The Way Out West Casita: How a Little Dirt Floored Barn Became an AirBnB
Would you believe me if I told you this was once what appeared to be a barn? Like...dirt floors, rough adobe walls...a super SUPER low ceiling (I’m 5’10’’ and I couldn’t stand up straight in here!) and absolutely NOT a place where someone could LIVE? Well, friend. That’s exactly what it was. But not anymore!
Allow me to introduce: The Way Out West Casita! The cutest little coziest casita in Downtown Albuquerque! This tour will be quick, but certainly not lacking in charm. But before we dive in...have you been to the blog before? If not...WELCOME! And if you have, I’m so glad you’re back, friend! We’re several posts in on a series about all the spaces I’ve designed and hosted on AirBnB. But if you’ve not read the other posts, not to worry. You won’t feel lost at all. If you’d like to check out some of my other spaces, stick around! I’ll share some links at the end of this tour.
And on that note...let’s do this!
THE KITCHENETTE
When you walk into the door of this little casita, you find the kitchenette on your left and the living area on your right. The bedroom area is also on your right...it’s really a studio layout. Let’s talk kitchenette first.
This little kitchen is small but might! We went with this micro-kitchen concept in here. This was the first time we’ve done this and it has been AMAZING! Highly recommended! I found the stainless steel work and prep table on Amazon and then purchased an electric cook top to sit on top of it. We went with a convection oven and this little kitchen is ready for food prep! The cabinets have all the pots and pans needed to make a meal. It works REALLY well, is low cost and is easy to maintain. Win win!
You’ll notice the washer and dryer are at the end of the kitchen and accessible to our guests. And the kitchenette area is complete! We’ve got a small dining table right next to the bed...which leads us right into the bedroom area.
THE BEDROOM AREA
This bed is from IKEA and I LOVE it! It’s solid wood. It’s a doozie to put together...but it’s solid and super cute. Clean lines and that natural wood tone- perfection. The mattress is also from IKEA in this space. Although, I will say, we ended up putting a foam topper from Amazon on this one because our guests weren’t loving the bed. Since we added the foam topper, we’re golden and getting great feedback!
A rolling filing cabinet makes for the perfect bedside table. We’ve got a large, cozy blanket folded up in that bottom drawer in case our guests need it.
THE LIVING ROOM AREA
Let’s step into the living room area. We went with this futon from IKEA. It’s a comfy little couch and folds out into a nice bed, if needed. A side table makes the perfect spot for something to drink and the Smart TV ensures a good show or movie for our guests. And can we just note how cute the wall decor is in this main area?? Everything ties into the western theme in a simple and understated way.
Ok. The barn door. I know. So cute! It leads to the cutest little office/sitting room!
THE SITTING ROOM
All the items in this room also came from IKEA. I love the high-back chair and the cute, simple desk. We’ve had LOTS of remote workers stay in this casita and this private office area is a huge hit! The white cabinet serves as a closet and has room for guests to hang whatever they might need to during their stay.
Honestly, we initially considered putting bunk beds in this room. But I’m so glad we didn’t go that route. It would have been crowded and this little casita just wouldn’t be the same without this little room just the way it is!
THE BATHROOM
One last stop in the bathroom. Everything in here, just like the rest of the casita, is brand new. We went with simple pieces and kept the wall decor simple as well.
The longhorn on the bathroom wall (which came from Target, by the way) was the perfect addition!
And that’s The Way Out West Casita! If you’d like to see some of my other spaces, here’s a few you might enjoy:
And if you’d like to see the AirBnB listing of the Way Out West Casita, click here.
I must give credit where credit is due: If you’re in the ABQ area and you’re looking for a photographer, check out Rosetta Ann Photography! She took all the photos of this space…in fact, she takes almost ALL my interior photos! She’s amazing!
As you get closer to listing your first beautiful AirBnB, it’s important to make sure you’ve got all the tools you need for Superhost success!
I’ve got you covered! Download my FREE Superhost Toolkit! These are the EXACT tools I use to keep my business on track while I live my life…because it is possible to have a life and be a Superhost.
I’d also like to personally invite you to our EXCLUSIVE Short Term Rental Design + Hosting Community on Facebook. We’ve got a great group of like-minded friends who are working towards the goal of a Short Term Rental Design + Hosting business.
Weekly tips, Q+As and lots of FREEBIES! Would love to have you, friend!
