Situated in the backyard of the couple’s LA home, this wee work of art may not be the pair’s primary residence, but through its doors one can find all the amenities of home, tucked away in a cute corner that’s brimming with personality both inside and out.

The tiny home itself has an interesting past that gave the LA couple the inspiration for the project. Dating back to the 1800s, it’s believed to have had its own starring role in the bright lights of Hollywood as a prop in many TV shows and movies, including The Wizard of Oz. Traditionally known as a “vardo,” (a word deriving from the Romani word “vurdon,” meaning cart), wagons like these were used as mobile homes by the Roma people while traveling. These wagons were historically full of colorful and ornate details, much like the current iteration in the Thorsons’ backyard.

While the history and Hollywood glamor surrounding this tiny home are definitely big parts of its appeal, it was Rachel’s devotion to capturing its whimsical side that really inspired her to revamp the wagon and preserve it as an “important piece of history” that could be shared with others. The tiny home is currently listed on Airbnb for those who want to experience the magic for themselves.

Though the wagon itself is only 84 square feet, it’s still packed with modern conveniences like a full-size bed and mini-fridge —though guests do have to access what Rachel dubs the “water closet” through a connecting building that’s attached to the wagon via an outer stone pathway. Still, this does little to diminish the effect, as the atmosphere outside the wagon is just as colorful and delightful as its eclectic interiors, complete with verdant greenery, comfy hammocks, and even a hot tub.

With retro touches like hand-curated mosaic tiles reclaimed from a local tile manufacturer, a riot of patterns, colors, and textures throughout, and boho beauty galore, the Thorsons have created a real wonderland in their own corner of La La Land. Playfully dubbed “Vardolandia” by the creative couple, this wagon certainly has its place in Hollywood history and will continue to delight those lucky enough to snag a stay in its curated confines. As Rachel says, it’s a place “to remember what [it] feels like to let your imagination run free” – a bit of Oz tucked away in modern-day Los Angeles.

The post This Vintage Wagon-Turned-Tiny Home Brings the Magic of Oz to LA first appeared on Dornob.

The listing reads: “Mister Grinch, here. As we are all painfully aware, the most miserable time of the year approaches. Caroling, candy canes, and, of course, that constant, contagious Christmas cheer. Yuck. I myself, unlike every other Who, am getting out of town this year — far away from all the holiday hoopla with its fanatical, fantastical fa la la la la, la la la la-ing. Am I stealing Christmas again? Maybe. Am I visiting my Florida beach home? Don’t worry about it. “

“Either way, good news for you. While I’m gone, you can stay in my cave. That’s right, the legendary rocky residence of the world’s most famous Who-villain can be your very own holiday hideaway. The halls of my entire cave are decked with all my favorite things — and Max’s, too, of course. Vacasa will take care of everything (because I have no interest or time for that).”

Requirements: absolutely don’t put on the Grinch’s Turkish custom-tailored green fur pants, or his fur shoes, or anything else for that matter. And if you’re the sort of person who likes the company of others, or, even worse, likes to host holiday gatherings (ugh), be prepared to bring the food you’ll need, because this location is very remote. So remote, in fact, that you can’t get here in any ordinary vehicle. You’ll need “at least a Crossover” to manage the rocky road. P.S., there’s no cable or internet in the cave.

There is, however, a paltry selection of questionable pantry goods like roast beast, Who-pudding, Who-hash, and Whamble-Bramble Crunch cereal, along with a coffee maker. You’ll be terribly tempted to put on the Grinch’s robe and settle into the library, at the table where the Grinch usually plays chess with his dog or at the telescope to spy on Whoville residents and watch for trespassers creeping up the mountain. The pipe organ, with its chaotic profusion of brass, and Max’s drum set will also be alluring.

Gaze at the Grinch’s villainous plans laid out on a drafting table, and perhaps try on his Santa hat disguise. When it’s time to go to sleep, a spacious bed is waiting for you beside a glass wall gazing out at the stars. There’s an additional bedroom and two fully functional bathrooms as well (because, as the Grinch explains, “I’m not an animal, you know.”)

Alas, the grotto is fully booked for this holiday season, but all those who aren’t able to travel there in person can still get a feel for the dramatic, festive space with an online 3D tour. Costing just $19.57 per night (in honor of the Seuss book’s release date in 1957), the spots fully sold out as soon as booking opened on December 3rd, and guests stayed there from December 17th through December 23rd.

The post The Grinch’s Rocky Lair Opens to Guests in Utah for Christmas first appeared on Dornob.

Casa Vicens is considered one of the very first buildings of the Art Nouveau movement, and its colorful facade has long drawn tourists and design aficionados to the neighborhood of Grácia. It’s also a beautiful example of Neo-Mudéjar (Moorish) architecture, one of the styles Gaudí experimented with throughout his career. Completed when he was 31 years old, Casa Vicens represents the first time Gaudí mixed Moorish influences with those of Spain and Catalan, a style he would hone and apply to many more buildings over the ensuing decades.

For 132 years, members of the public could only gaze upon Casa Vicens’ vividly detailed facade and imagine what the interiors looked like. But in 2014, the home sold to Andorran bank MoraBanc for an undisclosed sum, and in 2017, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was transformed into a museum, granting access to nearly all interior spaces. Casa Vicens general manager Emili Masferrer i Fons will serve as the Airbnb host for the special stay, sharing his “insights and secrets” from the recent restoration project during an exclusive tour of the house.

“We are excited to give guests the opportunity to experience this house as Gaudí designed it – as a nature oasis,” says Masferrer i Fons. “We are deeply committed to the preservation of Gaudí’s cultural heritage, and it will be a great pleasure to share the building’s secrets and rich history with whoever books.”

The museum will be closed to the public during the stay, so the guests will enjoy having Casa Vicens all to themselves. After their tour, they’ll be treated to a Gaudí-inspired Michelin star menu in the dining room, followed by a nightcap in the smoking room. To top it all off, they’ll be sleeping in the most lavish bedroom of the house, the private chambers of the Vicens family. In the morning, they’ll enjoy a full Mediterranean breakfast in the private city garden.

If you’re sad you missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, take heart: you can still visit Barcelona and see Casa Vicens in person, if only just for the day. The award-winning restoration of the house by Martínez Lapeña is certainly worth a long, slow tour taking in every last detail of Gaudí’s maximalist brilliance. If travel isn’t in the cards for you anytime soon (thanks, Delta variant), the museum also offers a 30-minute virtual tour for €4.99.

The post Gaudí’s Historic Casa Vicens Willl Host Two Lucky Airbnb Guests This Fall first appeared on Dornob.

This Vrbo home in Huntington Beach was transformed in collaboration with Paramount. While it’s not immersed under the sea, it’s at least symbolic in the fact that it was once a Southern California water tower and it does “tower” over the ocean.

Even those who can’t plan a visit in person can at least enjoy a virtual tour of the three floors via Vrbo’s property listing online. The tour begins with an attention-grabbing exterior, adorned to resemble a pineapple.

“Families can book cabins, condos, castles, treehouses, and train cars on Vrbo, but this is the first time we’ve had a gigantic pineapple on our platform,” Lish Kennedy, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Vrbo said in a recent statement. “We’re glad people can tour the Pineapple Over the Sea virtually and enjoy the new movie at home together.”

The first floor of the home is expansive, colorful, and stuffed with identifiable SpongeBob goodies like the float couches. The atmosphere reflects life under the sea with seaweed and jellyfish hanging about. Walking into the kitchen is a lot like entering the Krusty Krab, as any fan can easily see. Red tractor-seat stools at the breakfast bar and a train track around the ceiling of the adjacent dining room add even more character to the already eclectic space.

A curving wooden staircase leads to a second floor and the comparatively subdued bedroom, which itself boasts traditionally coastal vertical shiplap walls, tongue-in-groove wooden ceilings, and wood plank flooring. Weathered shelves, a built-in desk, and a barn door round out the look.

The third floor returns to the undersea theme with a massive curved couch and copious windows for expansive views. There’s also a built-in bar that just screams “happy hour” in the gathering space.

In all, the house features four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with room to sleep eight people in true Bikini Bottom fashion. Throughout the space, interior touches highlight the focus on SpongeBob characters with wall art from both the movies and T.V. show. There’s even fishing nets and foliage dispersed around. Flower petals hang from the ceiling and decorate the windows. A closer look shows buoys mounted here and there, a few submarine-style hatches, and a curving countertop with built-in aquarium decor.

The space is also architecturally interesting, with the curved walls of the water tower constantly inviting guests to see what’s around the next corner. What’s more, the peak of the third floor ceiling in the tower offers a visually dynamic topper to the whole space. Of course, great design is as much function as it is fashion, which is why this vacation rental’s been equipped with flat screen TVs and other modern conveniences. But it still carries a cozy vibe, with an assortment of games and sitting spaces that invite guests to unplug, unwind, and enjoy the view.

Are you ready, kids?

The post Take a Virtual Tour of Vrbo’s SpongeBob SquarePants-Themed Pineapple House first appeared on Dornob.

With these changes come new opportunities. If you’ve ever considered running an Airbnb, a treehouse company is offering an easy, relatively low-maintenance way to do it. “Treewalkers” by O2 Treehouse is “a treehouse hospitality franchise” with beautiful modular treehouse structures that can be erected as single units or “treehouse villages,” so you can turn a chunk of vacant land into a money-making paradise.

First of all, the structures are beautiful, providing an experience that’s a few notches above tent camping — more in the realm of “glamping.” They can either be strung up among trees or installed on the ground, coming in modular kits that are customizable to adapt to the final location. They consist of O2 Treehouse’s “tetra truss” wooden structure system, a wooden platform, built-in furniture, tension cables, and a canvas canopy. Each unit can also contain all the furniture you’d normally find in a hotel room, including a queen-size bed, built-in benches, bookcases, and a dining bar.

Aiming to capitalize on both the ecotourism and home-sharing markets, “Treewalkers” is a franchise network that enables investors to start their own mini getaway businesses for about $35,000 to $50,000 per glamping treehouse (plus the cost of whatever land you’re putting it on). The company recommends renting them out for $150 to $200 per night with 30 to 60-percent expected annual occupancy, potentially earning buyers a fast return on their initial investment.

The ecotourism industry was valued at $265 billion worldwide in 2018, and while it definitely took a hit this year, it’s still projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14 percent. O2 Treewalkers founder Dustin Feider believes that his company’s unique treehouses are exactly the kind of thing travelers are going to be looking for in 2021 and beyond.

“We offer the ideal product both for potential franchisees looking for a unique opportunity to invest, and for consumers looking for a chance to get away from their fast-paced, concrete-filled life and enter a more tranquil and beautiful world,” says Feider.

“Our vision is to create stunning and inspired architectural forms that delight heart and soul and bring people together in unique natural settings. In this way, we believe that the disconnect between humans and the natural world may begin to heal.”

O2 Treehouses has built about 85 treehouses since Feider built his first geodesic structure in a Wisconsin poplar tree in 2005, many of which have been featured in over 100 design publications. Their portfolio is full of stunning custom treehouses, including geodesic domes and the unique (and appropriately named) Pinecone Treehouse.

If you’d rather just buy one exclusively for your own use, you can definitely do that, too. And hey, if the project is successful, maybe there will be a Treewalker treehouse for rent in a desirable area near you sometime soon.

The post Create Your Own Glamping Airbnb With O2 Treewalkers Treehouses first appeared on Dornob.

The Castle Cottage — Lake George, New York

If having a whole castle to yourself (or at least, your family or pod of quarantine buddies) sounds more up your alley, The Castle Cottage is your fairytale waiting to happen. Set on a mountaintop in the Adirondacks overlooking Lake George, this gorgeous stone keep sleeps up to six people.

Alpaca Treehouse — Atlanta, Georgia

Sometimes you need a place to get away without leaving the city. In Atlanta, this treehouse set within a bamboo forest comes complete with wandering llamas. Seriously. One of the most wishlisted Airbnbs in the world (and recently featured on the Netflix reality show Love is Blind, Delta’s inflight commercials, Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters, and VH1’s Love & Hip Hop), this space sleeps four guests. Unsurprisingly, this spot is also super in-demand for small weddings, photo shoots, and music videos.

Silo Studio Cottage — Tyringham, Massachusetts

A romantic getaway ideal for a couple, the Silo Studio Cottage is an adorable two-story round house on the Santarella Estate in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Formerly the summer studio of sculptor Henry Hudson Kitson, it features a 35-foot-high conical ceiling with a canopied bed and views of a nearby lily pond and babbling brook.

Earthship Studio — Taos, New Mexico

Staying overnight in an awesome recycled Earthship is a must-do in New Mexico. This one in Taos includes all the cool features you’d expect in an Earthship, including glass bottle walls, polished earthen floors, and a passive solar sunroom, plus modern amenities like Wi-Fi, Netflix, and a luxurious deep tub.

River House — New Orleans, Louisiana

This one bedroom, one bath guest home tucked away in the historic neighborhood of Faubourg Marigny is well away from the crowds of downtown, but it still packs in all the New Orleans charm you can handle. Located on the second floor of a mansion, it features its own private 500-square-foot balcony with original cast iron railings and city views, as well as access to a swimming pool and lush gardens.

Desert Yacht — Terlingua, Texas

Looking for a highly unique place where you can be wild and free? This Airbnb getaway is literally a yacht in the desert near Big Bend in West Texas, and officially listed as “clothing optional.” It features one bedroom, a kitchen, an upper deck for all the stargazing you can handle, and best of all, loads of privacy. The property itself is a good 20 miles outside civilization, but Wi-Fi access and an indoor shower are just a quick drive away.

Desert Sage House — Yucca Valley, California

Dreaming of a place where you can safely gather with your friends or extended family? This complex of cabins, yurts, and trailers is spread out on five acres of land in California’s Yucca Valley, and set up so you can hang out together outdoors or retreat to your own private spaces. You’ll have the whole property to yourselves (but no parties or weddings are allowed). It’s capable of hosting up to 12 guests in five bedrooms, with eight beds total.

Chelan Hobbit Haven — Orondo, Washington

A global pandemic is enough to make anyone wish they could hide away in a hobbit hole. Lucky for you, you actually can! “Underground Hygge” is an earth house nestled into the Columbia River Gorge mountainside in Orondo, Washington featuring an iconic round front door, gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside, six acres to explore, and one bedroom ideal for one or two people.

The Silos at Prairie Vale — Green Ridge, Missouri

You’ve heard of tiny houses, but what about tiny silo houses? Experience one for yourself on a family-owned farm in Green Ridge, Missouri. You’ll get a taste of farm life complete with Nigerian Dwarf goats, miniature donkeys, chickens, and other animals while staying in a silo apartment with its own full kitchen, bathroom, and loft.

The Ark Tiny House — Virgin, Utah

Location, location, location! Utah’s Zion National Park is unlike anywhere else in the United States, and The Ark is a great way to experience it. Sure, it’s a tiny house, but it’s actually capable of sleeping up to six people between its bedroom and common spaces. It also boasts a loft, bathtub, office desk, TV with Netflix, Wi-Fi, a hot tub and fire pit, and a breathtaking bay window overlooking a 75-acre property with a stream.

Find more unique places to stay near you on Airbnb’s website.

The post The 10 Most Amazing Airbnbs for Your Quarantine Vacation first appeared on Dornob.

Now, a select few will get to relive the past at least for one night in the last Blockbuster in the world, VHS tapes and all.

And Then There Was One

Everything good must come to an end, and when DVDs and streaming services hit the market, Blockbuster was mortally wounded. Slowly the iconic rental company died, along with all its independent competitors. But one store in Bend, Oregon never succumbed. To celebrate its 20th year still standing, this store is offering $4-a-night overnight stays to AirBNB guests on September 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Creating the Perfect Ambiance

Sandi Harding, current manager of the store and an employee of Bend Blockbuster for 16 years, says that “with everybody being stuck at home and re-experiencing family time together, we thought it would be fun to enjoy some family time in a throwback 90s environment.”

The Airbnb experience includes bean bag chairs, a pull-out couch, and free-for-all access to the store’s extensive film assortment. Moreover, there will be a complete living room setup within the store, with similarly 90s-tinged pieces, a gigantic era-appropriate (fat) television, and a top-notch VCR. The lucky winners will enjoy pizza, popcorn, Gobstoppers, Nerds, Raisinets, and Laffy Taffy. While the store has a bathroom, it doesn’t have a shower, which is a minor concern when you’re in a throwback paradise. As Harding pointed out, the Bend Blockbuster is depicted as “an ode to movie magic, simpler times, and the sense of community that could once be found in Blockbuster locations around the world.”

Rules and Restrictions

Unfortunately, not everyone can book a sleepover at the Bend Blockbuster, which started accepting reservations on August 17th. The rules stipulate that you must be a resident of Deschutes County, Oregon and that all guests must come from the same household. Apparently alcohol is allowed, but parties, friends, drugs, smoking, and pets are all prohibited, so it’s not exactly like being at home.

Safety Precautions

Of course, the store will be cleaned and prepared in accordance with CDC guidelines and consistent with Airbnb’s advanced cleaning procedures. The Bend Blockbuster will also be doing curbside pickup of guests on the date of their visits, which are all scheduled well after the store has closed for regular business. One final rule Harding pointed out is, “Be kind, rewind!”

Finally, Harding clarified how the world’s last operating Blockbuster ended up being an Airbnb listing. “It’s our 20th year as a Blockbuster,” she said. “We were hoping to celebrate that this year, but with COVID throwing a wrench into everybody’s plans, we were really excited to be able to pull this off.”

The post World’s Last Blockbuster Video Hosts $4 Airbnb Sleepovers first appeared on Dornob.

Since Rodgers won JoJo’s heart over the course of eight crazy weeks in a competition with around 30 other bachelors, the couple remains happily committed to both each other and a new venture as the hosts of a property flipping show called Cash Pad on CNBC. But unlike typical home flips, Rodgers and Fletcher focus on small and unusual spaces like trailers and warehouses in an effort to help their owners prepare them for use as AirBnb rentals.

“Over the past year, we really started to think about this new trend of Airbnbs and short-term rentals,” Rodgers explains. “Every time we traveled, we enjoyed staying in them, and we saw a niche market we wanted to capture.”

One of the pair’s most recent projects was a rusty cargo trailer in an Austin, Texas backyard. Setting out with nothing but a plan and a TV crew, the couple quickly took the shipping container from trashy to treasure. And since there are already so many shipping container options on AirBnb, they knew they had to to find ways for their project to stand out against the competition.

For starters, they managed to figure out how to comfortably sleep four people inside it, with the bedroom offering a queen bed and a pull-out sofa sleeping two additional guests. To further combat the confining feeling, JoJo and Jordan also ensured that every window in the shipping container could act like a door and open completely, peeling away the side of the rental for easy access to the outdoors. Once outside, a wooden deck provides room for additional seating, an outdoor dining or grilling space, and a relaxing pad for stargazing. As with most tiny home experiences, the outdoor space is almost as important as the lodging itself here, so the pair took it upon themselves to throw in a second entertaining space complete with a fire pit and life-sized versions of games like Jenga and Connect Four.

The AirBnb was recently listed as a rental option after its corresponding episode aired on Cash Pad. Anyone interested in more information about how the space was converted from cold to cozy should definitely tune in and follow the drama as it unfolds.

Fletcher and Rodgers are assuming all the risk (i.e. paying for the renovations and providing the owners a standard monthly rate) of several AirBnb conversions for the sake of the show, with the belief that it’s a profitable endeavor and a good way to help homeowners complete their passion projects and fulfill their dreams of hosting a proper rental space. In exchange, the couple receives any additional rental income over the first four years the AirBnb is up and running.

Now that filming is wrapped up, Fletcher and Rodgers will be spending their time on their own housing and wedding dreams. The couple recently announced on Instagram that they bought their first non-flip house together, and that a wedding date isn’t set yet, but will likely be next spring or summer.

Bachelorette fans can continue to see what their favorite duo is up to every Tuesday on CNBC, with a total of eight one-hour episodes already out.

The post Look Inside Bachelorette Star JoJo Fletcher’s Shipping Container Airbnb first appeared on Dornob.

Airbnb is a great place to find unique houses to rent for short and long stays. Some have lakes and pools onsite, others boast breathtaking vistas from every window, and others still are rustic cabins in the heart of serene forests. For a very limited time, the site will even let you rent out Lucy the Elephant, a 65-foot-tall wood and metal pachyderm who’s been a star attraction of the Jersey Shore since 1881.

Lucy’s Colorful Past

Lucy has been a permanent symbol of Margate (formerly South Atlantic City) since she was conceived and built by James V. Lafferty, an engineer, real estate entrepreneur, and pioneering animal-shaped building constructor. His initial goal with the project was to lure land developers into buying Jersey shore property. Sure enough, Victorian-era tourists were mesmerized by the giant 90-ton elephant. To seal the deal even more, Lafferty ushered prospective clients six stories up the interior staircase into Lucy’s observation deck so they could get a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

In 1887, Lucy got her name from the Gertzen family, who didn’t care for her original moniker of “Elephant Bazaar.” She was quickly transformed into a tavern, and, after that, a summer home for a British doctor and his family. The Gertzens retained ownership of Lucy until 1970, when they kindly bestowed her to the Save Lucy Committee.

Lucy has likely served more purposes over the last 138 years than any other offering on Airbnb. In addition to being used as a tavern and private beach bungalow, Lucy has also been a real estate office, and of course, a popular tourist attraction. The inimitable elephant is also tough and resilient, enduring two relocations, a fire, lightning strikes, hurricanes, floods, break-ins, and lots of general neglect.

In 1969, Lucy faced the worst fate of her life. Her exterior was devastated by years of ruthless marine weather, which made tourists flock to relatively newer attractions. The owners decided to sell the landmark, but the buyers only wanted the land she was on. Subsequently, she was condemned by authorities, and her demolition seemed imminent.

Saving Lucy

Word quickly spread of the plans to destroy Lucy, and the Save Lucy Committee was promptly formed. Together, its members raised enough money to move Lucy to a site owned by the city, soon to become a park. The funds raised by the Save Lucy Committee also paid for Lucy’s huge renovation.

In 1974, Lucy the Elephant was again ready to be a paid tourist attraction after undergoing four long years of restoration. The Save Lucy Committee oversaw both the building and tours, which reportedly brought in around 132,000 visitors every year. $8.50 bought adults for a 30-minute excursion inside the elephant, complete with highlights from her personal history.

The Airbnb Deal

On March 5th, 2020, Lucy the Elephant was made available for booking on Airbnb. It’s a very limited opportunity, with reservations available for the nights of March 17th, 18th, and 19th and just a two-person maximum occupancy. Prospective guests should be aware that there’s no bathroom inside the elephant, but there is one in a trailer conveniently parked at Lucy’s lovely painted feet. For added safety, a staff member and security guard will occupy an adjoining gift shop during the stay. Guests will also be served breakfast inside Lucy come morning. And for just $138 a night, all that sounds like a pretty good deal. Even better, all of the the humble proceeds from the three overnight stays will be used for future repairs and maintenance.

The post Iconic Lucy the Elephant Landmark Now Takes Airbnb Bookings first appeared on Dornob.

Yes, the “O2 Haus” encompasses design elements that not only make it cozy and inviting as a vacation rental, but also net-zero in energy consumption. That’s not an easy feat to accomplish — especially when you consider the massive amounts of energy that other vacation homes burn through while heating, cooling, and supporting the overall electronic load.

Heated mostly by the sun and energy produced by daily household activities, the O2 Haus system is backed up with solar panels to gather power for the limited energy that it does consume. A heat-recovery system collects heat, filters the air, and disperses it equally throughout the home to offer a comfortable environment in every room without any hot or cold pockets, while a highly-efficient heat pump accommodates the water heating needs.

The house is built on a concrete slab installed over nine inches of EPS foam insulation (R-36). Inside, the walls are framed with 2 x 8s and packed with blown-in cellulose, though they are also insulated on the outside with four inches of rigid polyisocyanurate foam insulation (R-52). Triple-pane windows add to the insulation value for maximum efficiency, with remote-powered exterior shades further helping with temperature management. Custom exterior doors with Vacuum Insulated Panels complete the framework for this ultra-efficient space, which boasts an impressively low heating load of only 4,500 Btu/h.

Natural materials fill the house to further support the sustainable design. All its counters are quartz, while flooring materials include reclaimed hardwood and concrete. Tile backsplashes and translucent glass cabinets add to the organic aesthetic.

All of these thoughtful earth-friendly systems enhance the upscale home without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. The O2 Haus also houses three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a single-car garage, and 1,650 square feet to maneuver. The landscaped front yard features a paver stone patio surrounded by a thoughtful design incorporating native, drought-resistant plants that are watered by a rain chain. Other features include a sunset balcony, a lofted dining and living room, a modern kitchen with an induction stove, heated towel racks, a charcoal barbecue, broadband Wi-Fi, and a private backyard.

Designed by PDX Living, the Portland house sold before it was even built, and it now offers a private room for rent through AirBnB, making it the perfect solution for the sustainable traveler. The nightly rate averages $65 and includes access to the shared spaces in the house and a light breakfast.

Thanks to its reclaimed materials and solid floorplan, the O2 Haus has earned Passive House certification as one of the most energy-efficient homes in the world, having been recognized by a slew of publications for the achievement.

“The 7 Best Airbnb Rentals in Portland, Oregon” — Travel+Leisure

“10 Amazing New Homes” — Portland Monthly

“The Houses That Could Save the World” — Politico

“Net-Zero Success Story” — Solar Oregon

“15 EcoFriendly Airbnbs for under $150” — GlobeIn

“Best Portland Airbnb Rentals” — News Ledge

“Houses that Matter: Inside a Bold New Era of Portland Architecture” — Portland Monthly

“It’s Easy Being Green” — Airbnb Pick

The post Critically-Acclaimed O2 Haus Offers Sustainable Design in a Vacation Rental first appeared on Dornob.

You won’t find much more technology than that in this sweet little pine plywood cabin. Nolla’s creator, Robin Falck, envisions the mobile structure as a place where visitors can escape the chaos of modern life and all the “stuff” that goes along with it. Originally commissioned by Finnish renewable energy company Neste as part of their “Journey to Zero” campaign, the cabin demonstrates a way of living that bears a minimal carbon footprint while focusing on the joys of interacting with nature.

“One aspect that I wanted to bring to the design is movability,” says Falck. “Why tear up the surroundings and leave the environment in pieces [only] to slowly recover. Having a solution you can carry by hand to the chosen location, you can start enjoying your stay as if it has always been there — or hasn’t.”

He adds: “The cabin structures have been fastened together with screws, so it can be taken apart and put back together like a puzzle. The pedestals are adjustable so that the cabin can adapt to different kinds of terrain. In essence, there are no special parts used in building it — a replica of any part can be made from scratch by anyone, all they need is timber.”

“The culture of repairing things is disappearing, and we’re quick to buy a replacement rather than fix what we already have — but that’s not a very sustainable way of living. I find modern-day helplessness and the inability to make things with our own hands slightly scary, so I wanted to make the cabin easily repairable and thus give it an infinite number of life cycles.”

Neste sees the Nolla cabin as an experiment exploring some ways by which we can all live more sustainably. The cabin’s Wallas stove runs entirely on the company’s MY Renewable Diesel, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent and doubling as a heater.

Of course, there’s no Wi-Fi in the cabin, and you shouldn’t expect to find a shower in the nearby outhouse. Guests are instead encouraged to bathe in the nearby sea and to challenge themselves to live a zero-waste lifestyle while staying at the cabin, which means leaving all packaged foods, cosmetics, and similar items at home.

While traditional amenities may have been kept to a minimum, Neste maintains that the most important luxury is time, and the Nolla certainly has plenty of that to offer. There’s very little infrastructure on the island of Vallisaari, and the cabin is about a half-mile walk away from the nearest port, where boats deliver visitors to and from Helsinki’s city center.

Clearly, there’s no shortage of tourists eager to experience the Nolla cabin for themselves, as the rental is already fully booked through the end of December 2018.

The post Small But Sustainable: Finland’s Minimalist A-Frame Nolla Cabin first appeared on Dornob.

“One day, I thought that the mouth of the cave resembled a snake’s head with open jaws,” says Javier Senosiain, a Mexican architect famous for his unexpected organic creations. Tasked with developing an irregular 5,000-square-meter plot of land with challenging topography, Senosiain investigated the site and found himself envisioning something simultaneously monstrous and delightful.

“We located it in the scale model and noticed that it seemed like a virtual snake going in and out of the land… we decided then to place a tail and call it Quetzalcoatl,” he explains. His team was careful to preserve the beauty of the landscape as much as possible, leaving most of the existing vegetation intact during the construction process.

“At the top in the rattlesnake, we placed the water tank, below, the area for the janitor, and far below, a machine room with ten small warehouses, one for each apartment. It is worth mentioning that the land remained almost [fully] intact because it was only touched where the body of Quetzalcoatl rests.”

The snake’s massive 16,500-square-foot body contains 10 separate condominiums. Owned and maintained by Senosiain’s own firm, Organic Architects, Quetzalcoatl’s Nest has long been a private oasis viewable by appointment only. Now, it’s on Airbnb, and anyone can rent out one of the units for just $222 USD per night (don’t worry, each stay also includes a private tour of the grounds).

“It is paradise in the city,” reads the Airbnb description. “This place is perfect for anyone who loves nature, silence, woods, architecture, and someone who wants to recover it’s capacity to amaze. It has a park with botanical gardens, a cave of minerals and lakes to go around. It is a perfect place for small groups on retreats, to write, to meditate, for yoga, for walking, for a nice rest.”

Inside, the apartments are modernist wonders full of soft curves and rounded windows. A color scheme of white plaster and wooden furniture soothes the eye, almost allowing visitors to forget that they’re housed inside a snake named for a fearsome Aztec deity. The name, which comes from the Nahuatl language, means “feathered serpent.”

Eagle-eyed fans of organic architecture may find this style familiar. Senosiain is also responsible for the gorgeous Nautilus House, a mermaid-worthy shell-shaped abode created for a young family who wanted to feel closer to nature while remaining close to Mexico City. The shell’s concrete form is pierced with colorful circles of glass for a kaleidoscopic effect throughout the interiors whenever the sun shines in. The interior is like a secret garden, bursting with greenery.

The post Quetzalcoatl’s Nest: Stay in This Surrealist Structure in Mexico first appeared on Dornob.

If you haven’t already used (or at least heard of) the acclaimed home rental website that’s been storming the traveling world and disrupting the hotel industry, we’d be very surprised. Founded in 2008, AirBnb has changed the accommodation game for good, allowing those on a budget (and also those not on a budget) to experience incredible cities all over the globe by offering affordable homestays and apartments rented out by YOU, the people of the world.

Find or list unique homes in quaint towns or bustling capitals, partake in exciting events and activities that you might not hear about from your local travel agents, and seek out adventures in distant lands or right on your doorstep. AirBnb aims to bring travelers and tourists closer to the people who want their area of the world to be explored, experienced, and thoroughly enjoyed.

The Concept

Inspired by all the different listings that were up on the website, the AirBnb “Environments” team collaborated with San Francisco-based architecture firm WRNS Studio to create some office spaces that reflect the aesthetics of 16 different cities from around the world! The warehouse-like building, situated at 999 Brannan Street in “The City by the Bay,” has undergone a complete cultural transformation, showcasing themes from places like Buenos Aires, Kyoto, Jaipur, and Amsterdam on each of its four stories.
The concept emulates the company’s “Belong Anywhere” ethos, featuring conference rooms that have been influenced by real-life listings. One room has taken on the look of an English castle, embodying the Victorian era with its lavish tufted Earl sofas and 19th-century window treatments. Another office owes its materials to 1880s Montana, furnished with rustic lanterns, animal skins, and a wood burning fireplace.

“We want it to feel like a custom home to every inhabitant.” — Aaron Taylor Harvey, Executive Creative Director of AirBnb Environments.

The Office Spaces

Each of the 16 workspaces houses a conference room, a phone room, and large communal tables, and all of the offices are linked together by a space referred to as “The Castle.” On the top floor is “The Boat,” a structural wooden piece reminiscent of a simple ship that’s been built with cubby holes to allow for private work. The office also boasts a yoga room, a wellness center, and storage areas for employees’ personal belongings — everything needed for a creative, bright, and thought-provoking work environment.

The first-ever listing to be advertised on AirBnb was, in fact, an apartment in San Francisco, so one of the rooms’ designs was created to be an exact replica of it. Sourcing various items from all over the world in order to achieve uncanny resemblances, the team even fitted this office with a bed to remind them of how it all began! Other spaces mimic the likes of Paris, Bali, and Reykjavik, further reinforcing the ideas of travel and adventure in the office.
“Simply having photos of listings and far-off places was not enough. It is not just about recalling the memories, but about feeling that you’re there.” — Brian Chesky, AirBnb Co-Founder and CEO.

The post AirBnb HQ Creates New Office Spaces Based on Site Listings first appeared on Dornob.

The ÖÖD is a compact prefab house that can be used as a private residence or hotel room. This rectangular unit was designed and created in Estonia and has been finished in a coat of mirrored glass to protect the privacy of its inhabitants while giving them an uninterrupted view of their surroundings. This outer layer also insulates the structure and helps it maintain a comfortable interior temperature.

Inside, you’ll find some modern heated flooring, wooden ceilings, a spacious bathroom, a built-in kitchenette, and a custom bed that hides a pull-out mattress for additional guests to sleep on. Each ÖÖD also features a large touch-screen television, Wi-Fi, and a Bose sound system. In total, its interior spaces occupy a mere 200 square feet, making it the ideal short-term getaway or Airbnb unit. Alternatively, you could install the ÖÖD in your own yard and use it a guest house, studio, or home office!

The ÖÖD’s chief selling point is its remarkable eight-hour set-up, which requires no prior building experience on your part. Each unit is shipped to the destination of your choice and can be purchased individually or in bundles to create an instant hotel. The company website reads, “Our standardized solutions, quick and flexible construction process and high quality design product allow anybody to start his own hotel business just in days. For investors and ÖÖD hotel room owners the ÖÖD solution will provide needed market data and sales support via own booking system to maximize their revenues. Whereas for travelers, the ÖÖD hotel concept will provide the high quality housing and guaranteed level of services at any location where the ÖÖD hotel rooms are available.”

In Estonia, where they’re manufactured, the ÖÖD doesn’t even require a building permit. It’s not clear whether this convenience would hold true in Europe, the UK, or North America, or whether the units would need to be hooked up to utilities like electricity, water, and a sewer system — if so, you would definitely have a harder tome just plunking them down wherever you wanted. Many people have also expressed concern over the home’s mirrored exteriors, which could potentially harm passing birds. There are a few coatings out there that help birds avoid flying into glass, but ÖÖD doesn’t specify if it incorporates any of them.

An individual ÖÖD will run you about $36,000 USD, though it could easily pay for itself if you decide to open your own Airbnb!

The post Assemble This Luxurious Mirrored Prefab House in Just Eight Hours first appeared on Dornob.

A section of San Francisco’s disused, half-demolished Bay Bridge could be recycled into a multipurpose structure called the Bay Bridge House, functioning as both a museum and an apartment rentable through AirBNB. The bridge, which has one of the largest spans in the world, links the city to Oakland; earthquake damage and other safety concerns led to the replacement of the eastern span in 2013.

The original Bay Bridge opened in 1936 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, but most of the pieces taken down during the three-year disassembly process will go to China as scrap material. A number of artists, architects and designers are gunning for pieces of the bridge, including local entrepreneur David Grieshaber, who dreamed up this project.

Bay Bridge House would use the 504 section of the old bridge to create a modern, self-sustaining eco housing and co-working space. The former pavement of the bridge would be used as the foundation, with the steel portions as the frame. The house would be placed in Oakland to preserve a little piece of the city’s history and keep it with the people. Will it ever really get built? Who knows – so far, the city hasn’t revealed any plans to release the materials for anything other than a new park planned for the east end of the new bridge.

“A piece of our history will be gone forever,” states the Bay Bridge House website. “Some of the bridge should remain behind for future generations to enjoy. There are plans for pieces in Gateway Park, maybe a pier with a view where the bridge once was and even talks of pieces in a museum. We think that something more creative should be done with some of the scrap. Let’s use a few small sections and create the most modern self-sustaining housing and eco multi-use space in the world.”

The post AirBNB Bridge: San Francisco’s Old Bay Recycled into Home first appeared on Dornob.