A vacation escape that celebrates the finer things
WRITTEN BY RONDA SWANEY / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTI GRESHAM
“We wanted to create something that was unusual in vacation rentals, where you typically don’t see this level of detail,” says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. When Curtis came across this 1922 cottage in Weatherford, Texas, it needed a full gut renovation, yet she and her team wanted to maintain its charm. “We preserved the things that were special like the wood floors, the millwork around the windows and doors, and the hardware,” she says.
One goal for the project was to create a rental to showcase Urbanology’s design skills and brand partners. “People who stay here are astonished by the level of detail. Every cupboard they open, every corner, every pantry, every closet—everything feels artisanal and detailed, and those details include a high level of quality,” says Curtis. Hangers are made of handforged brass. Soap bottles are amber glass. Throw pillows are overstuffed with feather down. Even the cotton swabs and toothbrushes have wooden handles. The tactile nature of the home is purposeful. “Everything you touch adds to the experience as you utilize the house in different ways.”
The bedrooms deliver more layered details. “Each is named after a character from my childhood that was meaningful to me,” says Curtis. The primary bedroom is Mrs. Longstocking. It’s light and airy and named after Pippi Longstocking, reimagined as a grown-up. “This is the room where you breathe that sigh of relief,” says Curtis. “It’s very much about chill time.”
The dark and moody bedroom belongs to Colonel Mustard. “Clue was one of my favorite games as a kid. I took vintage game tokens and hid them throughout the room. When you check in and you read through the guest book, you know the game is afoot.” Guests search for the hidden game pieces during their stay.
If Mrs. Longstocking is light and Colonel Mustard is dark, the third bedroom, Ms. Hosell, sits in between. “Ms. Hosell was the imaginary friend my sister and I made up when we were little girls. She was older than us, wild and smart and sophisticated. It’s like we created the girl we wanted to be,” explains Curtis.
Everything in the home comes from the partners and products that Urbanology uses in their design work. “We use these brands, the lighting, the furniture, the decor. We need things that are lovely and will stand the test of time.” Curtis and her design team feel so strongly about the quality and value of the items that they’ve made the entire home shoppable. If you enjoyed it during your stay, you can order it for your own home.
Though Urbanology sometimes hosts prospects, clients, and business partners at the cottage, it’s also open to rent by the public. It offers people who may never work with a high-end design firm an experience of what it’s like, which is a belief strongly held by Curtis. “I think that great design should be accessible to everybody. I’m a firm believer that everybody needs to be exposed to beauty and great design.”
RENT & SHOP THE COTTAGE
Want to lay your head in this playful retreat? Book this and other properties, including an updated firehouse event venue, at: www.urbanologyproperties.com
From the main page, choose Properties then Urbanology Cottage. You can also book through Airbnb and VRBO.
See something in the cottage you want to bring home? Visit the same website and click Shop The Cottage. You can shop by room (such as the Mrs. Longstocking bedroom or the kitchen) or by category (such as lighting or linens).