A Century-Old Oregon Apartment Building Is Renovated Into An Artistic Hotel

By  Kristine Hansen
living area Greg Hennes

After spending nearly two decades in Portland, Oregon, Greg Hennes yearned to relocate to a small town with a slower pace. While scouring the Northwest for land to build his dream cabin, he stumbled upon a 105-year-old brick apartment building for sale in Joseph, a close-knit locale set five hours from the city. So, he started a Kickstarter campaign focused on renovating this property around original artistry, and the Jennings Hotel became the first of its kind to have met its goal. "I wanted to create a place where people could get away from the daily grind and have a quiet place to work," Hennes said. He opened the first of 13 rooms two years ago, which features crisp white walls, rustic furnishings, and earth-toned art, and has invited designers to outfit each of the other guest spaces with a budget from Rejuvenation. Plus, artists are also invited to stay anywhere from overnight to a month thanks to an ongoing residency program — as long as they leave a new work behind. It's a warm outpost for anyone to get creative, and a safe haven that reflects Hennes's peaceful state of mind.

library and kitchen Greg Hennes

1. Kitchen and Library

The kitchen and library's bright, open layout cultivates conversation between guests. Shelves of books, a communal dining area, and a shared space to prepare meals or uncork a bottle of wine are all part of the design.

2. Guest Room

one of the hotel's roomsGreg Hennes

Walls of rough-cut lumber and brick, plus a patchwork quilt — made by a New York-based quilter during her residency at the hotel — are reminiscent of the property's century-old history. Light fixtures from Rejuvenation are both practical and period-specific, too.

3. Guest Room

one of the hotel's roomsGreg Hennes

White walls and distressed hardwood floors are paired with furnishings with exposed bones, such as quarter-sawn oak. Designers Matt Pierce and Ben Klebba used minimal decor in the space, like a lone piece of art and a single light fixture.

4. Sitting Area

one of the hotel's roomsGreg Hennes

White-washed brick walls evoke a vintage sensibility in this space, which was also designed by Pierce and Klebba. An old trunk is transformed into a coffee table and a side table is born out of a log.

5. Bathroom

one of the room's bathsGreg Hennes

A farmhouse-style sink and claw-foot tub harken back to the hotel's roots, while the black-and-white motif is also decidedly modern.

Recommended