A Look Inside Jordan’s Lobby Remodel – Before & After Photos

Be timeless and be evolutionary. This is no easy feat for a winery like Jordan, created half a century ago to honor the old-world traditions of French winemaking and hospitality. Striking a delicate balance between transporting guests to a bygone era and enthralling them with modern touches is an art that Jordan has excelled at for almost 20 years, since second-generation owner John Jordan took the reins.

His desire to blend old and new only grew during the pandemic, when he doubled down on renovating the hospitality spaces in and around Jordan’s grand chateau, built in the mid-1970s. After four years of construction dust moving from place to place like a progressive dinner party filled with hard hats, the last of Jordan’s major interior design renovations is finally ready for guests to enjoy.

Introducing the new Jordan Winery lobby.

Pour yourself a glass of Jordan and sip your way through these dramatic before and after renovation photos. This is the first time since the construction of the Jordan Chateau that structural changes were made, removing walls and offices to create an inviting salon and a spacious retail boutique for relaxing before or after wine tasting. Maria Khouri Haidamus of San Francisco led the interior design of the lobby, following her first stunning transformation at the Jordan Chateau: the winery guest suites. We loved how she embraced the Jordan style of blending vintage with modern chic in a timeless way. Before the plaster had dried on the suites’ walls, John was already talking to Maria about his next big project—the lobby.

“I am honored to work with the Jordan team for a second time to craft a new lobby and arrival experience that is as meaningful to the estate’s storied heritage as it is magnificent for guests,” said Maria Khouri Haidamus, principal of Maria Haidamus Interiors.

Every bottle of wine is a story, waiting to unfold in the glass. Every design feature in the new Jordan lobby has a story to tell too, down to the wallpaper murals. Longtime fans and Jordan Estate Rewards members know how much we love storytelling, and we hope that passion comes across in these elegant reception areas, which truly are the heart of Jordan hospitality.

“The Jordan lobby is the first place that guests experience,” John says. “Now, we hope it will be just as memorable as the food and wine pairings, the hospitality and the views.”

Jordan Winery Before & After Photos: Lobby Entrance & Concierge Desk

The original Jordan lobby was small, intimate with filled with dark wood cabinetry. All of the shelves, cabinets and cubbies that welcomed Jordan guests for decades were removed and replaced with classic French wall panels, painted in an elegant French blue with an antique gold edge. The focal design feature that guests see when they step into the lobby is a gorgeous, neoclassical marble desk. The desk’s backdrop is a dramatic Aubusson tapestry, which spans almost eight feet tall and dates back to the 17th century.

“Antique tapestries have been a part of the Jordan Chateau design since its construction,” John says. “While it wasn’t easy, I’m glad Maria found one in the perfect size that depicts a country scene reminiscent of both California and France.”

The nook under the staircase where the concierge used to greet guests is being reimagined to feature a stunning porcelain wall sculpture that captures the essence of Jordan Estate. This one-of-a-kind work of art, handmade by an artist who is just now being discovered in the U.S., is comprised of more than 200 pieces. Her work inspired us so deeply that we abandoned our original idea for a bas relief sculpture, and we decided to wait six more months for this talented artist to create something extraordinary to welcome guests. Stay tuned for unveiling announcements this winter.

Jordan Winery Before & After Photos: Lobby Salon

The former manager’s office and impromptu tasting area are unrecognizable, as walls came down to transform the space into a grand lobby salon. Salon means living room in French, and two chic yet comfortable sitting areas were created for guests to relax before or after each tasting. Elegant sofas were upholstered in designer fabrics depicting forests, reminiscent of a classic Aubusson tapestry. Two pairs of French antique armchairs were restored locally to include richly textured upholstery. Guests will find a vintage scale from Village Saint-Paul in Paris, which symbolizes Jordan’s focus on crafting wines of balance. Rare books and family photos grace many of the shelves; there are also fabulous finials and other finds from the famous flea markets in Paris, and century-old olive oil jugs to pay homage to Jordan Estate olive oil. The antique gold chandeliers were handcrafted in steel, papier mâché and hand-blown glass, and the collection of 18th century drawings above the custom console table were a serendipitous find in Paris at an antique art shop in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Upon closer look, the drawings depict dragonflies, a lizard and goats—some of Jordan Estate’s unsung residents—wrapped around, or peeking out of, different pedestal urns.

Jordan Winery Before & After Photos: Lobby Wine Cellar

Just beyond the concierge desk, the wall of shelves and cubbies for displaying bottles of Jordan wine is now home to an exquisite 250-bottle wine cabinet, handmade in San Francisco by Rossi Antiques. Mr. Rossi has been working with Jordan for many decades, and his craftsmanship is extraordinary.

Jordan Winery Renovation Photos: Lobby Retail Boutique

Those who’ve visited Jordan may remember the Employees Only signs on two doors on the way to the hallway passage that led to the bathrooms. The office and employee break room hidden behind those doors have been relocated, and the space transformed into the new Jordan Chateau Boutique. This grand room is more than a place to showcase gifts and other merchandise available to purchase. There’s a gorgeous, 19th century mahogany cabinet and central pedestal table from 1stDibs, as well as a charming sitting area by the window. French doors have also been added, allowing this room to open directly into Bacchus courtyard.

Another focal design feature is an art collage found in the retail boutique. Each piece represents a different milestone in Jordan’s history over five decades, from the circa-1600s oak tree engraving to the 1830s lithography of carpentry tools. A QR code allows guests to take a virtual tour through all 19 pieces.

“One of our goals is to always surprise and delight our guests with all the little details that go into hospitality,” John says. “And artwork should not be an exception. The design team took something as simple and classic as a French art collage and turned it into a symbol of the winery’s evolution and our creativity.”

Within the eclectic collage, you’ll find a lover’s eye portrait of Mrs. Jordan in an ornate gilded frame and a bas relief portrait of Mr. Jordan made in the Ukraine—homages to the founders. A French engraving of an oak tree in the country, which dates to the 1600s, represents the woodlands that founders Tom and Sally Jordan fell in love with in the early 1970s that would become Jordan Estate. The bountiful urn overflowing with flowers and fruits with butterflies and bees feeding on nectar symbolizes John Jordan’s investments in the gardens, vineyards and land conservation since 2006. There are also art tributes to Jordan’s winged and quadruped residents. Be sure to linger here for a few moments after your tour. One of the works of art shows off Jordan’s playful personality too.

Jordan Winery Renovation Photos: Lobby Women’s Restroom

From the start of this renovation project, John said he wanted the women’s bathroom to be a showstopper. “It needs to be stunning,” he said. “I want jaws to drop when they enter the room.” Visit us and be the judge. Maria selected a dramatic green marble for the countertops and floors and brass patina fixtures from the beginning—another French classic. The wallpaper is a bespoke rendition of Linda’s Garden by Gracie, which has been making exquisite wallpaper murals since 1898. The Gracie studio paints each order by hand, and their artists are capable of any level of customization. So, Maria asked if they could create a one-of-a-kind mural for the women’s powder room—a scene that celebrates the beautiful flora and fauna found at Jordan Estate. After 500 hours of hand-painting, Gracie delivered the most stunning murals ever seen at a winery. The resident egret at Jordan Lake greets every person who enters the bathroom.

Jordan Winery Renovation Photos: Lobby Men’s Restroom

The men’s room is almost as striking as the women’s. Renowned mural artist Susan Harter is known for painting timeless scenes that her artisans print on fine canvas in her West Coast studio, turning art into what they call muralpapers. Her Pastoral mural reminded us of the woodlands at Jordan Estate, and its gorgeous gray tones are reminiscent of a French grisaille. Accented by charcoal marble countertops and floors, the walls exude a luxurious richness. The men’s room is located where the women’s room was, so be sure to make a right instead of a left, ladies.

Maria Khouri Haidamus truly honored the French chateau aesthetic, creating a space that feels timeless but new, inviting and chic. Hats off to the construction team, led by Jordan’s Tim and Matt Spence, who worked tirelessly on this project for far longer than the seven months that the lobby was closed to guests.

If you’ve been to Jordan before and are seeing the new Jordan guest reception area for the first time, please leave us a comment. We’d love to know what you think. Or better yet— visit us to experience the new Jordan in person.