I built a tiny guest house. That’s a loose “I” because as hard as I worked, my involvement in the physical labor was one tenth of what others did for me.
But the vision, the vision was all mine. From the first time I viewed the property a year ago, last October, one of the most notable features was its shed. (In fact there were multiple sheds and a shipping container, the latter really being what piqued my interest.)
I have seen enough HGTV shows to know what can be done with a space like that, am an avid enough traveler to understand the demand for comfortable lodging, and business savvy enough to calculate that demand equals revenue. What a magical thing to do something I love so much: to create - both beautiful spaces and money.
Inspired by the many dozens of countries I’ve visited and the homes I have stayed in, my goal was to create a space that both shares a piece of me, and also invites many others from around the world to come and leave a piece of themselves there as well. Perhaps this is why Airbnb’s are so special to me. They are energized by curious people from nearly every corner of the spinning globe, each individually contributing their unique perspective to the space.
What a beautifully energetic potion.
I have been fascinated by magic, and when I was younger adored the children’s movie Matilda - wishing that I, too, could control things with my mind.
What I have found, is that these kinds of projects are the closest I have come to magical mental powers. Like a genie granting my command, I can wish something into existence simply by having the courage to ask for it.
My wish: a tiny, beautiful income producing guest house.
My command…
First, the floor plan. Then the framing. The contractors come in - electric, plumbing, drywall. We paint. I cut both my hands scraping the mortar out of the tile. We install the cedar ceiling. I obsess over fixtures. We stain the concrete floor. I make lots of purchases. I install the fixtures with great anticipation. I make lots of returns, and lots more purchases. We try to install the barn door and realize we have to make additional changes. We wait and work and work and wait, then finally everything is right and it is complete.
When it is finished, I look at the photos excessively. I can’t yet fully accept or comprehend that these are the exact same images that have been in my mind for the past twelve months. At first they were blurry - simply vague ideas of what could be. However, as I made decisions and took action, the dream came more clearly into focus. I knew each of the next steps after completing one.
With patience, persistence, and practice it became real. No longer an image in my mind, but a tangible, habitable place that I had created, with magic.
I look forward to hosting interesting people from faraway places and, hope they feel every bit of the love I put into this, and leave a bit of their love there for others.
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