The value of art is art itself, and at The Madrona it is everywhere (and much of it is for sale from San Francisco’s Dolby Chadwick Gallery).Īround 250 pieces of the hotel’s pre-existing furniture and antiques, some of which date back to its original owners, the Paxton family, are carefully blended with elements installed by Jeffers: boldly patterned wallpapers, sculptural light fixtures, and bright bright colors. Art’s value, aesthetics like Oscar Wilde believed, is in the beauty of the thing. Through her dramatic doorway, The Madrona is a study in the playful decadence inspired by the late-19th century Aesthetic Movement which severed art from the moral and didactic baggage of previous eras.
The interior of The Madrona in Healdsburg was completely redesigned by co-owner Jay Jeffers. Just six weeks after reopening with six million dollars worth of renovations under her eaves, our brief but spectacular tryst catches fire: me, a history-obsessed, travel fiend, she a stunning inn with a story to tell. At 141 years old, The Madrona has never been more exquisite. Helena-based designer Jay Jeffers has ushered in a new era for the eight acre estate. Over the following decades she became one of Wine Country’s most desirable boutique stays, earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and a Michelin star in 2008.īut her 2021 purchase and renovation by a group of investors led by St. The historic 17-room, three-story Madrona was converted from a private residence to an inn back in 1981. And for just one night, she was (almost) all mine. Elegant with her soaring gables and wide swept porches, stunning in her Victorian details, she was every bit the sophisticated grande dame I’d hoped she’d be. I fell in love with The Madrona at first sight.