JnK's Tiki Bar - Perth, Australia

Hi there …. another couple of TC lurkers here putting their hands up and confessing to having a Home Tiki Bar … well a Tiki Bar of sorts. Although not a traditional Tiki Bar, the same sentiment has gone into it. We like to think our bar reflects a little of the surf scene, some retro style, lots of tiki art and as many Tiki statues & mugs that we could get our hands on. We live and breathe “all things tiki” and yes the word “obsessed” has been mentioned to us by all our friends here in Western Australia… just the sight of a new tiki mug or statue, sets our hearts pumping. It is so difficult to find “Tiki” over here … most folks in Australia don’t even know what a tiki is … but we love welcoming people into our bar and giving them an education and a “mai tai” to wash the lesson down! So without further adieu … here’s a couple of pics … what do you fellow TC’ers think …. can it put in the Tiki category or just totally tikified? Mahalo to Pua @ House of Tiki for pointing us in the direction of TC and for filling us with much aloha :)

In the beginning ... a steel shed!

Blank canvas

Many years later ... ta da

Mai Tai anyone?

But you know what? The Tiki Bar will never be finished until we cover up those white walls ... and that damn white fridge!

[ Edited by: KTiki 2010-06-24 00:33 ]

[ Edited by: KTiki 2010-06-24 00:36 ]

Aloha and welcome! I think your place looks great.
Nice attention to details. I do agree about the white
walls. Once you cover them it will have a better tiki atmosphere.
A little more mystery. Nice pool too!

Ktiki, I really really like your tiki bar! Because of the white walls and the metallic ceiling and the lighting and the organization of the wall decor, it definitely has more of a mid-century home feel... and that's fantastic! Many do the cluttered-tiki-shack-look, but you've got something else that's very appealing!

I love you Tikified room. It's very inviting. Thanks for bringing Tiki to Australia.

Darilyn

OMFG....I love it...and the way it opens out to the pool is way cool.

KK

WOW! That is off-the-hook BEAUTIFUL! What a great look and feel and you can really sense the care you've taken to make this little tiki heaven of yours..well, just that...a tiki heaven. Good on ya. If the hubby and I ever make it over to NZ and Australia to visit his 'ohana, I'm hoping to be invited to the KTiki Tiki Bar. Tradition? Eh, it's what you make it. And you folks have truly made it something spectacular. I told ya the TC 'ohana would love it..no worries. Besides, if they didn't, it's just 'cuz everyone wishes they could have an awesome tiki space like that right in their own home! Oh da jealous!!!! Mahalos for sharing guys, and bigger mahalos for your aloha and support.

Malama Pono, Pua

WOW!

Chris

Welcome to TC KTiki. What an AWESOME pad. Whilst I don't have my own space to turn into a Tiki room-shed-shack per se, I know that when I do it would probably end up looking very similiar to yours. That's because I love a room to be filled with things to look at wherever you turn, but I also love the clean mid-century feel as well.
I do agree with not having the white walls though, although I personally think that if you have a space with so much interesting stuff to look at, the room should be bright enough to see everything. I know that,that is not what most Tiki bars look like, but that is what I prefer.
I also noticed your menus from Hula-Bula bar. I flew over to Perth last year specifically to check out that bar and must say I wasn't disappointed. It's a shame you didn't post earlier. I might have been able to check out your place when I was there. If you are ever in Melbourne, let me know and i'll show you where to get a good Mai Tai.

P.S. Great photography as well.

[ Edited by: swizzle 2010-06-24 08:09 ]

[ Edited by: swizzle 2010-06-24 08:18 ]

On 2010-06-24 00:27, KTiki wrote:
what do you fellow TC’ers think …. can it put in the Tiki category or just totally tikified?

Well I think it looks fantastic! It definitely is not "traditional tiki" in that it doesn't have the "organized clutter" look and doesn't have much in the way of "authentic" tiki decor (hanging tapa lamps, puffer fish, glass floats, Witco, etc.) But the cool thing about tiki is that it's spinning off in some new creative directions and yours is a great example of how that can be pulled off effectively. Well done, and thanks for sharing the photos!

Wow. Aussie got good taste! I agree its more Mid Century-SoCal than Tiki. Whatever it is, its very well done. Gets my highest ranking- I could get drunk there.

Now that's a great job!! Your place looks awesome and is very inviting!
Everyone is right by saying it is not the "traditional style Tiki Bar" but that's what I like about it. And believe me, I love the traditional full to the rafters Tiki Bar look! What you have done really works and all ties nicely together.
The ceiling is awesome as well as the the floor and the cool bar. You got any close ups of that bar? It's a little hard to tell the details of it but it looks cool.

Your photos are done very well and they sure make me wish I had a better camera to take shots of my little Lounge. Now nobody tell Bamboo Ben I said this but I like the white walls and trim. It really gives it a clean modern look and with all the art work it look like a little gallery where you just want to sit back and enjoy the surroundings.

I like seeing the items you have in your collection and decor you have chosen as you have probably collected what you like and available to where you are. It's nice to see something done a little different. Your red couches are cool and look good in your space. It all looks great!

Thanks for sharing and welcome to TC!!
Mahalo, TabooDan

ALOHA … mahalo to everyone for their kind comments .. must admit we were a little nervous putting it out there with all the other “authentic” and super cool Tiki Bars on this site. Just wanted you all to know what an inspiration TC has been to us and we hope to make our bar a little more tiki and a little less white … but the shipping costs are adding up! We will continue to spread the word of “tiki” down under, one Mai Tai at a time, and hope to meet some of you next year when we will do our best to make it to Hukilau (will definitely need a shipping container to take home all the “tiki goodies” that we will buy!) Pua … not only are you and your hubby very welcome, it would be an honour to have you at our bar. Swizzle … you’re on for that Mai Tai when we’re next in Melbourne. And lastly … can’t take credit for the photography – we had a professional do it :)

Hey Ktiki
Good to see another fellow countryman here. The Tiki movement is starting to grow on our shores at last. Great bar!! keep up the passion and post updates so we can see.
Trader Bob...

Sweetness! You have some fun stuff that I'd love to incorporate into my tiki place - such as the musical instruments, albums, etc - but mine is outdoors. Ah, for an indoor tiki bar...

The tiki room of yours looks great! Like others have said, I like that it's not "traditional tiki," but the fact that it fits very nicely and has a very difinite theme to it. Very, very nice!

Very Classy Tiki bar awesome stuff for sure..:)
CheersNBeers Don,

Cool and classy. Great job

Very, very classy. Looks like the kind of place Cocktail Nation would be broadcast from.

Aha! I'm not the only one who thought of using one of those wagon wheel hub bars as a tiki bar! Did you make that one or buy it as is? I saw one a few years back here in Texas. The hubs were slightly more elaborate, the teak wood darker and more rustic. I thought the hubs looked nautical and was going to put red and green lights behind them. The bar I found was too big though, and I've been looking for a source for the hubs ever since so we could build our own.

Your place has a mid-century ocean liner feel to me. As such, the white walls fit in. How about some brass portholes? Or play up the MCM feel even more by adding to your cool collection of MCM furniture. Mike Jones' erstwhile Jetsetter Lounge could be some good inspiration. This link from the Intoxicators has some photos.
http://www.theintoxicators.com/jl04012006.html

I love to see the style variety on this forum. Nice work.

I LOVE IT!!! The mix is awesome...great ceiling, chairs, couches, ambiance and the pool is fabulous. I agree, the MCM style really makes it look classy. GREAT JOB!

It looks fantastic! Great job of blending the retro vibe, surf culture, and tiki style all together. The end result is a very tidy but VERY cool little chill out pad. Also love the guitars and drums too, looks like a great place to jam with a couple of drinks =D Very similar to the kind of vibe I've got in my head for my tiki room (when I buy a place), with some hot rod culture thrown in for good measure.

I totally agree about the lack of tiki here in Oz. At least you sandgropers have the Hula Bula Bar, we're pretty short on tiki locales here in Sydney.

Looks fantastic. On a side note...my sister-in-law is from Perth.

Nice Job... very classy!

I agree that it has a fantastic midcentury ocean liner feel to it, and I'd suggest playing up to that (the porthole idea strikes me as brilliant); keep in mind "Tiki" in its original run lasted well into the mid 70s. That means there are more flavo(u)rs of Tiki than people might generally believe.

Absolutely gorgeous tiki lounge, Ktiki. I have a spare room in my house that I want to tikify one day. I can practically taste the mai tais and hear the gentle sounds of the Tikiyaki Orchestra.

Despite being a tropical city, Cairns in North QLD has no tiki-themed bars or even any home tiki-culture scene that I know of. It's very boring.

KTiki,

WOW! That place exudes cool!

If I had a backyard like that it would make it very hard to leave!)

I love the night shots from the other side of the pool looking in... and the close ups of all your killer items... Very cool!

You have done a wonderful job and I can't wait to see more pic's hopefully in the near future!

LOVE IT! What a great job. Looks like a real swanky joint. I love your art groupings, the unusual ceiling, and...pretty much everything, really! I like the tiki/mid-century mix a lot.

Nice work!

WOW!!! I would have never thought to turn a steel shed into an awesome tiki bar!! Any plans to decorate the outside or anything? I saw that and all sorts of ideas just started running through my head..... You have def given me several new ideas to consider!! I totally love the mid-century furniture and feel. Thanks for sharing!

Love your bar the most.

Aloha everyone! Mahalo again for all your positive comments on our bar. We recently held our first Hawaiian Tiki Party to mark our joint birthdays (it was Tiki Jaymo’s 50th birthday, so of course we had to have a HAWAII FIVE 0 Party). I took a few pics before our guests arrived so I could share them with you folk at TC. It was a FANTASTIC night and we were buzzing for days after. It was so great to see all our friends wearing some really fabulous Hawaiian shirts & dresses, it really brought the bar to life … we didn’t know we could fit so many people in there! Tiki Jaymo felt the need to change his shirt 5 TIMES to showcase some of his Hawaiian shirt collection. We bought 2 x 5 litre water dispensers and converted them into Mai Tai and Blue Hawaii dispensers and pre prepped all the garnishes in advance. We didn’t realise they’d be soooo popular (we were shaking them upside down to see if any more would come out and so had to refill them!) I kept warning people that they were pretty potent but down they went like lolly water! The guitars, bongos and other instruments came out and we partied till the wee hours of the morning.

The bar is still coming along. Since, last posting some pics, we have retroed the white fridge (KTiki is REALLY happy about this!), put up a bit more matting, purchased some really cool tiki cushion covers, bought a new thatched outdoor setting and a couple more pieces of art (we even met Shag at his Perth exhibition!) I think we are going to stick with the retro/surf tiki theme but the last white wall & ceiling are still on our agenda for a tiki makeover! Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the pics. More to come with time. Cheers & happy mai tai times to you all. KTiki.

The invite

Aloha & welcome

Our newest tiki addition - a birthday present from an old friend

Tiki Jaymo tries his hand at carving his first tiki for 2011

All lit up

[ Edited by: KTiki 2011-01-27 06:42 ]

[ Edited by: KTiki 2011-01-27 07:30 ]

[ Edited by: KTiki 2011-01-30 20:06 ]

KTiki....you guys rock! Very inspired by the amount of effort you've gone to. Looks like you have an awesome Tiki Art Collection. We love Tiki Modern style also. In the midst of a backyard makover will post some pics soon...Feathestone58 (also on flickr pics)

Absolutely amazing, KTiki! I thought I knew what we were going to do - in a traditionally kitschy way - with my own project room, but your room looks very upscale and relaxing. We're lucky to have Oceanic Arts nearby but it's amazing what you've done down there. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks for the updated pics. That fridge came up awesome with just a lick of paint

Wow! That is seriously gorgeous! I like your ideas, the decor & the beautiful floors. Thanks so much for sharing!

Love it, KTiki! You have inspired me.

I agree...the fridge turned out awesome. I need to paint my white creature. :wink:

Hope you had an awesome party...your place is killer.

Aloha,

What a pleasure to meet you both. please feel free to call me anytime you are in town for anything.

i love your Tiki bar. And should I travel to Perth,I shall come by your fabulous bar.

Best,

Phillip.

Hey KTiki, your bar is certainly something to aspire to! We are moving to Brisbane in November and will probably just be renting for a long time, but intend to get as much portable tiki going as possible!

We have a tentative plan to visit Perth in January to get some tiki for my big birthday - Hula Bula is on the cards for sure. Any chance we could visit your amazing bar while we're there?!

On 2011-08-07 04:12, cathuna wrote:
We are moving to Brisbane in November and will probably just be renting for a long time, but intend to get as much portable tiki going as possible!

Despite the climate, the large percentage of Samoans and New Zealanders and the proximity to Polynesia, Brisbane is somewhat of a tiki wasteland, and I'm sad to say that I'm not helping...

Aloha Cathuna!

I have sent you a Personal Message

KTiki

Very classy!

As for the whole "traditional tiki bar" thing... Well, I don't think there is anything wrong with updating the concept. There is nothing wrong with going strictly traditional either, just as long as everyone doesn't do it. As a musician/composer, I firmly believe that if Mozart was alive today, he would not be writing music with a traditional symphony. His new music might have symphonic elements, but it would also have synthesizers, samplers, guitars, etc. He would be too intrigued by the idea of exploring new musical territories to be stuck in the past. All masters of any genre of art take the traditional way of doing things, and add their own unique twist to it. Some practically reinvent it from the ground up. So I believe it should be with tiki. It was once considered evil to write music in minor keys. Today some tiki fans consider it evil to have a tiki that is painted, or lights up. Both objections seem silly to me. We must progress and change, or we might as well be living in a museum! Creatures that don't adapt and progress go extinct.

What a way cool tiki space you've created. Congrats. If ever you venture to Hervey Bay Qld let me know. You would be welcome at the Pu'uhonua Bar for a Mai Tai or two any time.

Awesome bar where do you get most of your stuff ? I have been working the local antique stores I find decent stuff but pay dearly.

Glad this thread got resurrected...it is one of my favorites. CLASSY CLASSY CLASSY!!!

Had some time to look at some more home bars tonight, picked a random page from the past and landed here. So glad I did. Very upscale look, super comfortable contemporary and fascinating to look at all the details. Well done. So it's been a few years since you last posted but if you're still around would be curious what changes, additions you've made since. My husband was amazed you created this all from a steel shed. What a fun place to kick back and relax.

Wow, that is an amazing space.