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The eastside's cool crowd is no stranger to the drinking and dining destinations created by restaurateur Dustin Lancaster, which include L&E Oyster Bar, Covell, and El Condor. His tucked away Los Feliz boutique hotel, on the other hand, still remains a mystery to those of us who haven't had the pleasure of peeking into its super-stylish interior.
And that's exactly why we wanted to shine a spotlight on exactly what's going on behind Hotel Covell's gold front door. Lancaster worked with interior designer Sally Breer, founder of Co-Mingle Design Group and partner in Highland Park's Mid-Century Modern furniture store Shopclass, and the two co-created a narrative that acted as design inspo. Each of the five suites echo a different part of fictional character George Covell's life (for example, the Chapter 1 room reflects his rustic Oklahoma origins, Chapter 3 his Parisian girlfriend's 1960s era apartment), which is just one reason this chic staycation-worthy spot is unlike others.
In addition to the epic furniture finds (um, that blush velvet chair, anyone?), the creatively curated decor includes Smeg refrigerators, Heath ceramics, Parachute bedding, and Crosley record players (and coordinating vinyl picks) in every room, which further adds to the overall mood. After taking a hotel tour (okay, can we move in now?) we asked Breer to give us a bit more info on how she put together the totally cool, inspired interior, including what piece she didn't want to part with, and which room is the best for a quick lovers's getaway.
Where did you get inspiration for the interior design?
It really all came from the life story that we created of George Covell, that was heavily inspired by my and Dustin's upbringing, as well as my pop's life.
Are there any pieces in the hotel that you had a hard time parting with?
Ah yes, the love seat in Chapter 5. I found a vintage settee and then hand-painted the upholstery as a sort of homage to my mama. When I was two years old, she rolled out a bolt of canvas and let me paint all over it and then upholstered my playroom sofa. Chapter 5 is [George's daughter's] room, so there's a lot of subtle but intimate things in that space. Well, in all of the suites if I'm being totally honest!
Can you reveal any of the spots you shopped for the decor?
Shopclass in Highland Park was actually a major resource, and then a lot of pieces I custom designed and worked with local folks to help make them!
What's the best room for a romantic staycation for two?
Probably Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. Chapter 3 is by far the most romantic and soft suite, but there's something ultra sexy about Chapter 4. It's basically the apartment of this successful, traveled, self assured, and irreverent man. Women want to date him and men want to be him.