Hula Sue's South Seas Hideaway

On 2008-10-20 12:22, Mr. Pupu Pants wrote:
Thanks very much Junglero, you made my day. I know I'm no Bamboo Ben but when you share stuff, you kinda hope people notice. You are the only feedback/reply I've had in over three months. :)
I'll probably be posting more updated pics very soon (I've been busy working on it). Thanks again for the encouragement. I really appreciate it.
Aloha and Mahalo,
John

I appreciate the appreciation!

Slightly off topic, but will there be any Tiki featured in the new Madagascar film, a la the bar scene in the first movie?

Cheers,
J.

My bother is up here in Seattle as part of a press tour leading up to the release of Madagascar 2. We had a Family and Friends screening of the movie at Pacific Place Mall. It's a GREAT movie (of course I'm biased) and in every way, it's better than the first one.
Not much Tiki to speak of but the Penguin that my brother voices (Skipper) falls in love with a dashboard Hula doll. Pretty funny.
This weekend, my wife and I are heading down to L.A. for the Hollywood premiere. Should be alot of fun.

Heh! That sounds funny, I'll look forward to seeing it when it makes it's way across the pond. The penguins are great characters. When I told my girlfriend your brother does the voice of Skipper, she freaked out a little bit (she loves the first movie): she said it's like six degrees of tiki separation!

Have a great weekend,
J.

Any update? It looks great so far!

PuPU, People are watching. I am from Tacoma and I know of the cool resturant off 38th St in the Lincoln District that you got your stock from. I am jealous in a big way. My buddy always told me of that Chinese place but I never went to check it out. Damn! I wish I had. Good luck on your cool pad. TT

Looking fantastic!

Great job PuPu!!
I've been watching this for some time and just never posted.
Please show us more as you go.

Hi Guys, sorry I haven't posted in a while (and thanks very much for the encouragement and feedback.
I'm currently working on the basement entrance to Hula Sue's and here is the pre-vis I came up with as a plan. The picture in the background is an old one but gives you an idea of the layout. The upper thatched portion of the entrance is actually angled (about 45 degrees) toward the viewer. I'm putting a 'hole' in it to reveal a 'magic hour', lit, false sky 'outside'with possibly a few stars or a moon. The columns are all carved and there will be bamboo railings (not seen) that terminate in 3' tall Tiki poles (as newell posts at the bottom of the steps. This is all well underway and I'll post some actual pictures very soon (I promise).
Hope you're all having a great New Year,
John

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-01-05 18:30 ]

We need more pics!!!!!!!

Looking very cool! Can't wait to see the real thing.

J.

AWESOME!! Great job, Mr. Pupu Pants. You have amazing talent!

I MUST one day experience the MOOD of this place.

I hafta figure out a way to see it in person when it's done.

Are you gonna give tours to TCers?

I am humbled. Robb, I would love to give you a tour if you're ever in the 'neighborhood'.
I promise I'll post more very soon.

Some new pics of work on the basement 'entrance'.
Carving the fake columns (made from assembled 2 x 6's).

Concept.

Partial installation of the actual entrance. The cross beams and trim work and the hole in the roof/awning with night sky showing through has yet to be added.

Corner view.

Another angle of the corner.

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-01-26 06:11 ]

NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO... NNNNNNOOOOO!

I don't believe my eyes, they are lying to me.

This whole thing is too awesome, and it cannot be real.

The new posts are incredible touches, an excellent break from bamboo poles or totems.

What gives you these superhuman skills of both design and construction???

OOOOH! PRiiiiTTY!
you have such a wonderfull feel for atmosphere, balance, color,inspiration and general design.
Do you have any formal education in this stuff, or is it just a natural talent?
If this is a deity given thing, I need to have a word or 2 with my own personal ones,
Maybe there is something left in the gift bag for me!

Those columns look great! Can you give some detail on yopur process? Like, chisel or router? And how did you bring out the grain?

Dearest Robb, Palapala, 4WDTiki, you are all being waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too kind (but I sure do appreciate the nice feedback --thank you :) ).
I most certainly have no training in any of this (it's really more technique than talent). I've worked in film and video production and sometimes designed and put together sets --so that makes me think carefully about the placing of 'props' and design elements in an attempt to get the most visual impact. I've learned the contruction techniques as I've gone along on this project (and have the scars to prove it).

Palapala, in my view, all of this stuff is god given :)

4WDTiki, I used a router for the lines (even to outline the flowers). I then used the tried 'n true propane torch technique. I torched the wood to the point that the burned surface starts puckering and then I wire brush away the charred remains to get that nice 'rise' out of the grain (since the grain burns slower than the meat of the wood). Sometimes I'll do this twice.

Disneyland does this to some of it's woodwork but they more commonly use sandblasting to get the effect (ie--the beautifully textured wood railings and posts on some of the Fantasyland rides).

For the flowers, I got out the chisels and, using the routered outline, chiseled them out to give them more of a concaved carved look and texture to add a contrasting look. I stained the poles a dark brown and 'stipple brushed' a golden oak stain on the flowers for contrast and to make them look warm but slightly faded and aged.

On top of all that--a nice coat of satin polyurethane.

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-01-26 13:59 ]

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-01-26 14:00 ]

Your room is turning into one of my favorites on here.Such a great job!

Did you ever post pics of any of the other rooms in your house? If not be sure to do so.

Keep the pics coming! I like that you are using that padded diner bench set. Love the "hole" with the sky showing through. Nice touch!

After you're done practicing on your room, I'll give you my address & you can do mine!
Great job! Love everything except, except, except....aw, crap, I can't find anything I don't like!

Just to let you know - I bookmarked this link because your room is awesome. I am very new to this site but want to build a tiki lounge in an extra bedroom that I have and you have given me even more inspiration than I had to this point. The connection that you have to Disney and what you have done and are doing in your house is awesome! I have one daughter who works for Disney World, (she hangs out with Mickey, Minnie, etc.) and a younger daughter who wants to work in concept, so believe me, I know where you are coming from, lol! (Maybe you can tell me what she needs to do i.e. school, etc). Anyway, this room is as good as I've seen at Disney and is absolutely fantastic! PLEASE keep posting pics!!

Dang Mr. Pupu...this place is HOT! Damn nice. I love that bit of twilight showing through in you concept...choice.

Keep Posting!

Welcome to TC thissoldhippie...love the name :lol:

Thanks Babalu - love that one as well! My youngest daughter always calls me an old hippie, so I decided to run with it. I LOVE THIS SITE! It has become my home away from home to escape the realities of work and politics. I save my favorite pics and just spend time looking at them. Am I hooked on Tiki??? Is this what it's all about??

It just gets better and better...really nice job. You are definitely an inspiration. PLUS>>>>you have the best name on the board. :D

[ Edited by: VampiressRN 2009-01-29 05:30 ]

Thank you all very much for the nice words.
I have a question about Lahala matting. I'd like to age it and give it that old, slightly darkened patina. Can any of you share recipes for finishes you've used? I'm guessing some mixture of stain and polyurethane or...?
Bamboo Ben does beautiful work with some kind of mixture.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Bumping for my question.

It would seem from the high level of detail and creativity you're capable of that you of all people would be able to figure out how to get what you want. But here's my 15 cent's worth...

I've used all sorts of different things to age carvings, paintings, furniture, and natural mat like Lahala. Experimentation is best.

Ralph Lauren Paint has several different aging materials. I've used the Smoke one and like the effect. Home Depot carries the Ralph paint line.

Paint and wipe techniques generally work well: Apply a stain or thinned paint (I've also mixed water based stain and paint)and wipe off excess with a cloth. Whether the cloth is dry or damp or soaked in the material you're applying all depends on what sort of look you're going for.

The surface of some natural materials can be resistant to taking stain so finishes have to sit on the surface. A full wipe will often remove everything applied but a patting technique will work.

When I age something I don't want it to look like a piece of made in China "rustic" decor. Avoiding signs of brush strokes and wiping is important.

Many surfaces in a bar that have acquired a genuine patina of age have often been cleaned over time so broad flat surface areas might be essentially clean with all the "age" showing in the cracks and edges.

Thanks for the 15 cents Woofmutt. I really appreciate it.
Mainly I was just wondering if there was some magic or 'secret sauce' recipes of coatings that have been used for that effect in the past (without recreating the wheel, if you know what I mean).
I guess I'll have to take this one to the boys (me) down at the lab (my basement). :)
Thanks again.

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-02-10 13:25 ]

I can tell you what we did to "nicotine" age the lahala for our room. This came after many trials (and errors) with several products and at different mixtures. The winning combo we came up with was a 12-to-1 mix of poly to stain. Specifically, we used Minwax Red Mahogany stain and Minwax Clear Gloss poly. The goal was to give the lahala a rich, leathery feel like you'd get after decades of smokers. But without the smell. :)

As for applying it, since we had a lot to do, we tried spraying it on with a garden sprayer, but the poly kept gumming it up and it didn't spray evenly anyway. We stayed clear of a brush to avoid brush strokes, so we decided to go the most labor intensive route (because we have nothing better to do I guess) and hand rubbed the mixture on with soft rags. We could get it in all the nooks and crannies that way. We went pretty light with it and wiped all the excess off. Didn't want to darken it too much.

Here's a swatch of untreated lahala held up against a treated wall. The hand model is my lovely wife. :) The "unaged" lahala is rather flat, lifeless. The treated lahala takes on a deeper tone and has a light gloss to it (exaggerated by the flash).

Here's a shot (flash again so you can see -- not a glamor shot) of part of the room so you can see the lahala color across a wall. The ceiling is a different material that is darker than the walls. I think it turned out pretty good. We're still in construction on the room. Lots more to put up on the walls and ceiling.

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2009-02-10 16:54 ]

On 2009-02-10 15:15, GatorRob wrote:
I can tell you what we did to "nicotine" age the lahala for our room. This came after many trials (and errors) with several products and at different mixtures. The winning combo we came up with was a 12-to-1 mix of stain to poly. Specifically, we used Minwax Red Mahogany stain and Minwax Clear Gloss poly. The goal was to give the lahala a rich, leathery feel like you'd get after decades of smokers. But without the smell. :)

As for applying it, since we had a lot to do, we tried spraying it on with a garden sprayer, but the poly kept gumming it up and it didn't spray evenly anyway. We stayed clear of a brush to avoid brush strokes, so we decided to go the most labor intensive route (because we have nothing better to do I guess) and hand rubbed the mixture on with soft rags. We could get it in all the nooks and crannies that way. We went pretty light with it and wiped all the excess off.

That's a good tip GatorRob! Great way to age the matting.
That's also a very cool looking room!!
Awesome job!

TabooDan

[ Edited by: TabooDan 2009-02-10 15:54 ]

Thank you Rob!! (and that lovely hand model of yours)!
I was thinking of something along those lines but thank you very much for allowing me to benefit from your creativity, hard work and experimentation :)
You sir, are an officer and a gentleman (and your wife should go 'pro' with the hand-modeling :)
Thanks again!

One question: did you try any other poly finishes (Satin, etc.) or was the gloss just right and you didn't feel the need?

Honestly I'm not sure if we tried the satin. I have some so maybe we did. We did lots of combinations! But I wanted a slight sheen to it. It's not overly glossy though. Looks great when there's a low level colored light source (and there are quite a few) near by. We tried several stains... Bombay Mahogany, Dark Walnut, Red Mahogany. Ultimately went with the latter to get that slightest hint if red in there. We sanded and stained all the bamboo too. That's another time killer.

Oh! I just re-read my original post and noticed I got the mix backwards. It's 12 parts poly to 1 part stain. Not the other way around! Otherwise your lahala would come out REAL dark. When the hand model comes home, I'll double check with her, but I'm 99% sure that's correct. I'll go edit my other post now...

I love this place. I really wish I had a space to do that. You are doing a great job and I can't wait to see it finished. Keep up the good work.

Aloha MR.3P,
I was wondering, how did you do your "Magic Hour" night sky?
I am doing a Diorama (volcano with a mist fogger and lava river, palm trees, huts, cannibal pot with boiling Barbie's),in the overhang out side the window of the "poi Dog Paradise".
I have some cheezy fake bamboo window blinds that I am putting some midnight blue outdoor fabric over, & I want to do stars on them. I was thinking of rhinestones for their reflective value with some lights shined on them...any other Ideas?

Aloha my friends! Got a few pictures of the entrance to post.

To do: lava rock with 'natural' sills for tropical flowers creeping down the lower third of the wall as you come down the stairs, staining the lighter tiki to match the darker one, aged planks for surfacing the steps, and more.

To do: Torches wired to be lit, sconce on wall, etc.

To do: Dimly lit evening sky (curved graduated, painted MDF surface lit with colored flourescent tube) with several stars (fiber-optics) and/or moon showing through the 'hole' in the awning (evening light from this hole will also be directed to light the Hula Sue's sign that will hang at the center of the matting).

Here's an early one of the bar beginning to take shape. The hula girl masthead will fit in a lit alcove under the bar at the corner.

More soon. Thanks again for the earlier comments!!

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-03-18 01:17 ]

Always love your updates. The room gets better and better and its always impressive. Looking forward to the next round of photos.

Ditto on leleliz's comments. Very, very nice!

keep posting the progress photos , very inspirational!

Absolutely incredible. This is exactly the sort of room I dream of having some day. Thanks so much for sharing your updates!

That is really nice. Excellent job.

wow.

Thank you all very much. Your comments made my day.
Here are a few more pics from another corner of the room. I'm going to build a broken piece of curved airplane fuselage that fits into the sloped ceiling. I want it to look as though it were dragged up the beach and used as part of a wall for the 'hut'. There will be an overhead luggage rack with vintage luggage on it and a window with the old curtains, etc.

The seats I'm using came from an old art deco movie house. I'm going to add seatbelts and airline logo'd headrests. The seats will be raised on a platform to look like the broken floor of the aircraft with metal structural parts.

I have an old 'On Air' light that I'll use to make the 'Fasten your seatbelts' sign.

I think it'll work thematically with the rest of the room and particularly the 3D Hawaii travel map that will wrap around the back of the booth/hut in the opposite corner (shown in an earlier post).

Would you like to adopt me? I do windows and vacuum if that helps :)

Love the airplane idea.

Man this room is going to be so fantastic when its all done.

Hey PuPu Pants, the place is coming along awesome!! You have some great ideas and it is really all coming together. Great job and keep posting the pic's!!

Mahalo, TabooDan

Wow! Great attention to detail; and all that ceiling to fill with floats and lamps. I'm jealous.
-Duke

Yikes, you are too creative for your own good! Broken airline fuselage dragged up from the beach? Jeez, I was proud of myself when I managed to torch some bamboo without catching myself on fire! Nice work. Very nice. It's all in the details, isn't it...

Your creation is total eye candy filled with amazing ideas and attention to detail. You've made significant progress from the last time I stopped by and I have to say that I am very impressed with your capabilities at creating an escapist fantasy.

Thanks for sharing your progress and I look forward to the next update!

Resus Rhist!

I think we might be seeing the bar being raised here.

Thanks Robb, Rob and not Rob (Polynesiac). Made my day :)
Here's something I made for the walls of the 'entrance'. Got some cool rattan picture frames, vintage tropical paint by numbers, a couple of chalkware hula girls and some matting strips and twine.
I cut the paint by numbers to fit the curve of the frame and added the rest of the stuff with a glue gun. Abra cadabra...something to hang on the wall (I made one for each side of the entrance):

On the wall:

Edge detail:

[ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2009-04-08 22:33 ]