdrop. An alternate indoor dining area is on the other side of the kitchen, adjacent to one of the living rooms that opens out to the front of the house for more expansive entertaining.

This living area, in fact, is indicative of White's style—even before "building green" became a buzzword, he was designing homes and offices in ways that conserve energy. Although there is central air conditioning, the large doors throughout the home can be left open to take advantage of the natural ventilation.

"The breezes that come through are not strong winds. They're large volumes of fresh air, moving slowly," White says.

The kitchen and breakfast nook are situated poolside (above) while the formal dining area opens up to al fresco dining with a garden backdrop (below).

"In fact," Chang chimes in, "the neighborhood is so quiet that if the wind is blowing just right, you can hear the lions at the zoo at feeding time, about 5 p.m."

The third floor has two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, on one side. The other side features a massive master bedroom with a separate sitting/office space, a covered lanai overlooking Waikiki, a large master bathroom fitted with a sauna, two walk-in closets, and an exercise/spa room for an individual's workouts or meditation. The two closets open to a large dressing area that includes a wet bar.

"You could put a coffee maker and a microwave in the wet bar area to make mornings quick and convenient. If you had an infant, this and the exercise room are ideally situated for a nursery," Chang explains.

"People often ask me for a house like this," says White. "I always recommend that people just buy a Nicholson house instead of trying to imitate it. You can't make a Nicholson house cheaper than theirs—he has 17 years of experience and knows what needs to be done, what the right materials are, and how to get everything done efficiently."

"People have used 'casual elegance' and 'Hawaiian contemporary' to describe this home, but it's really much more than that," adds Chang, who has listed the property for $11.9 million. "It's designed to be a place that's always comfortable, whether you're spending family time or entertaining."

The home was completed at the end of July, but Chang says that Nicholson gives warranties for a year from the date of closing to give the buyer an added advantage. The furniture and artwork currently in the house are available for sale separately. HS