There's plenty to love at Nomads Hawaii boutique

Nadine Kam photos
In searching for one of the newspaper’s “5 Things We Love,” I bought this marble box inlaid with lapis lazuli, malachite, carnelian and other semi-precious stones, from Nomads Hawaii.


Blame it on Doris Duke. You can’t walk away from her Shangri La estate without gaining an appreciation of Islamic arts and the beautiful fixtures and furnishings in her home, drawing from her international travels.

After visiting her newly opened Mughal Suite at Shangri La last year, I fell in love with her marble bath inlaid with floral studies comprising semi-precious stones.

Well, I can’t afford a room of marble, but on a visit to Nandini Bhattacharjee’s Nomads Hawaii boutique in Kailua, I recognized the work in inlaid vases and boxes from India, and could afford one of the boxes, now about $117, a 50 percent markdown.

Bhattacharjee traveled the world and brought back the things she loved to share with the rest of us.
Offered are clothing, jewelry and housewares including batiks sarongs (about $28) from Indonesia and handmade bedding from India.

One shelf is devoted to international Fair Trade items made by adult workers who are paid fair wages in safe working conditions, provided with education and healthcare, and using eco-friendly practices.

Nomads Hawaii is at 131 Hekili St., Suite 112, in Kailua. Call 261-6677.

I could only feature a few objects in the paper, here are a few more:

These are two images I captured last year while writing a story on the opening of Doris Duke’s Shangri La Mughal Suite, the heiress’ private quarters with adjoining wall-to-wall marble bath.

Another inlaid marble vase from Nomads Hawaii.

At Nomads Hawaii, these handmade stuffed toys from Africa have individual names.

 Handpainted egg cups from India. This set of three is $18.

Umbra Zoola ring holders and cardholders, $12 each.

Carved wood elephant candle holder from India.

Kokeshi-style figures made in Indonesia.
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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage is in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.