Last year, Michael and I bought a super cute investment property in the middle of Nacogdoches. Bonus: it has the cutest auxiliary apartment in the back of the property. We only had one problem: what to do with such a small space!
After studying the market needs in our area, I convinced him to let me turn the apartment into an Airbnb. It seemed like a good idea – let the main house rent long term and cover expenses like the mortgage, insurance, taxes, and maintenance, and then whatever we make from the Airbnb would be gravy. We are at a primo location for all kinds of visitors, whether it be for local events, university events, visiting college students, or just getting away without having to be in the middle of nowhere.
It turns out, that was my best idea of 2019, and I can’t wait to share this little beauty with you. The Pine Cottage is my 450 square foot baby. And it has performed well above even our best hopes and expectations.
Welcome to The Pine Cottage! That front door is a showstopper. One of my favorite colors.
We have received dozens of comments on the privacy this little courtyard affords to guests. They love having an outdoor space to sit, eat, and chat that doesn’t expose them AT ALL to anyone else around. It also creates a buffer between the cottage and the parking for the main house. The kids and I are especially proud of the fence since we stained it together. #Memories
Living Space
Everything about this cottage is cozy. The trick was to pull off a “let’s cuddle” feel and not a “this room is so small I can’t breathe” vibe. The kitchen/dining space is just enough for two to comfortably get around and enjoy. I bought the table and chairs used on Facebook marketplace. The cabinet in the far left corner is my supply closet and remains locked while guests occupy the cottage. A while back I wrote a post discouraging the use of open shelving. I stand by that for kitchens that have the height and width to accommodate cabinets. However, for this kitchen the open shelves give us the storage we need without making the kitchen feel heavy.
The sofa was another Facebook Marketplace score. For college town, the trick to finding good deals on FM is to shop in May when college students are getting ready to go home for the summer. Yay me!
Bedroom
This bedroom is so small. Really too small for a king sized bed. But Michael said if we didn’t put a king bed in here he didn’t want to do an airbnb at all.
Ooookay.
I get it though. We almost never book an airbnb if it doesn’t have a king bed. Anyway, I made it happen, and even pulled of the dark green color on the walls thanks to the abundance of natural light! (for more tips on how to make the most of small spaces read this).
Bathroom
I keep the bathroom stocked with the standard amenities and of course towels and wash cloths. I have also found that keeping “extra mile” amenities like facial masks, makeup remover wipes, and even epsom salt make a huge impression on guests. The organic cotton bathrobes don’t hurt either.
Outdoor Space
It’s important to provide a private outdoor space if at all possible. I am crazy excited about how this little place turned out. It always blows my mind how a space doesn’t need to be huge to pack a big punch of style. I learned that lesson with our second Airbnb. I actually found it harder to design and decorate a larger space and create that cozy, “I want to stay here for the rest of my life” feeling. Learning how to design rental spaces has been such a fun journey, even considering the massive hit we took in March and April of 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 craziness. I would do it all over again. And again.