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Tiki Central / Home Tiki Bars

Balhi Ha'i - San Francisco, CA

Pages: 1 28 replies

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Humuhumu posted on 05/15/2014

Balhi Ha'i is our home tiki bar, home theater, and guest bedroom. My Instagram page has a bunch more, including a panorama scan of the room, and video of some of the lighting effects: http://instagram.com/nwnynwny

Before:

After:

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Pele Paul posted on 05/15/2014

let me be the first to say OMG!!!! that's an incredible place you have here!!! must see more!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Woodtiki posted on 05/15/2014

That is so amazing! Super awesome job.

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littlegiles posted on 05/15/2014

Beautiful space! Love the lighting and decor.

  • Dale
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MaukaHale posted on 05/15/2014

Very well done!

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GROG posted on 05/15/2014

GROG like!!!!!

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Humuhumu posted on 05/15/2014

Mahalo for all the kind words! I put a lot of effort into the lighting; good lighting makes up for a multitude of other sins, but nothing can fix bad lighting. My latest lighting project was hooking up a SimFlame to illuminate the tiki mug shelf -- WOW that's a good product. Huge improvement over the battery-operated fake candles I'd been using as a temporary measure. http://www.simflame.com/

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Humuhumu posted on 05/15/2014

Here's video of the SimFlame lights in action: http://instagram.com/p/nozTFKxuEz/

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Big Kahuna posted on 05/15/2014

Fabulous!

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EPCOTExplorer posted on 05/15/2014

This is utterly fantastic. Love those lamps.

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EPCOTExplorer posted on 05/15/2014

This is utterly fantastic. Love those lamps.

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Longboard posted on 05/15/2014

Wow, good to see a local bar be so great!

-Longboard

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Monkeyman posted on 05/16/2014

very very nice.

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TikiTacky posted on 05/16/2014

This is great! I love the sim flame effect.

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SoCal Savage posted on 05/17/2014

Gorgeous!! Great to see you posting again. How big is that room? It looks like there's a lot going on in there!

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Atomic Tiki Punk posted on 05/17/2014

Hell-A-Cool!

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TikiAno posted on 05/17/2014

Beautiful work- yes, lighting is SO important. Dig the flicker effect light. Look forward to seeing more photos- love the two larger pieces on top of the bar- close up shots, please?

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Humuhumu posted on 05/17/2014

Thanks! It is a good size room. It's been ages since I've measured it, but I think it's about 15' x 25'? The pictures here are capturing only about half of the total space, but the other half is taken by a bathroom and a faux-outdoor effect jungle entry area.

The jungle is pretty cool, I think. There are two different sound effects, a babbling stream (bonus: a bit of aural privacy for anyone using the bathroom), and nighttime jungle creature noises: frogs, birds, crickets. There is a small fan to keep the air from being too still. A fake moon provides a bare hint of moonlight over a great big jungle of fake plants, and a gope board from Papua New Guinea. You can't really see the jungle on your way in, but once your eyes are adjusted it's just right. It needs work, but I like where it's headed as an entryway. It's dark enough that it can't be photographed.

I'll work on getting pics of the bar top pieces for you.

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SoCal Savage posted on 05/17/2014

Can't wait to see the jungle area!

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PabTiki posted on 05/17/2014

Awesomeness! I reminds me of an old lounge / restaurant I went to in Nairobi, except with different tribal art ha. It has that warm, cohesive "built over decades" vibe.

Liked the lighting effects as shown on Instagram, too.

Now all you need is those glowing LED ice cubes mentioned by another member, haha. :)

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Humuhumu posted on 05/17/2014

Okay, this is me totally RUINING the MAGIC:

That's the jungle area with the work lights on.

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Thortiki posted on 05/17/2014

In the words of Christopher Walken ZOWIE WOWIE!!!

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Humuhumu posted on 05/17/2014

Are these the two bar-top pieces you wanted to see, TikiAno?


:up: This is one of four Papua New Guinea pieces I purchased a few years back from an art gallery in Menlo Park that had been owned by the same guy who owned the PNGerrific Palo Alto Trader Vic's. When he passed away, his widow marked down all of their PNG pieces to clear them out. I have no idea what this piece is, but I love it. It reminds me of Tiki tOny's bird art. (This is an old picture, pay no attention to the bland walls behind him!)


:up: This is a recent addition, just got it off of eBay a few weeks ago. It's a Witco table lamp that long ago lost its guts, but I don't need another table lamp anyhow. I'm going to get some fake fruit to put in his bowl. I think he's adorable.

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SoCal Savage posted on 05/17/2014

Love the jungle area and that Witco piece!

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mymotiki posted on 05/18/2014

Humu. Your bar area is beautiful. I knew you were spending more time down there working on it. Wanda must love all the jungle noises! It reminds me of an old time classic bar. Very classy and elegant
Laura Moore
aka Wanda Fan!


I'd Rather Have a Bottle in Front of Me, Than a Frontal Lobotomy
MYMO

[ Edited by: mymotiki 2014-05-17 23:08 ]

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Humuhumu posted on 05/18/2014

Hi, Laura! Thank you! Wanda's never heard the jungle noises, I don't think she's ever been down there when it's been in "party" mode. It's not very child proof down there, so we bring her down there only very rarely. Some day, though, she'll love it. Or she'll take it for granted and think it's nothing special. :)

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VampiressRN posted on 05/18/2014

Beautiful!!!!

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hiltiki posted on 05/19/2014

Humu, your place is beautifully decorated love the colorful light fixtures.

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Or Got Rum? posted on 05/20/2014

Humuhumu, Your space is inspiring, as well as the work on your sites, but what also strikes a chord with me is your shift of priority to your daughter. The input you have constantly provided for Tiki is greatly appreciated, but you are taking control of number 1. Best of Luck! OGR

Pages: 1 28 replies