I was contacted by a travel company to design a colorful, fun, and festive Air BNB that celebrates all things Texas and specifically, Dallas. Once I did the first one, they liked it so much they called me back to do two more!  This lively project’s budget was 2000 for decor and completed in 2 weeks, so it was a whirlwind of creativity and color to pull it off under budget and to hit the tight deadline.

I loved this project because I was able to take a very stale, modern, corporate looking empty apartment and infuse it with fun, personality, and spunk! I love the idea that people are coming from all over the world and getting a taste of how fun Texas can be. 

They are available to rent online now. 

This color bursting space was a playful nod to Dallas Glam, Southern Hospitality, and the “upscale” reputation Dallas sometimes earns. Black and white polka-dots paired with vibrant colors make this space cheeky and chic! This space pulls off a collaboration between bold and fun.  Details include a bold color-block built-in bookshelf decorated with only white decor, a bold black scalloped bedroom wall with silhouettes, and a black, white, and pink bedroom with gold details like “I am kind of a big deal” accent pillow and framed floating flowers.

STATE FAIR 

Texas natives look forward to the Texas State Fair every fall. This Airbnb space was for traveling visitors, and I decided to infuse the design with the excitement of the Fair, so it could be experienced and shared with everyone all year! This apartment was completed in 2 weeks and promptly snatched up by local media, covered by the Dallas Morning News and a Dallas radio station.

The best part of this project was incorporating authentic artifacts! The State Fair generously shared old ribbons for the DIY ribbon walls and dining room.  Other artifacts come from closed amusement parks, including a roller coaster sign, cotton candy sign, and grab bag barrel turned into a DIY side table. Tickets line the wall in the bedroom and real fair candy is left for guests to munch on. Red and turquoise give the space a carnival-like fun. No detail was overlooked down to the life-size Texas sized boot and vintage Texas hardback books.

This project was so much fun and brought out the kid in me!

Anyone want a corn dog?

VICTORY PARK 

This was the smallest of the spaces, which presented a unique challenge. Since this was an efficiency apartment, I wanted to pack in the fun and whimsy while still making the space feel large and welcoming. To do this, I utilized a stunning black and white striped accent wall, then commissioned an artist to hand-letter a cactus mural to welcome visitors in the hall. Every real Texan knows the lyrics of our favorite song, so we hand-lettered the words to “Deep in the Heart of Texas” for visitors to pursue as they took a shower. A DIY butcher paper scroll allows visitors to document where they came from as a twist on a sign-in book. Funny details are everywhere, like the “Come back with Donuts” throw pillow and the letter board exclaiming “My friends told me to go to Ft. Worth so I made a list of what I need. 1. New Friends”. 

One of my favorite details is the hot pink cactus to act as a nightlight by the bed and the purple and orange cow pop art. Every honorary Texan needs a place to leave their boots by the door, so I hand lettered a space in the hall and left some pink boots to start the collection.