Old windows, measured properly
A lot of Hawi's housing dates from the plantation era, and those windows were built before standard sizes existed. Many are original or early replacements, and almost none are square.
We measure every opening at three points across the width and three down the height. On a modern window those six figures are near identical. On a Hawi sash they can vary by half an inch or more, and a blind cut to the widest figure will not go in while one cut to the narrowest leaves a visible wedge of light.
Where the variance is significant, an outside mount that overlaps the frame is usually the better answer. It hides the irregularity rather than drawing attention to it, and on a period window it often looks more appropriate anyway.
Wet, and windy with it
North Kohala catches the trades and the rain that comes with them. Humidity is high year round and the wind is constant.
That combination is unkind to organic materials. Real hardwood blinds swell and eventually mildew at the bottom rail; unlined natural woven woods go brittle over years of wetting and drying. We specify composite and synthetic almost exclusively up here, and it is not a cost decision.
For the wind, weighted bottom rails as standard and hold-down brackets on anything that gets opened. A blind rattling in a Hawi trade wind is not a small annoyance.
Respecting how the buildings look
Hawi's character is a large part of why people live there, and a modern-looking treatment in a plantation cottage reads wrong from the street.
Narrower louvers suit these buildings better than the wide ones we would specify on the coast. Interior shutters in a painted finish are historically appropriate and were genuinely common in homes of this period. Where a softer look is wanted, a simple Roman shade in a synthetic that behaves like linen gives the right feel without the moisture problems real linen would have here.
Where we work in Hawi
Neighborhoods
Hawi · Kapaau · Halaula · Niulii · Pololu · Kohala Ranch north
ZIP codes served
96719 · 96755
What we install in Hawi
Hawi questions
- Do you charge extra to come out to Hawi?
- No. Hawi is inside our regular service area and the in-home consultation is free. We batch appointments by area so our team works a full day in one place, which is how we avoid a travel charge on an island where everything is a drive.
- How long does an installation in Hawi take?
- Most whole-home installations are done in a single day. Large openings and specialty shutters can run into a second visit, and we tell you which applies before you order rather than on the day.
- What is the lead time?
- Typically three to five weeks for blinds and shades, and five to seven for custom shutters. Everything is made on the mainland and shipped over, so island lead times run a little longer than a mainland quote would suggest. You get a real date at the point of order.
- Can you fit blinds to old plantation-era windows?
- Yes, and it is most of what we do up there. We measure at three points across and three down so we know exactly how the frame varies, then recommend an inside or outside mount per window. On significantly irregular openings an outside mount that overlaps the frame gives a much cleaner result.