Next week we close on our very first Airbnb cottage… and I still catch myself rereading that sentence like, wait… is this real?
This isn’t our newest property or one of many. It’s our first. The very first time we’re opening the doors to something like this — and the story behind how it came to be makes it even more special to us.
It actually started with Josh.
He came to me one day so excited — like the kind of excited where you can tell he’s already ten steps ahead in his mind. He started talking about this idea he had… about creating a rental property that wasn’t just a place to stay, but an experience. A space that felt like The Nottinghome in real life. Somewhere people could come, stay, be inspired — and shop the look while they were there.
At first it felt like a big idea. A someday idea.
But then he found the property.
And everything shifted.
The moment we saw it, we knew. It had the charm, the character, the location — all the things we would have hoped for if we could’ve dreamed it up ourselves. It felt aligned from the very beginning.
And that’s when it officially became real.
Introducing… The Guilford Cottage.
Our very first Airbnb.
Our very first Shop & Stay experience.
And a project that already feels so close to our hearts.
Honestly, this whole thing has felt like a God thing from the start.
It wasn’t some long, strategic plan we had been mapping out for years. It actually just… happened. An idea hit, and doors started opening. The right property appeared. The timing aligned. Conversations fell into place. There was peace in every step forward.
It truly felt like right place, right time — and we knew we were supposed to walk through that door.
What we’re creating inside The Guilford Cottage is something we’ve dreamed about building for a long time — even before we had the language for it.
This will be our very first Shop & Stay Cottage Experience.
If you’ve followed along with The Nottinghome over the years, you know how often we get questions like, “Where is that from?” or “How do I recreate that look?” or “I wish I could step into that space in real life.”
So we thought… what if you actually could?
Every single detail inside this home will be intentionally designed, sourced, and — most importantly — fully shoppable. Everything you touch, everything you sit on, everything you fall in love with will be linkable.
We’re talking furniture, bedding, rugs, lighting, artwork, wallpaper, decor, art — even the little styling details that make a space feel finished. Guests will be able to scan QR codes throughout the home or open a digital playbook that walks them through each room so they can shop the look if they want to bring it home with them.
It’s not just a stay — it’s an experience. One where you get to step inside The Nottinghome in real life instead of just seeing it through a screen.
In many ways, it feels like we’re bringing an Instagram page to life.
So much of what we’ve built has lived on a screen — squares, reels, saved posts, mood boards. Spaces people have loved and recreated digitally. But this cottage is the first time people will be able to physically walk into it all — to sit in the spaces, feel the textures, see the lighting, and experience the layers in person.
And honestly… The Guilford Cottage couldn’t be more perfect for bringing that vision to life.
It’s a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home that feels like it was pulled straight out of another era. One of the things we fell in love with immediately is how unique it is. The house was actually built to look old — and it absolutely nailed it. From the moment you see it, there’s character everywhere you turn. It has that collected, time-worn charm that feels warm and storied instead of cookie-cutter.
It doesn’t feel like a typical new build… it feels like a cottage that has been there forever — in the best way.
And the location makes it even more special.
You can walk right to Old Town Bluffton from the house — morning coffee runs, dinners out, sunset strolls, popping into shops… all just steps away. It adds this layer of Lowcountry charm and convenience that makes the stay feel relaxed, local, and fully immersive in the Bluffton experience.
Inside, the layout is cozy but incredibly functional for families or groups. There will be two king bedrooms — both layered and styled to feel like boutique suites — and a flex room with two twin beds and two twin trundles, perfect for kids, cousins, or extra guests.
It’s intimate. Personal. Curated. Like staying in someone’s thoughtfully designed home instead of a rental.
One of the most meaningful parts of this whole project for us personally is that Mike — our contractor from Michigan — will be part of it.
If you’ve been here for a while, you definitely know Mike’s work… even if you didn’t know his name. He’s the one who built our Frame TV surround that so many of you still message me about. That custom frame made from old barn wood? He built that by hand.
He’s the reason so many of the details in our Michigan home turned out the way they did. He always saw our vision — even when we struggled to fully explain it — and brought it to life with so much care and craftsmanship.
So having him connected to this project feels really full circle. Like bringing a piece of our story into this next chapter.
The Guilford Cottage represents more than just stepping into the Airbnb world. It feels like an extension of The Nottinghome — a space where everything we love about design, hospitality, storytelling, and community lives under one roof.
Our goal is to open the doors and start renting in April. Between closing next week and then, we’ll be pouring ourselves into every detail — styling, sourcing, installing the Shop & Stay experience, and making sure it feels as special in person as it does in our minds right now.
We’re walking into this season feeling incredibly grateful.
Grateful for the idea.
Grateful for the open door.
Grateful for the timing.
And grateful for all of you who have been part of this journey from the beginning.
This is our first Airbnb.
Our first Shop & Stay Cottage.
Our first time inviting you into a space you can truly step inside.
And we cannot wait to open the doors. 🤍
XOXO,
Allie
