our story
We started our journey in Connecticut, falling in love with Washington. While we managed the designing, building and renovating of our homes, we met wonderful people who influenced us in such a positive way in the collaboration of these projects.
In October of 2004, we began to build our first home in New Preston, after clearing a naturally wooded piece of land. With our hands-on approach, we were able to quickly transition from a “pile of boulders” to a place we’d call home by August 2005. This article, from Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, tells our story.
Then, in 2011, we found a special house on Lake Waramaug. In this case, the property needed a complete renovation. When it was done, it didn’t take long to realize we were spending more time at the lake house than our primary residence. This was the beginning of lakeside living for us.
As luck would have it, the property next door on West Shore Road became available — and we began to create what was considered our dream home. This project was a true collaboration of talented friends. We managed the entire process with contractors, designers and artists to ensure that our vision came to life.
Although our time in Connecticut was special, Hawaii has always been considered “home” as Ken initially moved here to attend the University, and he began his hotel career in Waikiki. His family has been in Hawaii for more than 40 years, so it was a place we would eventually return to. After gaining managerial experience in the hospitality industry in cities such as Honolulu, San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Chicago and New York City, it was time to come home to the islands and begin a new chapter of our lives.
In 2021, we were fortunate to find a small parcel of land on Oahu’s North Shore, just steps from the ocean. We designed the house, along with our architect and lighting designer, and procured all fixtures and finishes for the home. We hired an “Expeditor” to help us with the building permit process. While patiently waiting nearly 2.5 years for a permit, we had time to develop our team, “hui”, of incredible contractors. We were extremely fortunate to bring together the best of local talent on the North Shore to bring our concept to life.
The concept was to build a house, giving a nod to vintage Hawaii, that would feel like it was built above and surrounded by a mature tropical garden. The house on Oahu's North Shore, “Malalani”, was another incredible collaboration of talented individuals.
With the introduction of By Request Hawaii, we hope you’ll trust us to take care of your home with the same degree of respect and attention to detail as we devote to ours.
Ken and Rick