This Kennett Square Hotel Is a Bibliophile’s Dream Come True

Bedroom at the Bookhouse Hotel in Kennett Square / Photography by Alexa Quinn

A decades-old Kennett Square bookstore may not seem like a prime property to transform into a boutique hotel, but that’s exactly what realtor Stephanie Olenik envisioned when she spotted the listing during one of her frequent late-night real estate scrolls. The inventory of more than 5,000 tomes included in the sale of the Kennett Bookhouse was a unique asset that she used to inform the property’s aesthetic and many of her design decisions. She tapped business partners Bill Rookstool and Stephen Tallon as well as her husband, Matthew, owner of Frank & Beans Contracting, for the full-gut renovation of the three-story structure.

I wanted the atmosphere at Bookhouse Hotel to feel cozy and magical while honoring the property’s past.” — Stephanie Olenik

Opened last October, the Bookhouse Hotel boasts four rooms — two of which are bi-level suites — washed in jewel-tone paint inspired by a box of Anthropologie ornaments that Olenik owns. The rooms bear whimsical names like “Secret Garden” and “Writer’s Den,” and books including The Great Gatsby line their shelves. Not surprisingly, the hotel has been a hit with bibliophiles, who visit for author events and book-club getaways — and the chance to snap a few photos amid the storied design.

The bedroom

For all the guest rooms, including the Studio (pictured above), Frank & Beans crafted custom built-in shelves that envelop king-size beds and highlight the hotel’s sizable book collection. The walls and ceiling were painted in Farrow & Ball’s Brassica.

The lobby

Lobby of the Bookhouse Hotel

A portrait of a dog that Olenik found at Hidden Treasures, an antiques mall in Media, inspired the lobby’s moody paint hue, Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal. The corner sitting area uses two Home Depot benches painted the same color as the walls to create the illusion of custom built-ins.

The kitchenette

The Studio’s small kitchen area features a wrought iron cafe table from World Market and two mismatched chairs that Olenik found on the side of the road for free. The chessboard is hers.

The Writer’s Den

Olenik’s favorite room is filled with creative design solutions, like the alcove she transformed into a vanity using stacks of books and a cube-shaped ottoman by Arhaus. A custom pink velvet sofa by Austin-based Couch Potatoes furniture, which hides a pullout bed, plays up the Farrow & Ball paint in Pink Ground. The globe was picked up at Hidden Treasures.

Published as “Plot Twist” in the March 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.