Dream home in Manoa

Photos courtesy of Prudential Locations

Manoa is a highly desirable place to live, but since it’s one of the oldest neighborhoods on Oahu, the homes tend to be historical (or at least very old). This listing on Sonoma Street is rare for the area, not just because it’s only six years old, but because of the custom touches, as well.

The two-story, 3,002-square-foot home sits on a 17,020-square-foot lot perched on a hill, so you can see straight out to Diamond Head and Waikiki from almost every room, including the Friday night fireworks. It was built in 2006, and, although Kris Eiserloh of KE Design was the architect, the residence was actually the owners’ vision.

The four bedrooms are on the top floor, with the main living area on the bottom with an open kitchen, which features high-end appliances and African mahogany cabinets. Throughout the home there are picture windows and doors that slide open so you can take advantage of the view beyond the infinity pool.

“The woodwork in the property is finely designed, like a five-star resort,” says realtor Bonnie Coen of Prudential Locations. “There are even hand-carved teak floors in the living area, which feel nice when you walk on them with your bare feet.”

The ceilings in every room are recessed to enable custom ambience lighting; in each bedroom, this recess goes higher into a conical shape so the light shoots up to the top. (I’m told that this may also serve as a cooling element, as the warmer air would gather farther away from the room.)

In 2010, a separate studio was added to the house. Since the room is a raw space, you can convert it into a full studio by installing a wet bar, or simply make it a guest room. It could also serve as a home gym or office, since it has a separate entry.