O'Bannon House Design

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:
Profile badge
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!

05/24/2024

It might be a small-town tradition, but the way Waterloo honors its veterans warms my heart whenever I drive through our town. I often tell my guests that Waterloo will steal a piece of their hearts and make them want to return. This heartfelt appreciation for all things good and honorable is one of the reasons they are drawn back. Thank you, Waterloo, for caring about the lives of our veterans and their families, who sacrificed so much while serving our country. We honor those fallen veterans who gave up their lives so we could be free. And thank you Waterloo, for remembering them. Waterloo you are truly a class act! Happy Memorial Day weekend to all!

05/22/2024

Approximately 25 years ago, Rick came home, excited about a structure he envisioned for a workshop he wanted to build. He admired the building's classic lines and timeless look. He loved the structural form and aesthetics of it. We drove to the building and decided to use it as inspiration for his shop design. Fast forward five years when we purchased The O’Bannon House. Fate is a funny thing, and unknown to us, the inspirational building stood directly behind the home we bought. We were delighted! Although the barn is used by its owner for storage today, The O’Bannon House once housed a vet’s office, and the building behind it was used to treat larger animals. Guests ask about the history of this cool structure often, and we’re happy to tell them what we know. I would love to own this building and rehab it!

05/20/2024

The previous clubhouse was built around an old trailer my dad hauled on the property. Needless to say, critters were living in that place! It was nothing to see mice or the occasional snake. When we built the new place, we wanted it to be airtight so that not even bugs could enter. I didn’t want closed cabinets where anything could hide. Rick made these cabinets and drawers for convenience, aesthetics, and transparency. I’m happy to say, we are going on four years in the cabin, and I haven’t seen a trace of a critter yet!

05/16/2024

Our newish deck! (Built in 2020) We replaced a 32-year-old rickety three-tiered structure with this! We spend most of our beautiful May days out here! (Turn off the sound if those cicadas make you as crazy as they make me :) )

05/14/2024

The original clubhouse on the property did not have indoor plumbing, and I hated using the outhouse. When deciding what our new space would look like, one thing was certain - we would have a working toilet and shower. I began my search for meaningful objects for the bathroom, and the cream-colored bandana with mammal s**t of North America was the first thing I bought. It was perfect! Dad caught the fish in the lake on the property. The fishing lures were his own. There are framed pictures of four generations, fishing. We have wooden toothbrushes for each family member. The shower floor looks like creek rock. Believe it or not, the bathroom is one of my favorite spaces at the clubhouse.

05/13/2024

The power of flowers! It's always amazing to me what a little dose of color can do for a space. Look no further than your backyard. These are wild roses from my yard, but a tree branch or ornamental grass is beautiful too! Happy May!

05/10/2024

I received an email from a private company offering this plaque depicting our recent article in the Republic-Times. This company stated that they aren’t affiliated with the newspaper. I'd like two in black, but they are rather pricey. Does anyone know of someone local who makes a plaque like this? I’d love to display them in each unit of The O’Bannon House. Thank you!

05/07/2024

We are hosting the sweetest couple! As you can see in the request to book, the wife mentions how close Waterloo is to St. Louis. Her dear husband is going through chemotherapy and they tried staying closer to the facility but were nervous there. There are times when guests need to do business in St. Louis but choose to stay in outlying areas - like Waterloo. Normally, they are so appreciative and happy, and we love to host those who find us. PS - And true to their word, they are not throwing any parties 🙂

05/06/2024

Happy Monday! In thinking about the future of The O’Bannon House and remodeling the other unit, I turn to my followers for the burning questions. When you book a vacation rental space, what is the most important feature you are looking for? What is a deal breaker? What do you type in the search bar? What is your #1 request? My #1 request is a King bed. What’s yours? I really want to know. :)

05/04/2024

Salt + Honey Bistro and Event Space

If you haven’t been here yet, what are you waiting for?!! (I know it only opened yesterday!) I had the cheesy grits and Rick had the biscuit sandwich. The coffee is amazing! Yummy all around. Congratulations, Salt and Honey- you killed it!

05/04/2024

If you haven’t been here yet, what are you waiting for?!! (I know it only opened yesterday!) I had the cheesy grits and Rick had the biscuit sandwich. The coffee is amazing! Yummy all around. Congratulations, Salt and Honey- you killed it!

05/03/2024

My dad had a big presence. He was 6’6” tall with a booming voice. He worked hard all his life to support his family, and although I never doubted his love for me for a minute, his real love was nature. The property was his passion, and he stole away to the clubhouse any chance he got. When the original clubhouse began to deteriorate, we wanted to honor his legacy in building the new one. I didn’t use many new decorations; I tried to use his most loved objects throughout the space. While The O’Bannon House is a nod to Rick’s family heritage, this place is a nod to mine. Dad bought the acreage and worked so hard making it a refuge and a sanctuary for animals and his family. When I spend time in the cabin, I can feel his presence. I miss him so much. He would’ve loved this place.

05/02/2024

One of the reasons why I love before/after projects is because of all the possibilities. You can take something others may throw away and make it beautiful and useful again. In this picture of the upstairs of The Hugh you can see the restoration of what was once the kitchen. We removed the wall between the kitchen and a small bedroom to make a living room with a half-wall into the kitchen to open things up. When looking at a space, don’t stay confined to the layout. Move a wall, switch the rooms; the possibilities really are endless!

link for The Hugh on Air BnB
airbnb.com/h/thehugh

04/30/2024

I love a roaring fire on a cold day! Although I love the warm heat and cozy ambiance of a real wood fire, one of my biggest pet peeves is the mess that comes with it as you carry in the wood and track in dirt, dust, and bark across the floor. When designing our wood-burning firebox in the cabin, we decided to add a door from the porch. We lined the area with Hardy cement board tile backer for fire protection and sheets of steel on the walls and ceiling. There’s no need to track all the mess through the space - just open the door from behind and stack the wood up high!