Photo by David Frazen

Photo by Augie Salbosa

The Mahiloa Place property features an expansive pool area, complete with a pool house

Photo by Augie Salbosa

Exquisite attention to detail runs throughout the property, including in the luxe bedroom

Photo by Augie Salbosa

The home's high-end appliances and spacious work areas are perfect for the discerning kitchen aficionado

Photo by Augie Salbosa

The cozy living area lets residents take in beautiful ocean views

Experience the luxury of this Kailua home

No man is an island, but when looking out at 360-degree views from all corners of 41 Mahiloa Place, one can’t help but feel like the sole inhabitant of a prized, hidden paradise.

And, in a way, the 3/4-acre estate is such a treasure often lost to the hustle and bustle of today’s technology-driven world. Even as you take those first steps across the threshold of the four-bedroom, four-bath main residence, it hits you: This is not your average beachfront property.

Indeed, the original home from 1926 was razed, the grounds were completely regraded and replanted, and the hardscape was replaced with poured concrete pavers that now fashion an impressive driveway-entrance. A team of experts comprised of architect Linnea Brooks AIA of Brooks & Brooks, contractor Dan O’Sullivan Construction Inc., Jonelle Oshiro ASLA, landscape contractor Sport Turf Hawaii, and project consultant Powell Berger then drew upon inspiration from the “old Hawaii” beachfront homes to create what was to be a dream retreat for the owners, a family from the East Coast.

But after other commitments led to the realization that their Hawaiian fantasy would have to wait, the family decided to place the estate on the market. Still, Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties Realtor Ann Oliver says her clients continued with their team to make sure their vision came to reality - nothing was to be left to chance in this property’s creation.

“It’s very different from a spec home,” says Oliver of the 32,324-square-foot residence that was named winner of the 2008 BIA Overall Grand Award for New Residential Home. “Every detail, (the clients) completed just as if it were for them. It’s a great opportunity for someone - it has a fabulous kitchen, an expansive sandy beach, beautiful landscape lighting, all of the plantings and all of the landscaping are mature. In other words, there was nothing here, and now it looks like it’s been here forever.”

The great room is perhaps the best example of this attention to detail. This living space has the unique ability to marry the beachfront with cosmopolitan, as views of both the Pacific Ocean and the Koolau mountains can be had from the comfort of sitting in front of a custom wood-burning fireplace while enjoying the built-in audio/visual interactive system for music and television. Enhancing the relaxed lifestyle even more are the interior furnishings, such as the sumptuous seating areas covered in light fabrics and dark-wood furniture that looks as though it has been handed down through generations, all hand-selected by the homeowners and Jonathan Staub of Philpotts & Assoc.

But who can ignore the show-stopping window treatments, which include plate glass extending the length of one wall with clerestory windows directly above? Board and batten cover the walls and carry all the way up to the 20-foot, steepled ceilings, echoing the return to traditional stylings seen in the pigmented concrete floors in the great room, dining room and kitchen.

To the left is the custom kitchen bedecked with Sub-Zero/ Wolf/Bosch appliances, granite countertops and storage enough to ensure you can ride out the holiday-party season well-stocked. Another great hosting incentive is the choice to dine inside or al fresco under the stars in one of the two outside living areas.

“To have the luxury to have a big, expansive lawn as well as all this space behind is fabulous, and very unusual,” Oliver explains. “One thing that is fabulous about this property is that they decided to set it way back from the water, because on the Windward side, when it’s windy, it’s really windy. Being this far back, it is really protected from the weather, and that’s really the way that, years ago, people used to build.

“As progress happened, people wanted to be closer, closer, closer to the water, but that’s really not the best thing to do. The architect is from Kailua, so she really understood how to build a house on the ocean and so that you can really enjoy this house. I’ve been here when it’s really, really windy; you have absolutely no sense of it when you’re sitting here in the house.”

But if you do enjoy the cool tradewinds this side of the island is known for, there is room enough - 5,667 covered square feet, in fact - to unwind outside on the patios, in the gardens or on the 102 linear feet of sandy beach that fronts the property.

“The beach belongs to everyone, but there are better and worse parts of every beach area. This happens to be in the best part of the beach,” Oliver notes. Access to the beach can be gained from the master bedroom and dining room, located to the right and left of the great room, respectively.

Situated right above the twocar garage is a custom bunk room with room enough to sleep six, the perfect hideaway for the younger set. And the pool house, complete with full bath and trellis-covered patio, brings options of an in-home gym, office, fifth bedroom or entertainment room - perhaps the latter considering the convenience of the pool, spa and outdoor grilling area literally just steps away.

Other detailing to note throughout the palatial escape includes a cedar-shingled roof, Australian koa floors, fossilized coral walkways and patios, granite countertops, top-of-the-line appliances in both the kitchen and baths, separately zoned air conditioning, and architectural treatments that play with the home’s natural surroundings.

“Nothing was spared in the building of this house,” says Oliver. “In fact, everything about it is just wonderful.”

This island retreat is currently listed for $9.4 million, fee simple. To schedule a showing or for additional inquiries, contact Anne Oliver, listing agent and Preview Property Specialist with Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties, at (808) 292-2800, oliver@cbpacific.com or www.AnneOliver.com.