Hotel 1928

Project Overview

In a thrilling collaboration, Chip and Joanna Gaines—renowned founders of Magnolia—partnered with AJ Capital to breathe new life into a historic building in Waco, Texas, envisioning it as a boutique hotel unlike any other. Tasked by Wallop, I was charged with crafting a website that not only prioritized mobile users but also delivered a seamless experience on desktop, mirroring the unique essence and charm of Hotel 1928.

The Solution

Diving deep into the project, I liaised with the Magnolia branding team, drawing from their extensive style guide to ensure the website’s design resonated with the timeless elegance and modern freshness of Hotel 1928, a reflection of its Magnolia lineage. Through multiple design iterations presented to the Magnolia and AJ Capital teams, we honed in on a general look and feel that set the stage for the entire website’s design. This foundational work was done with an eye toward scalability, anticipating and accommodating future website expansions within the AJ Capital portfolio.

Impact

The launch of Hotel 1928’s website has been met with exceptional accolades and tangible success metrics:

• A stunning 99% site structure score and 99% performance score from GTmetrix,

• An impressive 890% jump in site visitors since March 2024,

• Monthly visitor numbers reaching 27,000—a figure expected to climb as the site gains more exposure.

This burgeoning interest in Hotel 1928, fueled by the star power of its founders and the Magnolia brand, is creating a buzz that’s set to catapult the property to new heights of popularity and engagement.