Studio HBA, part of hospitality design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, has completed the redesign of the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Los Angeles/Sherman Oaks. Nine miles from Universal Studios Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studios and The Burbank Studios in an urban area of the San Fernando Valley, the 96-room hotel was designed in the boutique hotel tradition. Contemporary nods to the valley’s movie-making past and present, along with the region’s bygone citrus groves and indoor/outdoor lifestyle, are woven in across guestrooms, suites, public areas and corridors, according to the company.
Behind the front desk is a floor-to-ceiling mural of orange tree branches and oranges. A patchwork of wood planks and finishes reminiscent of citrus crates draws the eye upward to the high ceilings while a 12-foot preserved orange tree anchors the lobby’s center, a tribute to the 15,000 acres of citrus groves that once blanketed the valley.
For the social spaces, Klieg light-like floor lamps add cinematic energy to the space. Ceramics, accessories and decorative elements were inspired by cameras, camera equipment and farm tools.
The elevator lobbies on each floor have black-and-white tile flooring and custom-printed photos of antique orange groves on the elevator lobby consoles. In the corridors, a large-scale nightscape of the San Fernando Valley covers the walls.
The guestrooms evoke Southern California in color palette, attitude and design, providing a sense of place with splashes of yellow tempered with accents of blues and greens. A collage of vintage postcards pinned to a cork board compose the guestroom artwork in addition to a handcrafted wire-frame-sculpted movie camera.
Event facilities include a large meeting room that opens onto an exterior patio—a conversion from the former indoor pool—and can be utilized for business or social gatherings. Studio HBA also upgraded the business center and dining area.
“Our team was inspired by the San Fernando Valley’s rich history and Southern California’s quintessentially relaxed way of life and state of play for this project’s design,” said Studio HBA Principal Alisa Chodos. “We developed an identity surrounding the major movie studios located in the valley during the 1920s, the once thriving citrus industry and the year-round sunshine, which guests will discover highlighted in the large dramatic features, accent wallcoverings and artwork—with a stylized bold twist—throughout the hotel.”