Haiku’s best ceiling – and color, too
I happened upon this amazing tin ceiling on a coffee run in Haiku the other day:
Ceiling in the Haiku Cafe
I hadn’t realized that I was getting my coffee in the the historic Bank of Hawaii building – a hidden treasure just down the Kokomo Road from the Haiku Cannery (opposite the post-office).
The kitchen
The building has gone through several transformations since it ceased to be a bank - twenty years ago it was derelict, saplings from seeds blown in through the windows had taken root in the concrete floor, and forced their way out through the roof. That’s the tropics for you!
It has since been lovingly restored – the ceiling was reproduced from a few pieces that survived – and has had several incarnations as different eateries. Right now it hosts the Haiku Cafe and Consuelo’s Catering. I can personally recommend the lattes and the scones, and there’s a magnificent breakfast wrap if you have a hard day ahead of you:
On the counter
The color scheme is very striking – that deep bold orange contrasted with the coolest blue, and plenty of airy white:
In the kitchen
Then bold tropical prints for the windows:
In the Haiku Cafe
Window Dressing
As well as a tables and an inviting sofa inside, there is outdoor seating on the lanai, where you can sit for a while and watch the world go by – something that tends to happen rather slowly in downtown Haiku.
Hi Kate – thought you’d appreciate that ceiling. Maybe it was even made by your local company. I know the rescued pieces were sent back to the mainland to be copied – I’m ashamed to admit I don’t remember where exactly they went. Too much sea air and relaxation!
Looks like you’re having a great vacation. Can’t believe you’re taking time out to blog, but glad you did!
First thing I do when I walk in an old building is look up. Well, ok, SECOND thing I do — FIRST I look down to make sure there are no holes in the floor! Anyway… Not far from where I live, just over the Missouri state line in the little town of Nevada MO, is the W F Norman Corp, a company that has been making those metal ceilings – in the same building, using the same equipment – since 1898. Naturally, most of the old buildings in this area had Norman ceilings — most of them still do.