Hawaii is, for me, a long way from home, geographically and in terms of its sensibility. Prior to undertaking this projectsited, dramatically, in the shadow of a volcano, on the states eponymous Big IslandI had, really, little more understanding of the place than what Id seen in guidebooks and the movies. But by the time the house was completed, I possessed, I believe, a profound understanding of my clients attachment to the localeto the great power that this repository of humbling beauty exerts on the individual. It is good to be reminded that the world is a precious place, and we are its guardians and servantsespecially in a state where one of the local radio stations offers an hourly weather report by broadcasting the temperature in...PARADISE!When you think of the Hawaiian archipelago, you think green. But the Big Island, with its sculptural formations of black lava rock, presents a beauty born of dramatic severity. My clients site, situated within the protected confines of a national park, fully partakes of this setting. The land sits some 500 feet above the Pacificon a clear day, the view of Maui is spectacularwith cascades of wind-rippled grasses, reminiscent of the African savannah, flowing down, down, to the sea. Looking in the opposite direction, one beholds Hawaiis mighty (and sometimes ominous) Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano. The surrounding black lava fields, moreover, are exceptionally fertile, so that the property is separated from its neighbors by dense stands of grasses, wild native plants, and shaggy trees.Rizzoli The Art of Elegance: Classic InteriorsNow 24% Off$55 $42 at AmazonMy clients, who hail from very different backgroundsshe is a native of Sweden, her husband a St. Louis businessmanhad, for this family vacation retreat, a somewhat complicated vision. Most of the local interiors the couple saw proved to be, unexpectedly, quite gloomyclosed off from the islands sylvan natural light, constructed from dark, heavy woods such as mahogany. They wanted a place that harkened back to old Hawaiithat felt authenticbut bright, airy and, especially, romantic. And, not least, a respite and a retreat.The courtyard house they ultimately commissioned precisely reflected those desires. My task was to amplify that lightness of spirit and romance, and also to connect it firmly to the palpable sense of place. And so my studio worked closely with Walker Warner, our clients San Franciscobased architects, on a dwelling that we all agreed would sit ultra-lightly on the land, the structure opening up to embrace the light, the climate, the trade winds, and the exquisite fragrances they carry. Of all the components that factor into my work, one of the most essential, even indispensable, is romanceand this house is, in my estimation, perhaps the most unabashedly and serenely romantic design to which Ive ever put my hand. There is an enveloping comfort, an ease and repose, that beckons one away from the worlds cares and invites one to lounge, drift away, and dream. It is, in a word, my own particular interpretation . . . of paradise. FAST FACTSDesigner:Location: The Space: There is an enveloping comfort, an ease and repose, that beckons one away from the worlds cares and invites one to lounge, drift away, and dream.Related StoriesPATIOLush greenery creates an edenic feeling.Lisa RomereinThere are doors that slide away completely, opening the house to the outside. In the primary bathroom, they open completely to an outdoor soaking tub. It is the epitome of paradise.LIVING ROOMLight furnishings reflects the open architecture.Lisa Romerein The walls in the great room are constructed from a coral stone that isnt remotely indigenous to Hawaii but imparts a rusticity that is light in nature. The floor, a sand-colored limestone pocked with the irregular imprints of prehistoric mollusks, also feels of the place yet was sourced off-island, and the same remains true of the bleached, raw western cedar that we selected for the ceilings. The interlocking rings patterns on the doors and windows, a decorative motif repeated throughout the house, I extrapolated from handwoven antique Hawaiian quilts. The refectory table behind the sofabuilt from a fallen oak on the familys St. Louis property.A more significant influence came from Scandinavia: a collection of carpets, drawing on classic Swedish patterns from the 1940s, that I created specifically for the project. Partly this was a nod to the wifes heritage and her love of the color blue (in which the design is awash). But a no less meaningful reason had to do with the primitive motifs that insinuated themselves into those historic Swedish designs. Their bold, vivid character, and their repetition and rhythm, felt perfectly in sync with the houses tropical situation. KITCHENIt blends California and Hawaii design.Lisa RomereinThe designthe beamed ceiling, horizontal boards on the island, the rustic lintel above the windownods to both Hawaiis colonial architecture and the country villas of California. The screen below the cabinet, comprised of interlocking circles, was inspired by the traditional pie safethat is, a drawer that lets pies cool down while also protecting them from hungry critters.DINING ROOMGlobal touches, from India to the Midwest, combine.Lisa Romerein The form of the elongated light fixture above the dining table (also constructed from my clients fallen St. Louis oakit was a big tree) abstracts traditional Hawaiian roof thatch, called hale. A Chinese screen stands atop an inlaid console table from India. We printed the fabric on the chairs, which resembles the sarongs traditionally worn at festive luaus.BATHROOMAn island vanity is a brilliant use of space.Lisa RomereinOn the other side of the mirror in the primary bath: an identical sink and vanity. The casework is finished in cerused oak; a Swedish cabinet and a Danish chair suggest the unexpected compatibility between Scandinavian design and the aesthetic of the Pacific rim.BEDROOMIt needed a romantic atmosphere.Lisa RomereinMy studio designed the majority of the residences furniture, combining our own sensibility with the local styles, and our fervent experience of the location. Fabrics with Balinese influences and antiques drawing on Chinese origins add a mystical overlay of romance.Nowhere is that feeling more pervasive than the primary suite. I designed the four-poster; the pattern on the folded duvet at the foot of the bed calls to mind the effortless chic of playful, prolific midcentury textile design.About the DesignerMarshall Watson is the founder of the New York design firm Marshall Watson & Reid Deane Ganes. He is known for a European-inspired design style rich in texture, detail, and simple luxuries. The Art of Elegance: Classic Interiors, in which this project appears, is his first book.Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.