O'Bannon House Design

09/21/2024

I'm thrilled to share that my personal Wall of Fame in my bedroom is finally complete, and I couldn't be happier with the result! I originally ordered 8x10 photos from an online company but was disappointed when all the kids' feet and legs were cut off. Thankfully, Paul, an employee at the Fed Ex in South County, came to the rescue. He guided me through the process and worked diligently to print the photos on cardstock. They turned out beautifully—kind of matte and rich-looking. The best part? They only cost 50 cents each! You read that right.

09/16/2024

Our newest trend at The O'Bannon House is family and/or friends renting out both units! Throughout the summer we hosted families. Recently, we had adult cousins staying for a wedding this past weekend, and this December we have eight girlfriends coming to experience Christmas in Waterloo! Although we don't host "parties", we love the idea of 8-10 family members or friends enjoying our spaces. The Ruby sleeps four and The Hugh sleeps six. Grab some friends and hang out for a weekend of fun and memories!

08/24/2024

I’d say this would be the perfect night to stay at The Ruby, or The Hugh of the O’Bannon House 🙂 you could just walk back and you wouldn’t have to drive.

08/23/2024

This is my "why". These people are the reason I love to create spaces that welcome and nurture. I know you have your "why" too. I talk to people all the time and they share with me that they remember their grandma's house or their mom's house, not because it looked like it came right out of a magazine, but because of the love and care put into those homes for the ones they loved. I'm sure your loved ones will say the same thing.

07/31/2024

Twenty-one years ago, we transformed our garage into a master bedroom and added an en suite bathroom. It became our sanctuary from the chaos of kids and work. As a teacher, I spend my summers on various projects, and this year, I’m thrilled to share that our bedroom received a makeover! Although I'm still searching for the perfect rugs, most of the renovation is complete and ready for a reveal. We removed the chair rail, trim, and moldings. The ceiling soared with the all-white color scheme. There's a large, open wall that I plan to decorate soon, so stay tuned for more updates. For now, here’s a sneak peek at one-half of the space. The first picture is a before and the rest are afters. (It's crazy what a light fixture and statement wall can do for a room!

07/26/2024

This isn't our first guest who has visited Waterloo and privately messaged me asking for the name of a realtor :) Once you visit, you're hooked! This is just a portion of the public review this guest left me. In a private message to me, she went on and on. She and her husband want to relocate to our wonderful town!

07/13/2024

07/13/2024

When our grandkids turn sixteen we take them anywhere they want to go. It’s normally the fanciest place they can think of. This guy chose Gallagher’s! I always recommend Gallagher’s to our guests for celebratory meals, but with their new menu, I can recommend them any day of the week. The meals were fantastic! I hope our next sixteen year old chooses Gallagher’s, too. 😊
Gallagher's Restaurant

07/10/2024

What's the most frequently asked question by almost every guest booking a stay with me, you may ask. The answer: "What is there to do in Waterloo?" If you receive the same question, A Week in Waterloo brochures are here and ready to be distributed. Several businesses have already reached out and requested to display them—thank you! Please let me know if you’d like a complimentary acrylic display case with brochures or want a few to leave on a counter. Along with businesses, banks, real estate offices, or anyone who works with people wanting to visit Waterloo can request some brochures. I love highlighting all the places that make our beloved town of Waterloo great because when one of us succeeds, we all do! Here is a list of all the businesses in our trifold brochure: (Feel free to share!)
Bean Tree Café
Monroe County History Museum
Living Millennially: The Roastery & The Pop Up
Hopskeller Brewing Company
Pie Hard Pizzeria
Papa Vitos Italian restaurant
Peterstown House
Gallagher's Restaurant
Salt + Honey Bistro and Event Space
Waterloo Mercantile Co.
Crafted in the Loo
Mill Street Treasures
Chantilly Corner
Silk
Farm Girl Finds
The Back Porch in Destin, Florida
Helping Hand Thrift Store
Nice Twice
Casa Romero
Tequila Mexican Restaurant
Oh Sugar Ice & Cream
Briar, Waterloo
Acorns Golf Links
Oak Golf Course BBQ Waterloo, IL
Hiko Japanese Steak, Sushi & Ramen Waterloo, IL
Vintage Wine Bar
RRR Bar
Outsider
Mainstreet Bar & Grill
Double R Bar
Street Bar and Grill
Wi***es West End
Happy Hour Bar and Grill
Family Kitchen!!!
Farmer's Market
Lakeview Park
Shorty's Smokehouse
Stubborn German Brewing Company - Waterloo, IL
Waterloo, IL Municipal Band

07/03/2024

Thrilled to get this message from Air BnB today!!

Congrats, Christy-you've been awarded Superhost status four times in a row. Here's a little extra thanks for showing guests such great hospitality.
Check out your bonus
In the past year, you've accomplished a lot to get to this moment:

69 Stays

0.0% Cancellation rate

100%Response rate

5.0 Overall rating

Now, it's time to celebrate! Your new Superhost rewards include:
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A trusted symbol for hospitality featured to

06/29/2024

Who knew?! After enjoying a pizza at PieHard last night, Rick and I decided to take a walk around town. To my delight, I saw that Mama's on Mill has a walk-up ice cream window. You don't have to go inside, you just walk up to the window! In my opinion, any new food or retail space in Waterloo is a win for all of us. Congrats, Mama's on Mill, and good luck!

06/26/2024

This is the very first thing I bought for the clubhouse. We hadn't broken ground; we weren't even sure we could afford to build it, but this spoke to me! I am a teacher, and I was in a coworker's Science class and saw this bandana displayed. It came from a gift store in Wyoming, and as luck would have it, another teacher-friend was going to that same gift store soon! She bought it for me, I framed it, and it sits proudly in the bathroom of the clubhouse. I thought it was only fitting. :)

06/21/2024

I often post about The Ruby and The Hugh at the O’Bannon House. This is Maxine, and eventually, we will create our third and final unit in her honor. Maxine was Rick’s grandmother on his father’s side. She was a gentle woman, full of strength and dignity. I hope, when the time comes, I can do her unit justice. What began as an idea to renovate our dilapidated building has evolved into a meaningful way to remember those who came before us. I love sharing the stories of our ancestors through our building, and I believe, if they know, they love it too.

06/19/2024

I want to take a minute to brag about our bedding. I can’t take full credit; Martha Stewart taught me how to make the most comfortable bed via a video, and whenever Martha speaks, I listen. It is the one compliment we get that makes me the happiest - when guests say they had the best sleep they’ve ever had. We start with a mattress pad, then add a thick, luxurious mattress topper, next comes hypoallergenic pillow covers we change after every guest. We place the pillowcases over this protective cover. We layer the sheets with a top sheet and soft quilt. We have different loft pillows and blankets, according to our guests' preferences. All of this attention to detail is what makes a restful night’s sleep at The O'Bannon House!

06/06/2024

It's here and being printed as we speak! After receiving lots of advice and putting in much thought, our trifold guide to Waterloo is finally ready. We'll offer these to all our incoming guests, and we will leave them around town. We're so excited to share our love for all-things Waterloo with everyone!

06/03/2024

Now, that's what I'm talking about!!! When I'm redoing a space I always turn to FB Marketplace for unique furnishings. I buy most items new - like bedding and linens and kitchen gadgets, but for decorating the spaces I love to scour sites to find one-of-a-kind mirrors or art. In The Ruby we have a large, statement mirror in the living room. I bought it off my friend, Crystal, for $50. (She bought it for that amount on Marketplace and didn't have a space for it.) I recently saw this similar piece for $650!! The only way to snag the deals is to look often. You never know what you'll find!

05/30/2024

I switched out the rug at the clubhouse! I had a muted floral, but when I saw this at Menards, I knew I had to have it. The minute you walk in the door, it makes a statement. It's like a huge piece of cut wood. I didn't know how much I "needed" it. Now I do :)

05/27/2024

Ever since we built the clubhouse, I've dreamed of hosting a grand dinner party with a long row of tables. This weekend, that dream finally came true. I had the pleasure of hosting 17 of my cousins and their spouses, creating a fancy yet rustic tablescape. The table setting was beautiful, and we were blessed with the most gorgeous weather. We sat down to eat at 12 pm and no one got up to go until five! We ate and laughed and reminisced all day long - as it should be. It was a perfect day with perfect company, and I will treasure the memory forever!