The Pecan House: Big Progress, Branding & Our First Bookings | Part 02
This blog post was written completely without the help of AI. This is all human writing.
Welcome back to The Field Notes, featuring what's going on at The Pecan House! We took a big risk (shocker, I know) by preemptively listing the house for bookings as a vacation rental and well... within 2 days of going LIVE, we got our first 2 guest stays booked!
You may be thinking, "Wait, how do you get a vacation stay pre-booked before it even has flooring in it?" Well, I'll tell you... it takes high hopes, a little delusion and also some really compelling 3D rendering photos! Stay tuned to see all about it.
If you haven't already, be sure you read the previous post, The Pecan House: An Old Home With A New Horizon | Part 01 so you know the backstory of this project.
Side note, we have YET to see the '30 pound aggresive armadillo' that allegedly took up residence before we bought the place! Again, be sure to read Part 1.
I'll be kicking this post off with some progress pics, lighting and tile selections, then showing some behind-the-scenes branding, and of course, the details on how we got our first bookings!
The images I left you with previously, were during the demolition phase, which included exposed floor joists, a serious roof leak and piles of kitchen and bathroom debris and disarray.
Fast forward through framing, windows, plumbing, electrical, exterior siding, interior paneling and insulation... just to name a few... and we've now got flooring, lighting and even some tile work done! I wish it was as easy as hitting a fast-forward button in real life.
Hitting that magic button would certainly be ideal to skip the broken glass window incident, miscounted panel material, and incorrectly spaced battens along with that carpenter ant infestation we uncovered?! But then again, if it were easy... I guess I just wouldn't be interested.
It took all the restraint I could muster to stop myself from literally kissing the ground as soon as I saw those gorgeous oak floors throughout the house! And speaking of materials I'm in love with, check out this shower tile pic my contractor sent me!
What you're seeing is something I've not seen before and also a result of getting crafty on budget without sacrificing quality. Can I get an amen?!
I would be 100% gatekeeping if I didn't share just how much I have used Facebook Marketplace to find deals on all the construction things — I'm talking windows, flooring, a freestanding bathtub, and even this gorgeous combination of real stone tile.
Just because I've never seen a combination of real marble and real limestone in a shower, doesn't mean it doesn't exist... but it definitely does mean I am trying it out!
Since I wanted to keep with the rustic, yet polished look and a timeless, yet catchy overall feel, I thought it a match made in heaven to do this groutless 6x6 in a checkered pattern. I'm not sure if I'm more crazy about how it's turning out, or the fact that thanks to FB Marketplace, I got all the shower wall tile for both bathrooms for under $500 total ($2.50 per square foot for my deal/detail lovers)! That includes enough for waste and taking it all the way to the ceiling! Hazzah! Here's a closer look at this creamy dreamy marble and lovely raw limestone.
Before we move on to the branding, I'd like to shed some light on how I chose the lighting package for Pecan.
FIELD NOTE: When pulling together a cohesive lighting package, I try to stay consistent with the finish. For example, the main color for the majority of these light fixtures I decided would be: antique brass. Then, I like to accent with texture using differing materials such as linen or rattan for that collected look, opposite of a cookie-cutter new build or a fast fixer-upper flip. Not so different, however, that I lose my audience to choices too eclectic.
Another key component to good lighting style, in my opinion, is paying respect to the era of the home. Since The Pecan House was built and lived in during the 60's-70's, I started a Pinterest search accordingly and then actually watched a couple of movies set in the time period when it would have been inhabited.
My resarch resulted in light fixtures that are non-fussy, solid in construction, but not lacking in dainty details. I tried to incorporate perforated metal where I could and personally, I'm obsessed with the way the light comes through them when they're lit up!
Want links to these light fixtures? Let me know and I can share the design pdf.
Alright, let's talk branding. Better yet, let's watch a screen recording of my computer as I designed the logo. Unfortunately, I didn't record a video of hand painting the symbol and words that ended as the final logo. And the reason I switched to paint, is because I just wasn't loving anything computer generated.
So what you're seeing in the video is mostly what wasn't working and then, how it came out after I realized the brand needed to give off a humble handcrafted look anyway.
So here you go — hit play to watch some logo design work in 30 seconds that actually took hours.
Fun fact, the green texture is a cropped section of the original house photo I cropped and had converted to an oil painting texture for the logo background. So fitting don't you think?
Over the past few months, I have felt this overwhelming sense of purpose while working on this project. It has challenged every design skill I've ever known. My constant thought is, "What do you mean I get to renovate a family house, designing every last detail down to the piping fabric for the custom entry bench and turn it into a hospitality (rental) business complete with it's own logo and branded accoutrement, including a Guest Guide sharing all the ways to enjoy our beloved hometown?!"
*gasping for air* This is my dream job. Rotten subfloors and all. I'd have it no other way.
Giving this house another chance at being a home, is so meaningful. Getting to share this journey with others, is just unbelievable.
When some say to burn it down, I say build it up.
My parents have always taught me to "Leave things better than you found them." I think it's safe to say, we're well on our way to doing just that.
It's like every lily pad in my career I've ever jumped to and from, led me right here. It feels like the first and final leap, all at the same time.
As I wrap up both this project and this post, please enjoy these mockup ideas for different branded items I have in mind for The Pecan House.
And last but not least... please do peruse the listing below, and if you find yourself curious enough to book a stay... BE. OUR. GUEST!
Keep a lookout for Part 3 where I'll be revealing the final furnishings and finishing touches as we countdown to hosting our first guests during the wonderful season of: Thanksgiving.
Think fresh fall flowers, pecan pie, the coziest bedding, and hopefully our first of many 5-star reviews!
Click here to see the listing details or to check availability at The Pecan House:
As stated in the photo descriptions on the listing: The photos are design renderings -- final furnishings and finishes may vary slightly.
As always, here's a photo collection of Rainey life as we know it. BONUS, I added some inspirational messaging in case you want to save or share for my fellow Pinterest lovers!
Summer 2026. Photo Collection.
Left to right: Ev in a muscadine vineyard | A strawberry cobbler we made | A tiny flower that landed on my shirt | Ev's birthday morning | The hay pasture during harvest
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