That One Time a Retro Table Called the Shots
Welcome! If this is your first time to the blog, you’ve stumbled upon a fun post! If you’ve been around a little while, you’ll notice that this space was different than my others...fun and bright and special. I can’t wait to share it with you! Join me for a tour of The Vintage Dwelling!
The Vintage Dwelling was the third unit in Nakomis Dwellings. I actually designed it LAST of the four, because it had a long-term tenant and the timing just worked that way. But the time I got my hands on this little gem, I had done one other vintage/retro space (you can check out The Modern Vintage Place) and realized just how fun it was to work with bright colors and bold statement pieces. So I went for it! It also helped that my business partner at the time found the retro dining set on Facebook Marketplace and had it there when I got started. The table made me do it! Stick around to the end of the post to see the super cute table!
So, let’s take a tour, shall we?
The First Bedroom
We’ll start in the first bedroom upstairs. Bright colors, aquatic wall decor (because that’s what literally the WHOLE clearance section of Hobby Lobby had to offer!), fun statement pieces. It all came together to create such a fantastic vibe. I got that metal, Midcentury dresser from my favorite local flea market for a couple hundred dollars and the bedside table was also a flea market find. A brand new bed frame and bed, bright throw pillows (those turquoise ones were in the clearance section at Target...I think they’re actually outdoor pillows), bright throw blanket and cute little touches and this room was ready to go!
The Second Bedroom
Room number two was no different. I actually found a dresser at Goodwill for $25 and painted it yellow because I really wanted a bright and bold piece in this room. More fun, unexpected wall decor pieces...Audrey Hepburn from a local flea market...a fuzzy faux rug...a metal cart for a bedside table. I mean, how can you go wrong?? Such a fun room!
Side Note: BEDROOMS
Side note about bedrooms: I hope you’ve noticed that, while the themes may be different in each space...there are staple items in all of my bedrooms.
Sturdy bed frame (usually new, but a solid wood used bed frame is a fine choice)
New, top-rated mattresses (this doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton. My go-to mattress is the Lucid mattress that I get on Amazon for less than $300: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00474X5DO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Area rug under the bed
At least one lamp
A dresser or something to store clothing in
A bedside table
A chair or something to sit on
These pieces are staples and having this framework to fall back on give me the flexibility to find really fun pieces within the theme that’s coming together for a space...but still be certain that I’m creating a space that feels like home and will meet the needs of my guests. I never want to sacrifice guest experience and comfort for design. They can both be done with excellence...you don’t have to have one without the other.
Ok...back to the tour! Let’s talk about the bathroom just real quick. This little upstairs bathroom is small, but still deserving of fun design touches. Adding in some color and unexpected elements makes it pop! I just love that pink pineapple lamp...I mean, come on! Luxurious towels, a nice rug on the floors, great hand towels and washcloths...it all comes together to create a fun and functional little bathroom. Perfect!
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY: Friend, I am not a photographer. The owner of this space opted not to pay for professional photography and I adore him…but it really shows in these photos. I can’t stress enough the importance of good photos! I wish the beauty of this space was really captured well. My iPhone just didn’t do it justice. Investing in good photos for your AirBnB is CRUCIAL. Take a look at some of the photos in my other blog posts and you’ll see the stark contrast. Trust me…it’s worth the investment.
Alright, let’s head downstairs.
On the way down, though, let’s peak over the banister and the living room. I just loved that these spaces had such fun lines and architectural elements!
The Living Room
Now that we’re in the living room, check out this statement wall with the colorful Dalmatian. My goodness...so cute! I found that pieces at Home Goods. One of a kind! And just like the other spaces in this fourplex, there’s a desk beside the stairway, a comfy couch with a coffee table and a cozy corner chair. The TV stand was a sofa table given to me by a family members. I got a fun paint color and it was exactly what this room needed. The old vintage metal white cabinet finished the space perfectly and came from The ABQ Collective. I just love the old window frame hanging high on the wall- draws the eyes up to take in all the features this space has to offer. So fun, right?
Dining Area
And then there’s that super fun dining table. Retro and comfortable. Win, win. Some fun, unexpected elements on the wall in the dining area just pull it all together. That vintage orange and green print is actually an old serving tray I hung on the wall. Doesn’t get any better!
The Kitchen
Stepping into the kitchen, you’ll find vintage food storage and fun colors as design elements. On the wall, I hung a vintage poster I found for the International Balloon Fiesta (have you hear of it? It’s kind of a big deal and happens every October in ABQ. Click here if you want to know more) poster that just had to live in this kitchen. Such a huge part of ABQ culture! An old vintage Pepsi crate on the washer/dryer and this kitchen was ready to go! The cabinets were packed with all the essentials in fun colors and bright textures. Every piece was carefully selected throughout this space with the hope of surprising and delighting our guests. And I think it did just that!
Stepping into the kitchen, you’ll find vintage food storage and fun colors as design elements. On the wall, a vintage poster I found for the International Balloon Fiesta (have you hear of it? It’s kind of a big deal and happens every October in ABQ. Click here if you want to know more) poster that just had to live in this kitchen. Such a huge part of ABQ culture! An old vintage Pepsi crate on the washer/dryer and this kitchen was ready to go! The cabinets were packed with all the essentials in fun colors and bright textures. Every piece was carefully selected throughout this space with the hope of surprising and delighting our guests. And I think it did just that!
This was a wildly successful AirBnB. Great profits, full calendar and raving reviews. So proud of what it became and I thoroughly enjoyed putting this one together!
What do you think? Would you like to stay in this bright and fun spot? Or do you tend more towards calm and cozy spaces?
Alright, friend! That’s all I have for now. Stay tuned next week for the final post about Nakomis Dwellings. We’ll do a tour of The Farmhouse Dwelling...see you there!
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