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.”
