A Victorianon the Mendocino Coast.

Every Space Tells a Different Story

On a windswept stretch of the Mendocino Coast, a century-old Victorian hotel is being reimagined as a boutique coastal retreat. Its original millwork, wide-plank floors and Victorian silhouette anchor a design that honours the building’s age without ever feeling like an antique shop.

Rather than applying one decorative theme throughout, R/terior Studio conceived each space as a different chapter of the town’s history, landscape and culture. Guests move through a sequence of curated experiences: the meeting of river and ocean, the literary salons and hunt clubs of early visitors, the romance of a historic opera house, and the quiet elegance of a European coastal retreat.

The Guest Journey

The Arrival. Flowing forms, warm brass and a calming coastal palette turn check-in into the first moment of discovery.

The Staircase. More than circulation, it’s a threshold between arrival and exploration, where each turn reveals art, texture and warm pools of light: curated, never themed.

The Hunt Club & Literary Society. Inspired by the San Franciscans who escaped to the coast in the late 1800s to hunt, fish and gather among the redwoods, this lounge pairs the polish of a private sporting club with the warmth of a literary salon.

The Speakeasy. Hunter-green wainscoting, a gilded coffered ceiling, jewel-toned velvet and Art Deco brass chandeliers create a room built for lingering: the second round, the lowered voice.

The Guest Rooms. Light-filled and quietly luxurious, the rooms blend the understated elegance of old-world Italian boutique hotels with the relaxed beauty of Northern California.

Positano Meets Northern California

The palette is drawn straight from the coast: driftwood, sea glass, fog and kelp, warmed by sunlit European accents. Terracotta, unlacquered brass, ticking stripes and weathered shutters bring a Mediterranean ease to the Pacific shoreline.

Boutique Hotel Interior Design by R/terior Studio

The result is a hotel that feels authentic to its place while offering a timeless sense of discovery, warmth and understated luxury. Every space tells a different story; together, they create one unforgettable guest experience.

To discuss a boutique hotel or hospitality project, get in touch with the studio.

Project in development. Image shown: hand-painted design concept.