When interior designer Karla Avila was tapped to design the lobby and guest rooms for Hotel Winters, the first boutique hotel to open in the quaint town of Winters, the owners had one request: Make it homey. “They wanted it to fit with the town: comfortable, cozy and inviting,” says Avila, who owns Avila Winters Design & Co. in downtown Woodland. “They wanted it to feel like guests were walking into a home, not necessarily a hotel.”
To achieve that welcoming ambience, Avila utilized oversized wooden desks and tufted wingback chairs for the reception area instead of the typical standing-height countertops found in most hotels. “It’s the first touchpoint for the hotel, and we wanted to make sure that moment felt really inviting,” she explains. “I like the fact that it doesn’t feel corporate at all. It’s the kind of desk you’d see in a really nice home office.”
The rest of the lobby is broken up into distinct seating areas where guests can linger as though relaxing in the stylish living room of a friend. The ample space is pulled together by a large fireplace, stylishly curated bookcases, statement light fixtures and loads of local art, including a stunning series of oil landscapes by Davis-based painter Anne Lincoln.
“The art was important because we wanted to make sure it didn’t feel like a generic space,” says Avila. “Our idea was to give local artists a place to showcase their amazing work.”
As for the 78 guest rooms, each one is a little different. “They are very large rooms, so we needed to make them feel warm and inviting,” says Avila, who outfitted them with lounge chairs and stylish throw pillows. “You still feel as though you are in a home in the guest rooms.”
Guests who want to bring the Hotel Winters look home with them are in luck. Avila, who is opening a second design shop adjacent to the hotel, says that every piece of furniture and décor in the hotel is available for purchase through her firm.
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