My Houzz: A Surf Shack in a Hawaiian Jungle
An artist and the creative director at clothing retailer Sugarhigh Lovestoned, Tami Snodgrass lives in a tiny surf shack in the verdant jungles of Haiku, Maui. After moving to Hawaii in 1999, she set out to live a humble, pared-down existence where nature, art and surf rule the days.
The Minnesota native is no stranger to small spaces — she grew up in a compact cabin on Lake Minnetonka. Her 300-square-foot rental provides maximum inspiration for her creative endeavors, which include graphic design, illustration and art production. With wood-paneled walls, vaulted ceilings and a sleeping loft, the bungalow has a beachy warmth and casualness. That vibe is abetted by earthy details, including a dome-topped outhouse and an open-air kitchen overlooking a lush, expansive property that includes a waterfall and is replete with papaya and avocado trees.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Tami Snodgrass and her dog, Lewis
Location: Haiku, Maui, Hawaii
Size: Approximately 300 square feet (28 square meters) on 3 acres
Year built: 2011
Snodgrass’ original illustrations adorn the cedar walls in the main living space. A wooden ladder leads to her loft bedroom above.
A surfboard is stashed on the wooden beams overhead.
The chevron pillow and throw are from Urban Outfitters. The home’s interior is lined with gray cedar planks.
Postcards from old friends and gathered on travels adorn the windowsill; the blown-glass orb is from a trip to Big Sur, California.
The patchwork quilt is from a family friend in Portland, Oregon. “It’s my security blanket that has traveled everywhere with me,” says Snodgrass. An industrial light fixture hangs overhead.
The bedroom window looks onto a garden and a magenta bougainvillea tree.
A self-described culture junkie, Snodgrass has a collection of magazines covering everything from surfing and skating to high fashion. An acoustic guitar awaits a visitor to play it.
Snodgrass’ exposed closet showcases her collection of thrifted clothes, vintage jackets and Sugarhigh Lovestoned pieces.
Personal keepsakes lining the walls include postcards and a photograph of her uncle Sonny, her inspiration and spiritual adviser. Her jewelry collection includes necklaces from Vega Jewelry, wrapped eagle feathers and a Native American fetish necklace from California, and earrings from a street vendor in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Snodgrass does all of her drawing, designing and online networking in the open-air kitchen, whose cedar framework is topped with a corrugated roof. Bamboo shades protect the rustic space from the Kona storms. Hawaiian-style tiki sculptures hang from the post, adding a touch of kitsch.
The kitchen nook features a tablecloth from the artist in residence at Mama’s Fish House Restaurant on Maui. The bamboo side table is a secondhand find.
Potted succulents, cacti and other plants add even more greenery to the outdoor kitchen.
A garden surrounds the home; a waterfall can be seen below.
The bungalow is set on 3 acres and includes this outhouse, whose wooden door was salvaged from a ship.
Snodgrass enjoys her own private outdoor shower just a few steps from the main structure.
The outhouse is actually a remodeled metal grain silo. “When it rains, it’s so loud in there!” Snodgrass says.
A ship’s lantern adds a nautical touch to the outhouse.
Laser-cut holes help illuminate and ventilate the outhouse, whose lower walls are covered in bamboo.
A curtain hangs in the doorway to keep bugs out of the main house. Snodgrass calls her 5-foot, 10-inch quad-fin Fish surfboard a “magic little machine that you can catch anything you want on.”
The house is painted a shade of green that’s similar to what’s found on the historical plantation homes in old Hawaii.
Snodgrass stands in the doorway with her pup, Lewis. She is wearing Foxy Lady Bells pants from the Sugarhigh Lovestoned fall/winter 2014 collection.
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