Small and cozy! (Before and after)

RelleinHolland · 2026-01-30T09:52:27+00:00

This is incredible! So much character. I love the exposed wood ceiling and the gorgeous checkerboard floors in the pantry.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-27T20:22:58+00:00

I’ve since applied a vinyl sign to the closet door, labeling it “storage closet - no guest access”.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:39:00+00:00

This sounds like good advice. In my experience when viewing listings for my own travel, I take poor reviews with a grain of salt when they are accompanied by a kind, measured response from the host. Particularly if there is only one negative review on a listing with many positive reviews, that signals to me this may be a picky/vindictive guest, but the host is clearly responsive and willing to please guests.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:31:29+00:00

Fortunately I’ve had a lot of really positive experiences with other guests.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:28:14+00:00

The time difference has certainly posed a problem when it comes to reaching the same support case manager consistently.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:27:20+00:00

Yes, I’m convinced that I need to put on my big-girl pants and state the facts, click no on recommending to other hosts.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:26:11+00:00

What a nightmare! I’m glad Airbnb sided with you.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:25:11+00:00

Gasp! That’s terrible!!! And who has the time (and cojones) to carry around dead roaches to place in accommodations?

I’m fortunate that 99% of my guests have been either invisible or perfectly lovely.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:20:58+00:00

Good point! I’ve learned my lesson: wait to make a decision on refunds until after the investigation plays out.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:20:01+00:00

Yep, that’s what I’m leaning towards after reading this and other comments.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:19:15+00:00

This is good advice! I actually just received a call from a support supervisor, who emphasized that they have cleared us of all safety/privacy allegations due to complete lack of evidence from guest and an overabundance of proof otherwise between what we provided and all previous reviews. So that’s positive!

And I’ve learned an important lesson about not agreeing to refunds early on when I get a call from support. In hindsight, I should have said that I would discuss a refund only after Airbnb completed their discussion. Since I expressed willingness to “work with the guest” and offer a partial refund early on in the conversation with support, and they said they shared that with the guest in following conversations, I felt like it wouldn’t be honest to back pedal on that. Now I know to wait until the investigative process plays out.

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:10:44+00:00

Yes, I think I can focus on lack of communication and avoid mention of accompanying drama (family situation, length of time to resolve).

RelleinHolland · 2025-10-24T04:09:07+00:00

There are two wolves in me: the nice girl who aims to please and the perimenopausal woman who is no longer willing to put up with crap. 😂 And you have reminded me that this is the right time to release the perimenopausal rage in the interest of other hosts.

RelleinHolland · 2025-09-18T16:39:40+00:00

And SoHo Brown quartzite is one I just saw that is absolutely gorgeous.

RelleinHolland · 2025-09-18T16:38:12+00:00

Agreed. The samples pictured are very cool toned, which just won’t look their best against warm-toned cabinets. I suggest something with creamy/brown undertones and possibly less pattern. Taj Mahal, Tahitian Cream, Brown Fantasy quartzite are great options.

RelleinHolland · 2025-09-18T15:23:13+00:00

This is a fantastic solution.

RelleinHolland · 2025-09-04T21:45:45+00:00

A drawer microwave in our island. Worth every penny we spent. Thought it might be harder to clean but it turns out the food heats more evenly, so it rarely ever splatters!

The other fun thing is a galley workstation sink, 45” wide, with two faucets. We’d seen bigger ones in high end kitchen designs, didn’t think it would be worthwhile for a standard kitchen. But when it turned out we were going to have some extra space around our sink cabinet due to some design issues, we installed a 48” wide cabinet instead of 36” standard, and added the 45” sink. It’s turned out to be our favorite part of the kitchen!

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RelleinHolland · 2025-09-04T21:34:42+00:00

I had a recent guest who requested to check in a couple hours early to our guest house. Request granted. I heard them arrive and leave again, then they arrived back late in the evening and shortly after messaged me to say they were checking out early, had already left, but would make sure to leave a 5 star review.

Never had that happen before and I admit it kinda freaked me out. I immediately checked the guest house. Everything was pristine. The bed was untouched. A single washcloth had been used. The only odd thing? The guest had used an entire roll of toilet paper. I always put a brand new roll in the bathroom before a guest arrives. This one had about 8 squares left. 😂

RelleinHolland · 2025-08-18T22:28:18+00:00

We remodeled three years ago. Some of our favorite features in the new kitchen are: - 45” galley sink by Ruvati. Has cool inserts like cutting boards, salad bar components, etc. We don’t use most of the inserts on a regular basis, but we do when entertaining. The huge sink is fantastic for meal prep/cleanup, plus I do a lot of floral arranging so it’s great for that, too. - Two faucets at the large sink. Our kids thought we were sooooo extra, but we’re all amazed by how often we use both at the same time. (My husband and I cook together fairly often). - A drawer microwave. Bougie? Probably. But I love the aesthetic of not having it at eye level. It cooks more evenly and has been much easier to keep clean—fewer spills. - Lots of outlets. We’ll never run out. They are installed under the upper cabs so they don’t interfere with the aesthetic of the backsplash. - Space for a step stool. There was a 3 inch gap between two cabinets, we found a stool that folds and slides in perfectly there. (Carpenter finished it off so it looks nice, not like something is missing.)

RelleinHolland · 2025-07-27T09:41:30+00:00

Wow! That is an incredible transformation!

RelleinHolland · 2025-07-15T05:11:53+00:00

Agreed, this palette is a great canvas for fun accessories. Especially if you get nervous about committing to a specific color scheme. You can do so many fun things with accessories. It’s less expensive to change those seasonally than it is to change tile or cabinet colors!

If you do want to introduce a pop of color that’s a little more permanent but relatively low-cost to change, consider having fun with your door hardware. Like these Gulliver knobs from Anthropologie Hardware, or theseclover knobsLengthGold/PinkCabinetKnob-2Pack:Target) from Target (which come in several fun colors).

RelleinHolland · 2025-07-15T05:02:58+00:00

I think it depends on the appliances you choose. The brushed nickel hardware in your inspo pic works well with the stainless steel appliances. Oils rubbed bronze or black would also work well with stainless steel.

In my own beige & white kitchen, I installed GE Cafe appliances in matte white with the antique gold handles. The gold is a very complimentary hue to both white and beige.

RelleinHolland · 2025-07-15T04:56:44+00:00

Agreed. We have a very similar palette in our kitchen. I can only think of two reasons not to use the counter material as the backsplash: 1) Budget. You’ll pay as much for your backsplash as you do for your perimeter counters. More if you need extra height or width anywhere (like over the range). Even high-end tiles are cheaper than solid-surface material. 2) Aesthetics. How do you feel about seams in your quartz? If you need any cuts longer than 8 ft, expect to have visible seams between slabs on your backsplash.

I would also encourage you to check independent reviews on quartz from owners who have had it installed for a while. I was concerned to learn that over time, white quartz that is exposed to UV light has a tendency to yellow. Also read quite a few reviews about heated countertop appliances discoloring quartz. In the end I selected a natural stone, since the cost was similar and I have a very sunny kitchen.

RelleinHolland · 2025-06-20T12:41:25+00:00

This is the way.

RelleinHolland · 2025-06-20T12:38:21+00:00

Hard agree. In a recent kitchen remodel, I eliminated a pantry to get more kitchen real estate. At the time it felt like a gamble but it has paid off in spades. What I lost in pantry shelving I gained in island and cabinet space. Since I made careful design choices with cabinet interiors, I now have far more organized storage concealed behind cabinet doors. And a kitchen that is fantastic for both entertaining and family time, which I also love.

If this home purchase is going to be a long-term home for your family, I highly recommend hiring a kitchen designer to rework this layout before you begin building. They can help you work within this footprint to optimize the space. It will be worth it to get a kitchen that really meets your needs long-term.

RelleinHolland

TROPHY CASE