The Liljestrand House: Honolulu’s Midcentury Architectural Gem

Floating stairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and gorgeous wood floors and paneling; hallmarks of midcentury design at Honolulu’s Liljestrand House. Photos: Meghan Thibault

Architect Vladimir Ossipoff

There are few Hawai‘i architects whose work is as recognizable as that of Vladimir Ossipoff, with his distinctly midcentury modern aesthetic that remains as stylish today as it was more than fifty years ago. From some of the elegantly recognizable University of Hawai‘i Mānoa campus structures to the IBM Building, his work has become an essential part of the legacy of Hawai‘i architecture.

One of the most outstanding examples of his work is the elegant Liljestrand House. What began as a family residence has become so much more: a living museum, an ode to a great artist, a foundation for preservation and a voice of support in the design community.

Get to know a little more about this hidden Honolulu gem, the story behind it and the work its team is doing to further the community’s exposure to and understanding of art and design in the islands.

The home’s wrap-around lanai overlooks Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean below. Photos: Meghan Thibault

The Liljestrand House

This beautiful example of midcentury architecture and style perched at the top of Tantalus Drive in Honolulu was designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in the early ’50s for the Liljestrand family. Now, the family’s grown children operate the Liljestrand Foundation, hold events and give tours of the property.

The serene, 6,700-square-foot, two-story home sits on a sprawling, lush property with inviting grassy lawns and pockets of lush landscaping that offer expansive views of Honolulu below and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Quintessentially midcentury modern elements like the jaunty, kidney-shaped pool, the floating staircase, contrasting exposed wood beams and stone walls are distinctive, unique, yet understated.

Ossipoff was raised in Japan, and his work shows a deep understanding and respect for Japanese culture and style. At the Liljestrand House, you’ll find shoji screen doors and a spotlight on natural materials, elements common in Japanese design. He also often placed nature at the center of his work, with the idea of bringing the majesty of Hawai‘i’s outdoors into the home. Think unobstructed views, lots of open air spaces and cozy, beckoning nooks that invite you to sit down and take it all in.

While the Liljestrand family lived in the home, they consulted with the architect on every piece of furniture and art, never changing anything without his approval. The result is a wonderfully cohesive vision of midcentury architecture and interior design that remain unchanged.

Stunning views of Diamond Head, downtown Honolulu and Waikīkī from the Liljestrand House. Photos: Meghan Thibault

The Liljestrand Foundation

In 2007, the Liljestrand family created The Liljestrand Foundation to preserve the priceless, Vladimir Ossipoff-designed house and bring awareness of its architectural significance and cultural legacy to a worldwide audience. In the foundation’s archives are preserved communications, drawings and photos of the home, the building process and exchanges with Ossipoff himself over the years. The foundation also hosts design and architecture events and holds regular home tours.

Part of the foundation’s continued efforts to stimulate the local art community include The Design Conversation Series, a program of speaking events hosted at the house that feature outstanding designers and critics from the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism and industrial, graphic and exhibition design. Apart from bringing design enthusiasts, professionals, academics and artists together, these evening cocktail soirées are fantastic opportunities to see the house in, quite literally, a different light. Most home tours take place during the day, while design series lectures are held during pau hana hours—and typically feature an open bar, a valet and stunning sunsets from the home’s Tantalus cliffside location.

Interested in joining the next event? The program develops organically throughout the year, with new talks added to the design series calendar as opportunity (and inspiration) arise. Liljestrand Foundation donors typically get the first stab at tickets, but for future events, join The Liljestrand Foundation mailing list for the most up-to-date news and early opportunities to purchase tickets for the foundation’s events.

Sunset drinks at the Liljestrand House. Photo: Meghan Thibault

Liljestrand House, 3300 Tantalus Dr., liljestrandhouse.org, @liljestrand_house