The Craft of Hospitality
Hearth Homes ushers in the next chapter of the historic inn downtown
Designers Katie Labourdette-Martinez (left) and Olivia Wahler (right) attend to every detail.
Written by Jessica Ritz | Photographs by Blake Bronstad
Honoring the past and positioned for the future, THE CRAFT HOUSE INN is “a modernized B&B that has its own story to tell,” says interior designer Olivia Wahler. She and Katie Labourdette-Martinez, her Hearth Homes Interiors cofounder (and sister-in-law), have breathed new life into the Arts and Crafts–style property, which formerly operated as the Glenborough Inn and White Jasmine Inn.
“Everything we do is with an eye toward restoring and reviving the original elements”
“We want families to come stay and create core memories,” Labourdette-Martinez adds. And with four bedrooms and four and a half baths, it’s an ideal one-stop-shop celebration buyout. Plus there’s a separate Lotus Suite that sleeps two.
The emphasis on kin is no surprise, given that the entire enterprise is a family affair. Lucas Martinez, president of Hearth Homes, which also includes hospitality arm Hearth Home Stays, is
Labourdette-Martinez’s husband and Wahler’s brother. Chef Julian Martinez of Barbareño, who oversees the property’s culinary offerings, is a third sibling and rounds out this powerhouse team.
The house dates from the early 20th century, so “we tried to update everything without taking away any of the character,” Labourdette-Martinez explains. “We mixed a little here and there to give it more of a modern feel,” Wahler notes. Bold wallpaper from House of Hackney emblazons the dining room where the rich original woodwork has been restored. Dressers were repurposed into vanities, but the kitchen and bathrooms are outfitted with contemporary comforts.
The venue is now part of the Hearth Homes Stays portfolio. “Everything we do is with an eye toward restoring and reviving the original elements,” says Lucas Martinez, who adds that they’re privileged to be the stewards of a beautiful historic property. “We don’t take that responsibility lightly.” 1327 Bath Street, Santa Barbara, thecrafthouseinn.com
