The Big Sleep

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Modern Hawaiiana is the name of the game at Oahu’s most eye-catching new lodging. (Your phone may die before you can capture every gorgeous detail.) The refreshed Shoreline Hotel Waikiki—the first Aloha State project of Dan Mazzarini’s BHDM Design—deftly straddles tropical exuberance and tongue-in-cheek interiors. Island flora painted by DJ Neff adorn a stairwell leading to the rooftop pool; faux ‘i‘iwi and other native birds descend on rattan-cage light fixtures in the open-air lobby above custom furnishings. “We said, ‘What if our space was kind of an eternal sunset?’” notes Mazzarini, whose hand is evident throughout. He even captioned a 3-D map of Hawaii affixed to a wall in each of the 135 guest rooms. “It’s like my signature on the place—a fun wink,” he says. This design demands a double take. From $219; shorelinehotelwaikiki.com. —Alison Van Houten

Inn of the Month

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“We like to think John Dougherty was a sea captain,” says designer Megan Butcher of the inspiration behind her firm’s latest project: JD House, an eight-room retreat in the quaint coastal village of Mendocino. Named for its 19th-century former owner, the recently restored bed-and-breakfast—which includes a historic water tower and a cabin with Dutch doors—got a makeover that stripped away the doilies and updated the interiors with white shiplap walls, patinated wood floors, and furnishings fit for city-slicker visitors. Midcentury-style beds with caramel-leather headboards and clear acrylic coffee tables are juxtaposed with antique writing desks and Persian rugs. Sparse yet cozy amenities (soaking tubs, wood-burning fireplaces) do little to dominate your attention—and that’s precisely the point. “When you look out the windows, all you see is ocean,” says Butcher of the upstairs guest rooms. And when a picnic basket of pint-size Fido jars filled with breakfast arrives on your doorstep, there’s nowhere you’d rather be on a fog-socked Northern California morning. From $139; bluedoorgroup.com. —Alison Van Houten

Test Drive: Texas to Oregon (Print Only)

Known for her envy-inducing Instagram account (@laura_austin), as well as her work for clients such as Nike and Google, 28-year-old self-taught photographer Laura Austin recently embraced a new challenge: towing a Nest by Airstream around the U.S. for two months, solo. Here, the Los Angeles–based creative shares three lessons learned along the way. —Alison Van Houten

3 Fall Reads for Garden Lovers

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Turn to these new titles to elevate your plant game, whatever your skill level. —A.V.H.

Dry Gardens: High Style for Low Water Gardens

(Rizzoli; $55)

With a foreword by Bay Area plant maven Flora Grubb, this sophisticated xeriscaping bible serves up stunning design ideas for environmentally friendly landscapes.

How to Raise a Plant and Make It Love You Back

(Laurence King Publishing; $17)

Born out of a cross-country, succulent-sharing friendship, popular Instagram account @houseplantclub is behind this fun houseplant primer.

Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden

(Artisan; $35)

A crafty guide to plants as decor, this eponymous tome from Anthropologie’s sister brand provides rustic-chic project ideas for incorporating botanical elements into your home.